When the rich wage war, it's the poor who die.Politicians put men on the field, with a remote, if any at all, care for soldier's lives. Maybe politicians should be the ones fighting each other.
I remember earlier in the movie the men were discussing the reason they were at war. None of them actually understood why they were killing the men across the field or suffering painful atrocities, whether mental or physical. I recall the conversation... take note the words are not anywhere near verbatim because this is just from memory...
Why are we at war?OK, that was definitely not word for word. But the idea is there. Not a single one of the German soldiers has feelings of animosity towards the French.On a personal note, I always thought about how I would never join the army because I am afraid to die or my life is too valuable and I have bigger aspirations in life. War honestly seems stupid though. Of course I could think of exceptions like the American Revolution. But even with that war, what made the colonists think that they deserved the rights to self-government or no taxation without representation. How about being a little grateful instead of saying, "NO taxes, it's not like you've given us economic opportunities we never would've had in England, or providing us with a haven of religious toleration." If I were the British, I'd easily be aggravated. And then look at current events. I don't see how we are protecting our country... from terrorists? It only takes 1 to kill many. Maybe war is just a natural part of human mentality. Maybe I'm anti-war or something, but the principles just seem messed up and the necessity seems to be absent. Maybe Remarque felt the same way and decided his book needed to be published so that people would see it from his perspective. If so, Milestone did a good job of carrying the original message and perspective over into motion picture.
Because our country hates France.
So you're trying to tell me that a mountain in Germany hates a field somewhere in France?
No, because our people hate the French.
No, I don't hate the French.
Neither do I.
Quick side note: What do you think the doors and windows thing is accomplishing? For me it's the director's alternative of panning because the people continue moving from one side of our view to the other. I don't think it's limiting our view but instead just a stylish director's tool.
By the way i dont think it was Kantorek that we saw in the movie. It was Himmelstoss who cowered. Kantorek is the school teacher in the book version of this movie.
ReplyDeleteYour view on war however is a little utopian. I understand that you mean that you wish their were an alternative to war, but I believe that it is a very necessary part of our world. I chose the word necessary because I also believe it is a stupid, monstrously ugly thing but Machiavelli said in his writing that to be trustful and loving leaves you succeptible to all the evil men in the world. So by being a country that is not prepared for war because you are against it makes you vulnerable for an invasion by a power-hungry country.
I thought that the school teacher from the beginning came back and visited the men on the front, but I think you're right. I believe that war is natural not necessary.
ReplyDeleteWHAT DOES NATURAL MEAN. typical lebonese thinking. your opinion is SCRATCH.
ReplyDeleteBut ya war is naturally within us because violence and fighting is necessary for survival. So natural and necessary are basically the same thing. But necessary sounds better.
Himmelstos is the Postman we see in the very first scene, chatting with the barber or butcher. He reappears as the nasty drill sargent, and comes back again. Whether he is a coward or not is kept ambiguous, and we'll discuss that scene on Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteVis your comments on the stupidity of war, I agree, though, like Ilya, I'm not a pacifist. The nicest compliment I ever received from a student came after I lectured once again on the folly of some war and a kid said, "Mr. Bennett, to listen to you, one would think that war is the very worst thing in the world." I thanked him through misty eyes.
Thanks for the clarification Mr. Bennett and to Ilya, I'm not arguing about something like this or else its getting scratch.
ReplyDeleteMr.Bennett I like to think that I am a pacifist for even the thought of letting international disputes be solved in any other method, other than war fills me with such joy. However this is never the case. Maybe in some distant future when some grand event that threatens to destroy all of us(such as a meteor or threat of a nuclear war), gives us some kind of clarity so that we may unify the world. And then its such a fat chance, obese if you may. Because it has already happened in the cold war (threat of nuclear destruction of the Earth) and we still have wars.
ReplyDeletePerhaps wars are a testament that humans are still animals and no matter how intelligent or logical we may get violence will live on inside of us. IN FACT i believe we are worse than animals, because most of them have not reached consciousness and yet we , supposedly superior, destroy on such a large scale and war with eachother to no end.
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." Albert Einstein
ReplyDeleteya einstein's a beast yo...lol
ReplyDelete