Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

Skunkyrate Gripping story with well-crafted characters

TeenzTen An action-packed slog

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

gkeith_1 Spoilers. Observations. Opinions.Nazis are coming. German people are ticked off about the end of World War One. They are the losers in the world conflict. They need food, money and jobs. Soon, they will be led by a supposed savior, whom I call Uncle Adolph, who will later lead them into yet another war, World War Two. Adolph was a corporal in World War One.The film is vague about this. I thought the violent scenes are about communists, being after 1917 and all, but I realize that in post-World War One that some disgruntled German survivors get nasty about what they want. They are what later become the National Socialist Party.Robert Taylor, Robert Young and Franchot Tone have American voices, but are German war veterans. They are happy go lucky, and Taylor ends up marrying Margaret Sullavan, with the other two men as nice guy hangers on.Sullavan does a Camille and has consumption/TB. She goes to a sanitarium, gets an operation (paid for by her sugar daddy buying the three men's sports car) but still passes away.Sad but happy, this film. Robert Young also gets a demise, but arises to become Dr. Marcus Welby, M.D. and Father Knows Best.

vincentlynch-moonoi I really didn't know what to expect from this film, and what I got was an excellent movie with one huge flaw. To really understand this film you have to put yourself in the place of a German citizen -- in Germany -- after World War I. Can you do that? I don't know the culture. I don't know the history. And that is a terrible handicap going into this film. And, for most of the film, it doesn't matter, because although it is supposedly taking place in German, it doesn't seem much different than some American setting might be. But then something comes along and you just feel out of place in the film. I actually think that a better way to have proceeded with this film, would have been to turn into into a story about returning WWI veterans, and it would have worked better for American audiences. And it may be this "feeling out of place-ness" that resulted in the film not being successful at the box office.Having said that, this is a great little story, and the acting is absolutely top-notch. And what I wish to focus on is the acting. I'm not a particular fan of Robert Taylor, kind of a take-him or leave-him attitude, and every once in a while I will see some film of his and think how really good he was. Ironically, he didn't want to do this film, and I think he's superb in it as the male lead. Similarly, there are few Margaret Sullavan films in which I really appreciate her (another is "The Mortal Storm")...but this is another. A wonderful performance. Franchot Tone was, in my view, an underrated actor, who once in a while really shined through. This is one such film for him, also. In later life, Robert Young was very dissatisfied with his film career (hence, "Father Knows Best"); he should have been satisfied with this role, and his portrayal of it is excellent. Guy Kibbee is in an unusual role as a tavern owner. I was never impressed with Lionel Atwill...and I'm still not. And Henry Hull...did he ever do anything in a film other than blow hot air????? It was interesting to see Monty Woolley as a medical specialist...not particularly good or bad...just interesting.So, I invited you to see this film and see if you feel comfortable as a member of the audience inside a culture and history of which you have no understanding. Aside from that, it's an excellent film.

pounders-1 My mother, a movie fan who loved "women's pictures" used to say nobody could cry as beautifully and elegantly as M.S. who both cried and gave audiences a chance to weep in many films. The tragic ending for the love triangle in this movie, must be seen to be believed. Margaret's character is in a hospital room with a balcony(?!!) and she decides she wants to perish while she's young and beautiful, so she goes to the window and gives herself a fatal chill, then collapses in Robert Taylor's arms, all while wearing an ethereal white dress...they don't make them like that anymore.But I would recommend this film especially to W Scott Fitzgerald fans,as they will enjoy his work on the screenplay.

mamalv What a lovely movie, with such touching performances by all involved it will fill your heart. The three comradesin post war Germany, are Robert Taylor, Franchot Tone, and Robert Young. As the war has ended the three friends try to start life again by opening a auto repair shop. They are all three, different in their ideals and their goals, but are loyal to each other in a wonderful way. Along the way, they meet Margaret Sullivan, a young woman who's past is filled with illness and a mysterious friend by the name of Herr Schultz. He seems to be her benefactor, but the relationship is never defined by more than that. She falls in love with Erich (Taylor) but does not want to marry him, because she is ill, and knows that she will ultimately die. Otto (Tone) persuades her to marry him because even if their time together is short, love is all that matters. She marries him, and falls ill, having never told Erich about her fate. Gottfried (Young) is the idealist who falls the victim of the times, and is killed which breaks up the three comrades. They continue on not telling Pat (Sullivan) he is dead so that she will take an operation to get better. She does, but in the end, sacrifices herself, dying in the arms of her husband (Taylor). It is all and all a beautiful movie, that tells of love and friendship, without selfishness, or pride. Robert Taylor is great in what I would say is a refined, and quiet performance. His love for her is shown in many ways, without words, just a kind of gentleness. This follows the 1936 role of the doomed lover, Armand Duval in Camille, which I consider one of his best performances. Armand was torn and unhappy, Erich is blissful and ardent. Margaret Sullivan is beautiful and valiant as Pat, and her performance gives to Taylor, as did Garbo, a chance to show what a fine actor he really was. A lovely film.