Introduction
"All quiet on the western front" is an American war film produced in 1930. The film, directed by Lewis Milestone and starring Louis Wolheim, is considered one of the most realistic and harrowing accounts of the events that occurred during the First World War. The film demonstrates the gruesome and morbid nature of wars such as was the case in World War One. The underlying message of the film is that of anti-war sentiments because of the portrayal of wars as unnecessary and grotesque. This paper seeks to analyze the film "All quiet on the western front" and its relevance to the concept of wars.
Summary of the Film
The film begins with soldiers matching in a location close to a school. The match interferes with the lecture attended by Paul Bäumer and his friends. The match of the soldiers makes the lecturer deviate from the subject of discussion, and he starts to make comments about the war. It is clear, from the ensuing discussion, that the lecturer, Kantorek, favors the war. He tells his students that the War would be a glorious opportunity for the soldiers to fight for their motherland. Having been given a new perspective about the War, Bäumer and he friends decide to enlist in the war since to them, getting into battle is a heed to call of duty. Their experience throughout the war changes their position on the war. Towards the end, the soldiers ponder over alternatives to the senseless killings and battles associated with the wars.
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Analysis of the Film
The film demonstrates the nature and extent of propaganda that dominated the World War 1 in Europe. Most of the soldiers who enlisted in the war believed that being a soldier and fighting for one's country was the ultimate duty of honor. In the film, sergeant Himmeltoss takes Bäumer and his colleagues through training drill, an exercise that becomes their daily routine. Some of the training that the soldiers go through is abhorrent, such as the part where the soldiers crawl on mud.
Once the training session is over, the soldiers are dispatched to different places such as the Western front where Paul and his fellow recruits go. At the western front, the soldiers meet Kat, the war leader who has survived in many battles. On the night of the same night, the soldiers are sent on a duty where Behm gets blinded and ends up being killed. This episode is a demonstration of the nature sacrifices that soldiers have to make as they fight for their countries.
The real nature of war unfolds to the soldiers when they are held in a battle for close to one week. It becomes clear that soldiers fight under tough conditions, including fighting in empty stomachs. The state can be too much to bear, like it was the case with Kemmerick who had to get out of his hideout, exposing himself to danger. The encounter becomes a first-hand experience for Paul and his friends. As they discuss the way, they explore some of the alternatives to war. It is apparent from their discussion that the war should not be the only way to solve a problem.
Conclusion
"All quiet on the western front" is a 1930 American war film that was produced as a commentary on the nature of wars and why wars are not the only means of achieving goals. The film follows soldiers who get excited about enlisting for a fight in the beginning, and how their perception of the conflict changes over time. It is clear from the experiences of the soldiers that war is not the only way to achieve specific goals.
