A Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958)
Country: US/GER
Technical: Eastmancolor/2.35:1 132m
Director: Douglas Sirk
Cast: John Gavin, Lilo Pulver, Jock Mahoney, Keenan Wyn
Synopsis:
A German soldier on furlough from the Russian front in 1944 meets and marries an old school friend, knowing that time is short.
Review:
Adapting Erich Maria Remarque's novel was a personal project for Sirk, whose estranged son was killed on the Russian front. Every scene is lit by shafts of humanity, if only the soldier's absurd optimism and determination to enjoy every minute of his freedom, and the framing and cinematography have a majestic precision about them, even when bombs are demolishing (very real) buildings in the background. It remains astonishing that Universal should produce a film about the war from the German viewpoint so soon, and lavish so much money on it (German locations were used).
Country: US/GER
Technical: Eastmancolor/2.35:1 132m
Director: Douglas Sirk
Cast: John Gavin, Lilo Pulver, Jock Mahoney, Keenan Wyn
Synopsis:
A German soldier on furlough from the Russian front in 1944 meets and marries an old school friend, knowing that time is short.
Review:
Adapting Erich Maria Remarque's novel was a personal project for Sirk, whose estranged son was killed on the Russian front. Every scene is lit by shafts of humanity, if only the soldier's absurd optimism and determination to enjoy every minute of his freedom, and the framing and cinematography have a majestic precision about them, even when bombs are demolishing (very real) buildings in the background. It remains astonishing that Universal should produce a film about the war from the German viewpoint so soon, and lavish so much money on it (German locations were used).
Country: US/GER
Technical: Eastmancolor/2.35:1 132m
Director: Douglas Sirk
Cast: John Gavin, Lilo Pulver, Jock Mahoney, Keenan Wyn
Synopsis:
A German soldier on furlough from the Russian front in 1944 meets and marries an old school friend, knowing that time is short.
Review:
Adapting Erich Maria Remarque's novel was a personal project for Sirk, whose estranged son was killed on the Russian front. Every scene is lit by shafts of humanity, if only the soldier's absurd optimism and determination to enjoy every minute of his freedom, and the framing and cinematography have a majestic precision about them, even when bombs are demolishing (very real) buildings in the background. It remains astonishing that Universal should produce a film about the war from the German viewpoint so soon, and lavish so much money on it (German locations were used).