西线战场1918  

AccordingtoSadoulinhis"DictionaryOfFilms":"ThelifeanddeathoffouraveragesoldiersattachedtothesamecompanyontheFrenchfrontduringthelastmonthsofWorldWarI.Karl(Diessl),fromBerlin,goeshomeonleaveandfindshiswife(Hoessrich)inbedwithanotherman.ABavarian(Kampers)takeslifeasitcomes,whilethelieutenant(Clausen)stickstohisduty.Anex-student(Moebis)fallsinlovewithaFrenchgirl(Monnier)butlosesherwhenthecompanymoveson.Allofthem,soonerorlater,meetaterribleend.Bestsequences:themenburiedaliveduringabombardment;thefirstromanticmeetingbetweentheyoungstudentandYvette;Berlininthemidstoffoodrationingwithqueuesatalltheshops;thedeathofthestudentatthehandsofawoundedsoldierinno-man's-land;thetankattack;thelieutenantgoingmad;thewoundedandthedyingintheruinedchurchconvertedintoafieldhospital."FarbetterthanthecontemporaryAllQuietOnTheWesternFront,Westfront1918haslittledialoguebutgivestremendousdramaticforcetonaturalsounds(Pabstrefusedtousemusic).AsJohnC.Mooredescribesthefinalsequences:'Pabstmakesonelastdesperateefforttoconveytousnotonlythehorrorofwarbutitsfutilityanditsgrossstupidityaswell.'Releasedtotremendousinternationalacclaim,itstillmustbeincludedamongthefinestwarfilmsevermade."