All Quiet on the Western Front Viewing Guide PDF

Preview

Summary

William Collopy...

Description

Film Viewing Guide – All Quiet on the Western Front Motion picture title Year: Director Writer (novel) Characters (partial list): Herr Meyer Himmelstoss Professor Kantorek Paul Baümer Katczinsky (Kat) Josef Hammacher

All Quiet on the Western Front 1930 Lewis Milestone Erich Maria Remarque (German WW I veteran) Edmund Breese John Ray Arnold Lucy Lewis Ayres Louis Wolheim Heinie Conklin

1.What does the term “front” mean in the title’s film? Western front in France and Belgium 2.In what decade did the events in this film occur? 1910s 3.According to the man shining the doorknobs, German forces had captured soldiers from what two countries? France and Russia 4.What was the explanation that mailman Himmelstoss gave Herr Meyer as to why he would no longer be delivering the mail? He’s going to join the military 5.According to Herr Meyer, how long would the war last? A few months 6.What bombastic title did Professor Kantorek ascribe to the young men in his class? Life of the Fatherland 7.When the young man fantasized about coming home in a soldier’s uniform, how did he envision the reactions of his mother and his father? His mother got upset and his father was happy 8.What was Professor Kantorek’s estimate of the war’s duration? Not very long 9.When the new soldiers arrived in the forward assembly area following completion of their training, what kind of conditions did they encounter there? What was the most shocking thing that occurred? Rainy conditions, no food 10. How did the young soldiers get something to eat? A pig was brought in and they had to give up their cigars and items in order to receive some

Rev. 10/2016 History 106

Film Viewing Guide – All Quiet on the Western Front 11. When Kat took the new soldiers on the wire detail, what did he mean by his comment about fresh underwear? They would all have poop in their pants 12. Why was the cook upset over the amount of chow he had prepared? What did this incident say about the mentality of men at the front versus men assigned to the rear echelon? He prepared enough food for 150 men 13. When the men were relaxing under the tree, what did they have to say about how wars get started? Who did they think was responsible? The French, one country offends another causing the war to start 14. What was Kat’s solution for nations to solve their differences? Put all of the kings and leaders on a big field and let them fight it out 15. How did the men react when Himmelstoss joined the unit? Himmelstoss becomes the training sergeant, and starts behaving like a sergeant by being extremely disrespectful 16. What method had hospital patient Josef Hammacher figured out to deal with the war? He acted a little bit crazy so that he didn’t have to go back out to the battlefronts 17. When Paul went home on leave, what were the men in the tavern talking about? How did Paul react to their conversation? They were talking about the war and how it should be done, Paul ended up walking away 18. What happened when Paul visited Professor Kantorek’s classroom? What was the students’ initial reaction to what Paul says? Was that their only reaction? They were quiet at first, but then began calling him a coward 19. How did making this movie affect actor Lew Ayres’s later life? (Student research required.) He became a household name and went on to become a director

Rev. 10/2016 History 106...