Three comrades

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Movie
Original title Three comrades
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1938
length 99 minutes
Rod
Director Frank Borzage
script F. Scott Fitzgerald
production Joseph L. Mankiewicz
for MGM
music Franz Waxman
camera Joseph Ruttenberg
occupation

Three Comrades is the American film adaptation of the novel Three Comrades by Erich Maria Remarque . The 1938 film starring Robert Taylor , Franchot Tone and Margaret Sullavan , directed by Frank Borzage . F. Scott Fitzgerald , who worked as a screenwriter at MGM for a number of years , received his only credit for a film here.

action

The First World War is over. The three friends and soldiers from the front, Erich Lohkamp, ​​Otto Koster and Gottfried Lenz, return home without illusions and without perspective. Together they try to build a living as taxi drivers and car mechanics. One day Erich met the young, completely destitute noblewoman Patricia Hollmann. Patricia’s love manages to slowly transform Erich’s cynicism and bitterness into hope and confidence. But at first Patricia refuses to marry Erich because she is suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis and there is little hope of recovery. A cure in the mountains only seems to bring relief. Patricia dies after an expensive operation that consumes the last financial reserves of the three friends. In the meantime Gottfried has also died and Erich and Otto decide to look for happiness in South America.

background

Since the success of the film In the West Nothing New from 1930, Erich Maria Remarque's books have been popular material for socially critical films. MGM, which acquired the rights to the latest novel Drei Kameraden at the end of 1936 , did not shy away from bringing some of the studio's top stars into discussion for the casting of the leading roles. At first it was planned to use Spencer Tracy and Luise Rainer . Then it was said that Robert Taylor , James Stewart and Joan Crawford would be hired. After several other changes, only Robert Taylor remained, who now appeared on the side of Franchot Tone and Margaret Sullavan . Sullavan, who was directed by Frank Borzage in the film adaptation of the novel Little Man - What Now? von Hans Fallada had worked with MGM in early 1938 on the basis of a non-exclusive contract for six films. The production was problematic. The screenplay by F. Scott Fitzgerald , who got his only mention as an author in the credit of a film, was considered too aloof and too pessimistic and therefore largely not used. The censorship authorities made sure that the political explanations of the novel were only used strongly weakened and modified. Any reference to specific political parties was omitted.

Theatrical release

The cost of production was $ 839,000, which was above the average budget for an A-movie at MGM at the time. The film was very successful at the box office, grossing US $ 1,139,000 in the US alone, with a further US $ 850,000 from abroad. A cumulative box office of $ 2,043,000 allowed the studio to end up with a hefty profit of $ 472,000.

criticism

The film received mixed reviews. The depiction of the political background in post-war Germany, perceived as vague and indefinite, was unanimously viewed negatively. According to the critics, the rise of radical parties would at best only be discussed in a shadowy manner and with allusions.

The industry journal The Hollywood Reporter called Three Comrades a mixture of the great and the disappointing (“a combination of the magnificent and the deeply disappointing”).

There was unreserved praise for Margaret Sullavan. The New York Times thought even the word admirable was an understatement. Sullavan is irresistibly adorable ("The word admirable is sheer understatement. Her performance is almost unendurably lovely.")

Awards

At the Academy Awards in 1939 , the film received a nomination in the category

  • Best Actress - Margaret Sullavan

Margaret Sullavan won the 1938 New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress for her performance .

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