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Westfront 1918

Name: Westfront 1918
Genre: War, Drama
Released: 1930-05-23
Cast: Fritz Kampers, Gustav Diessl, Hans-Joachim Moebis, Claus Clausen, Gustav Püttjer

1930 | 97 min | War, Drama

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for history buffs. If you loved 1917 or Fury, start here.
The mood: Intense.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 37 min.
What might put you off: It's in German, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Made in 1930: an older pace and style.

A group of German infantrymen of the First World War live out their lives in the trenches of France. They find brief entertainment and relief in a village behind the lines, but primarily terror fills their lives as the attacks on and from the French army ebb and flow. One of the men, Karl, goes home on leave only to discover the degradation forced on his family by wartime poverty. He returns to the lines in time to face an enormous attack by French tanks.

How it earned its rating

CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 15K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by G.W. Pabst

Fritz KampersDer Bayer
Gustav DiesslKarl
Hans-Joachim MoebisDer Student
Claus ClausenDer Leutnant
Gustav PüttjerDer Hamburger
Vladimir SokoloffProviantmeister
Jackie Monnier
Hanna Hoessrich
Else Heller
Carl BallhausSchlachtergeselle