ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT is the second adaptation of the famous novel about German soldiers fighting in the trenches during WW1. This one goes for the lengthy epic route and has to be commended for featuring authentic-looking battle sequences on what must have been a tight budget. What I most liked about this film is that most WW1 movies feature the big battles in the middle of the night, using the cover of darkness to hide limitations, whereas all of the big scenes in this one take place in broad daylight and they're all the better for it.
An ensemble cast has been assembled in this movie and most of them do a decent job. I wasn't too keen on Richard Thomas's hero, as I found him oddly muted and difficult to root for. Thomas was much better a decade later in the likes of IT and STALKING LAURA (still his finest moment as an actor, I reckon). Still, Ernest Borgnine is fine as the old lag buddy, and Ian Holm has an excellent supporting role as a postman who becomes a conscript. Watch out for Dai Bradley, the kid from KES, all grown up and fighting it out on the battlefield. British viewers may get a kick out of Michael Sheard (GRANGE HILL's Mr. Bronson) playing the father while old-time starlet Patricia Neal is the mother.
An ensemble cast has been assembled in this movie and most of them do a decent job. I wasn't too keen on Richard Thomas's hero, as I found him oddly muted and difficult to root for. Thomas was much better a decade later in the likes of IT and STALKING LAURA (still his finest moment as an actor, I reckon). Still, Ernest Borgnine is fine as the old lag buddy, and Ian Holm has an excellent supporting role as a postman who becomes a conscript. Watch out for Dai Bradley, the kid from KES, all grown up and fighting it out on the battlefield. British viewers may get a kick out of Michael Sheard (GRANGE HILL's Mr. Bronson) playing the father while old-time starlet Patricia Neal is the mother.