Welcome to our Colossus Movie Guide for All Quiet on the Western Front. This guide contains everything you need to understand the movie. You’ll find a quick explanation of All Quiet on the Western Front, as well as our library of material covering key aspects of the movie. We encourage comments to help us put together the best possible guide. Thank you!
The Quick Explanation
All Quiet on the Western Front is obviously about the horror of war. But it also makes a statement on the cyclical nature of the experience. We open on the Western Front and follow Heinrich into battle. He could easily be the protagonist. 2 intense minutes later, Heinrich is in a pile of bodies. So we move on to Paul. And follow Paul on an odyssey that Henrich probably also went on, from being a school boy, to recruitment, to processing, to the trenches of the Western Front, to losing his friends, to losing hope, to losing his life. At the end, a recruit Paul saves picks up the torch and collects dog tags the same way we saw Paul do near the beginning. Unlike other main characters, Paul isn’t a hero on a unique, one-of-a-kind journey. He’s not Luke Skywalker. He’s not Ellen Ripley. He’s one of millions of other young people who could have had good lives if they weren’t thrown into a mulcher. Others preceded him. Others have followed. More will follow. It’s heartbreaking.
Other themes include loss of innocence, the disconnect between politicians and soldiers, egotistical leaders, timing, and the subtext of not showing kindness and the cost of that choice.
Cast
- Paul Bäumer – Felix Kammerer
- Stanislaus “Kat” Katczinsky – Albrecht Schuch
- Albert Kropp – Aaron Hilmer
- Franz Müller – Moritz Klaus
- Ludwig Behm – Adrian Grünewald
- Tjaden Stackfleet – Edin Hasanovic
- General Friedrichs – Devid Striesow
- General Ferdinand Foch – Thibault de Montalembert
- Matthias Erzberger – Daniel Brühl
- Written by – Edward Berger | Ian Stokell | Lesley Paterson
- Directed by: Edward Berger
Movie Guide
Title Explanation
What does the title All Quiet on the Western Front mean? What does it tell us about the movie’s intentions and storyline? Let’s figure it out.
Themes and Meaning
Discover themes that help us define All Quiet on the Western Front’s commentary, message, and meaning.
Ending Explained
If the ending of All Quiet on the Western Front confused you, this explanation will help you understand everything you need to know.
Important Motifs
Explore important motifs that indicate All Quiet on the Western Front’s most crucial moments of symbolism.
Key Shots
A visual guide to All Quiet on the Western Front. Coming soon.
Questions and Answers
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