All Quiet On The Western Front - 3rd Best Picture Winner

All Quiet On The Western Front – 3rd Best Picture Winner

1930

#48

Starring:

Louis Wolhiem

Lew Ayres

Directed By:

Lewis Milestone

1929-30 Academy Awards
Winner:

Outstanding Picture

Best Director

Other Films Nominated:

The Big House

Disraeli

The Divorcee

The Love Parade

So, this is the first of these Best Picture winners that I have previously seen. Being such an old film, this is, of course, in part to my father - this was one films that he had in his collection that was borrowed by one of my high school teachers for the class to watch. (Possibly in 11^th grade)

This is the first Best Picture winner to take its story from a book, in this case of the same name, and published in 1929. It was the second “talkie” to win for Best Picture, the first war talkie to win. It is still seen today as a great epic and powerful film because of its honest portrayal of the horror of war.

As I write this, I have the movie playing in another pane on my screen. I can see most of the image though I admit Im listening more than watching. At the moment Im about 45 minutes into it. Here's the thing. I had to pause it about 30 minutes in because of the breaking news in the real world. Bombs going off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The eerie part? They apparently went off just around the time I started watching the movie. 

I'm not a runner. I know a few, have a few family members that like it. Heck I didn't even know that today was the Boston Marathon. (Honestly I didn't know they ran it on a weekday. Always thought those things were Saturday/Sunday events...) I thank the Lord I don't know anyone that was there as a runner or as a spectator. 

And I find that I'm oddly desensitized to what's going on. Sure I was basically following the breaking developments on Twitter - heck that's the first place I turned. And I told my dad what was going on and about the reports of how many had gotten hurt. But I find myself only mildly surprised at what's happening and the fact that I've got a war movie playing in the background - I'm almost indifferent. (Though I did have to turn in down because of how loud the explosions seemed) Seeing a picture of the scene with blood on the sidewalk and when I should be horrified, I just repost the picture and move on.

This movie isn't some love story. Its war. Bright, young, idealists thinking they are doing their patriotic duty that come to find the harsh realities of being on the front line - stuck in bunkers and holes in between times of fighting. Losing your friends and fellow soldiers in horrible deaths. Dying of sickness and injuries if you manage to survive getting hurt on the line. Not getting enough food or anything you really need if you manage not to get hurt. 

I stopped the movie again. I'm now at an hour and 11 minutes in. I'd closed Twitter and FB for a bit, figured things were quiet for a second. Now I see the reports of a possible 3rd explosion. More suspected and confirmed devices found. The growing list of the injured.

But now I'm marveling at how connected the world really is. Just a mere 2 hours from the time of the first explosions, there has been plenty of video and now still images coming in from all around the area. And the growing group of those hearing about what has happened from all around the world and who have come to social media to check on friends, family, or just offer general condolences to the world at large.

Whatever this turns out to be, we are all affected.

I understand why this movie was given its awards, nominated to Best Of lists time and time again over the years. It is part of the long history of what media can do when treated not just as entertainment but as a way to show the truth and give everyone a reality check. While yes, they are acting, they didn't actually die, the explosions are fake and sometimes just sound effects, it still speaks to something in every person. 

We may not fight on the front lines, but when war and fighting happens, we are all affected. 

I can't speak to knowing how to stop violence, honestly I can't see that it will ever stop. People will still clash over ideas and beliefs and some will go so far as to think that hurting those that are different or believe different is the best way to change something, no matter how many times and in how many different ways the world has been shown time and time again that violence doesn't work out how those that perpetrate it plan it to. 

More so I think it is our response to violence and those that have different ideals that will change things in this world.

Case in point - I did not vote for the man, do not think he should have his job, but I agree with him on this - 

"On days like this there are no Republicans or Democrats. We are Americans, united in concern for our fellow citizens." - Barack Obama

The Broadway Melody of 1929 - 2nd Best Picture Winner

The Broadway Melody of 1929 - 2nd Best Picture Winner
1929
#28

Starring:
Anita Page
Bessie Love
Charles King
Jed Prouty
Kenneth Thomson (uncredited)

Directed By:
Harry Beaumont

1928-29 Academy Awards
Winner:
Outstanding Picture

Other Films Nominated:
Alibi
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
In Old Arizona
The Patriot

Our story is, like the plot of Wings, one that is old. That of trying to "make it" somewhere. In this case, two performing sisters, the Mahoneys - Harriet “Hank” and her younger sister Queenie, come to NYC to try and make it on Broadway. The film chronicles some of what they go through working in the theater.

Hank’s fiancé Eddie is an actor and a singer and has brought the girls to New York to be part of a revue about to open, though their Uncle Jed would like them to go back out on the road with an offer of a 30-show job. When Eddie sees Queenie, now grown up since he last saw her, he falls for her but she knows her sister is in love with him and so won’t allow it to happen. Eddie brings them to a rehearsal and gets them an audition for the show but when the director only wants the younger, prettier Queenie, there is trouble. She refuses to work for him w/out her older sister so he hires both. Eddie sees what Queenie does for her sister and he falls for her even more. When the number in the show with both sisters is cut, Queenie is given a bigger role when another girl gets hurt. She captivates everyone and catches the eye of an investor on the show, Jock Warriner. As she begins to spend more time with him, partly in an effort to hide her feelings for Eddie, Hank and Eddie warn Queenie about him because they know that Jock is only interested in her for her looks and isn’t the kind of man that marries.

When Queenie lashes out at Eddie for his criticism of Jock and runs off, Hank realizes that her sister and fiancé are in love with each other and tells Eddie that she never really loved him so that he will go after Queenie. Once he leaves, she has an emotional breakdown but eventually calls their Uncle Jed to accept his job offer.

Later, Hank decides to hold a surprise party for Queenie’s birthday but Queenie goes to a lavish party Jock set up for her in the new apartment he has bought her. Jock insists they should be alone for a while and tries to make and advance on her but she resists. He claims that she “owes” him for everything and tries to force her but Eddie comes to her rescues and tries to fight Jock. They tussle but Jock wins and throws Eddie out. He takes off and Queenie throws everything back at Jock and goes with Eddie.

Some months later, the newly married Eddie and Queenie come back to see Hank and her new dance partner off as they set out on the road with their act.

Ok. So...how did this beat out all the others to be the best picture winner? Honestly it isn't that great. Didn't feel grand or fresh or honestly worthy of high awards. According to my research *coughWikipediacough* the film’s original release also included an early, two color (red and green) Technicolor sequence for the “Wedding Of The Painted Doll” song number but this sequence no longer survives with any known copy of the film. A quote Filmsite.org in the Wiki article on the movie also suggested that the films nominated that year were all rather weak because of the silent to sound transition and that this may also account for the film’s award win. 

I admit that some 84 years later it may not feel to me to be so wonderful because I simply have a different standard. But honestly, I dun get it.

*shrugs*

Wings - 1st Best Picture Winner

1927

#26

Starring:
Clara Bow

Charles "Buddy" Rogers

Richard Arlen

Gary Cooper

Directed By:

William A Wellman

1927-28 Academy Awards
Winner:
Outstanding Picture
Best Engineering Effects

Other Films Nominated:
The Racket
Seventh Heaven

The first ceremonies where held in 1929 and all films produced in 1927 and 1928 were eligible. The film industry was still young. Films like The Jazz Singer, (released in 1927) one of the most famous of the first "talkies" would eventually become more widely produced (which by today's standards would.be considered racist because of the use of black face, which at the time wasn't considered bad) But the market was still full of silent films, which in place of spoken dialouge that you could hear, used "cards", that one had to read, every so often so that the audience knew what was happening, thought the actors still acted their parts on screen as if they could be heard. The cards also allowed scene changes to be explained.

Now I've seen parts of a number of silent films over the years but I've never actually sat and watched one on purpose by myself, so this would be he first.

I admit that as a movie viewer in current society, I'm not particularly used to having to always pay attention to the screen. We have become so used to multitasking that even when we sit in the theater, our attention is not always focused on the movie in front of us. We have distractions, be it our popcorn and M&Ms, our phones, or other people with us. Movie going was different when this film was produced. While going to the theater can be costly these days, its fairly common place, from the time we are small children. When this film was made, movie going was a luxury. An event. One went to a large, single screen theater, likely only to be found in a city. It was an event for adults. Going to a picture show was an experience.

This being a silent flim, I needed to pay attention so as to be able to understand what was happening. I will admit that it was hard for me to do. Even as I was first writing this post, I was watching a movie, granted one I've seen more than a few times, and I wasn't always watching the screen. I was also texting. Another issue was needing to be able to see the screen clearly. I watched this on a dvd player while in bed but having to read the screen meant my glasses need to be on.

The film felt long. I've sat thru plently of movies hat clocked in at the 2hrs 21min of this film but having to read the cards made it seem longer than it really was. That and the traditional Intermission in the film. Most films of this era include one, because going to a picture show was considered to be like going to a play or a show and audiences expected it. It was a theater going experience like any other, just a motion picture show. While watching this, I ended up needing to take an intermission of my own, as I began to fall asleep. I don't consider that a mark on he film though. I was simply tired.

Our story is about 2 men and the women in love with them. They are both sent off to war, in this case World War 1.

Jack is in love with Sylvia. His best friend, Mary, is in love with him but he doesn't realize it and also doesnt see that Sylvia is in love with his rival, David. When both men leave for war, Jack misakenly believes he's got Sylvia's heart as she gave him a token, but the locket with her picture in it was really meant for David.

The men eventually settle their differences and become part of a flying ace squad in Europe fighting the Germans. Jack still doesn't know that Sylvia and David are in love, but David is too kind to say anything, though we do see a letter between he and Sylvia where they speakc of Jack. Meanwhile, Mary gets a job with the war effort in Paris, driving an ambulance. She meets Jack at a club one night when he is quite drunk and has to save him from trouble when everyone is recalled to the front., but he never knows this.

Later, during a flying run while in battle, David's plane is shot down (Jack thinks because David didn't have his lucky token with him, a tiny teddy bear from him mother) and he finds himself behind enemy lines. He is presumed killed in action. However, he eludes the Germans and manages to steal a plane from them but as he gets closer to Allied territory his plane is seen as the enemy. Jack goes up in his plane to take down the enemy, and he severely injures David who is piloting it. When Jack sets down, he cuts the German colors off the plane as a trophy but then discovers it was really his buddy and then mourns for him. With help, he returns David's body to the Allied forces where he is buried. When Jack returns home from the war he goes to David's parents and returns the bear and tells of his bravery. He realizes that he is really in love with Mary, not Sylvia.

The scenario of misplaced affections is an old story but the Oscar worthy part of this film is the action. There are long shots of planes in the air and even some minor "effects" of weapons fire shown which while by today's computer generated effects is laughable but was at the time hard to do because the process involved marking the physical film. There are also battle scenes which required the work of a large extra cast and that felt very realistic. One feels as if they are in the middle of the fighting. The picture as a whole is a grand undertaking and even now one can see why it was judged the best of its time.