One of the things that one notices about movies made in the 1930s is the prevalent anti-war attitude. The most famous example is Lewis Milestone's "All Quiet on the Western Front", which depicts the sheer pointlessness of World War I. A lesser known but equally important movie is Frank Borzage's "No Greater Glory", based on Ferenc Molnár's play "The Paul Street Boys". Opening with a soldier denouncing war as a hideous endeavor, the rest of the movie is a metaphor for war, played out by schoolboys whose obsession with keeping their territory goes too far.
A particularly effective shot shows the watchman's medal next to a rolled-up sleeve where his arm used to be; that shot alone says just about all that needs to get said about war. I suspect that this anti-war sentiment would've continued had the world not seen another global war (which had its roots in the Versailles Negotiations).
Anyway, a fine movie, and a warning about excessive zealotry. The teacher's speech reminds me of any instance where someone preaches "the greater good", which of course only benefits those in power.
PS: Two of the cast members later provided voices in Disney's "Pinocchio". Christian Rub (the watchman) voiced Geppetto, while Frankie Darro (Feri) voiced Lampwick.
A particularly effective shot shows the watchman's medal next to a rolled-up sleeve where his arm used to be; that shot alone says just about all that needs to get said about war. I suspect that this anti-war sentiment would've continued had the world not seen another global war (which had its roots in the Versailles Negotiations).
Anyway, a fine movie, and a warning about excessive zealotry. The teacher's speech reminds me of any instance where someone preaches "the greater good", which of course only benefits those in power.
PS: Two of the cast members later provided voices in Disney's "Pinocchio". Christian Rub (the watchman) voiced Geppetto, while Frankie Darro (Feri) voiced Lampwick.
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