I didn't despise WATCH ON THE RHINE as much as the other low reviews on here. It's sporadically interesting-I admit I went "OH MY GOD" aloud when Paul Lukas pulled a gun on the Nazi blackmailer, though this might have been because after over an hour of talk, talk, talk, I was shocked that something was actually happening on the screen.
The actors-with the exception of the creepy robotic kids-are generally good, even if Davis was miscast as the supportive wife. However, the characters are rather dull, either pure good or evil without much else to make them interesting. Lukas's rebel never experiences much internal conflict beyond guilt over how his family has had to rough it with him as he engages in underground anti-fascist activity. His wife and children are supportive,never bitter or tempted for more than seconds. There's a reason CASABLANCA has endured beyond its original purpose as allied propaganda: the characters possess ambiguities and flaws which make them interesting. They're heroic anti-fascists who don't need to talk the audience's ears off with melodramatic lecturing to make a point.
Visually,the film is rather static and "stagey," which actually is not a problem when the drama portrayed within those static shots is compelling. Unfortunately,unless you're examining it as a museum piece, this movie isn't that compelling.
The actors-with the exception of the creepy robotic kids-are generally good, even if Davis was miscast as the supportive wife. However, the characters are rather dull, either pure good or evil without much else to make them interesting. Lukas's rebel never experiences much internal conflict beyond guilt over how his family has had to rough it with him as he engages in underground anti-fascist activity. His wife and children are supportive,never bitter or tempted for more than seconds. There's a reason CASABLANCA has endured beyond its original purpose as allied propaganda: the characters possess ambiguities and flaws which make them interesting. They're heroic anti-fascists who don't need to talk the audience's ears off with melodramatic lecturing to make a point.
Visually,the film is rather static and "stagey," which actually is not a problem when the drama portrayed within those static shots is compelling. Unfortunately,unless you're examining it as a museum piece, this movie isn't that compelling.