Original subtitles

Westfront 1918 premiered at the Capitol Theater in Berlin

on May 23, 1930.

The original camera negative has been lost.

This restoration was based on a dupe positive

from the BFI National Archive,

with missing scenes filled in from a dupe negative

held by Praesens-Film.

Screenplay by LADISLAUS VAJDA

Based on the Novel Four Infantrymen on the Western Front

by ERNST JOHANNSEN

You're not a handsome man!

Come with me, young lady.

- I want a turn with her! - No.

You are all my children.

For Christ's sake, will you look at that!

Lordy, lordy!

Like I always say...

messing with you Prussians always means trouble!

Let him have it, Karl!

Merci.

Out of the question!

Suit yourself.

I'm not made of sugar!

I'm not made of sugar. Washing up isn't for soldiers.

Quite a ruckus, huh?

Love me!

- That's the last thing on my mind! - What did she say?

- That you're a meathead! - Meathead!

You? - She thinks it's a compliment!

Boys, this lady will be my wife for the next 15 minutes.

You're spilling all the coffee, you idiots!

See that you don't put chicory in my coffee!

Sure! You prefer plain water?

Coffee, finally!

Here, gramps.

Nice and hot.

Over here, sweetie.

Gimme some of that negro sweat!

Stop your moaning.

Here's your coffee. - Now that's love.

Give me a kiss.

I'm crazy about you.

For Christ's sake!

Leave something for us!

She's a strong one!

Forget about him! Bavarians aren't worth it!

Is that so? Care to step outside?

- You bet! - Come here if you dare!

Let her go first!

Bruno, behave yourself!

- The Bavarian's gonna show him! - My money's on Bruno.

Slap him on the rump!

Good lord!

- Grandfather! - Cellar! Take cover!

What's going on?

18... 20... 23... pass.

24... 27... pass.

- I hit the jackpot. - You have a trump?

Boom boom, mademoiselle. Your countrymen are very impolite.

Not nice.

Dear God, this war!

All this senseless killing!

They'll frighten me to death!

Don't tremble like that.

No be afraid. I'm here.

I am with you.

With... you.

You're such a good man.

Good... man.

I... love... monsieur.

Christ, that's some crater!

If a shell like that falls on your noggin, you're done for!

More greetings from afar. I'm getting down inside.

- Just in case. - Come on in, folks!

Best accommodations in town, guaranteed shell-proof!

But it won't cost you 20 cents or even 10!

Today only, half price for soldiers and free for dames!

Fall in!

You can all kiss my ass.

Come on!

- Anyone down there? - What's going on?

Move it! Company, fall in!

Now the whole filthy business starts again!

Just when I had a great hand!

What's the big rush?

You'll die a hero soon enough.

Where's the student?

Student!

I have to go!

No, don't go!

Stay here with me.

Squad leader, report!

I'll be back.

Goddamn it! Where's the student?

Where the heck were you?

- Attention! - 1st Division reporting!

- 2nd Division reporting! - 3rd Division reporting!

- 1st Platoon reporting! - 2nd Platoon reporting!

Attention!

- Company reporting! - Thanks.

Shoulder arms!

Right face... march!

Straight ahead!

March formation. Smoking permitted.

I've had enough.

Time to hit the filth and sleep.

Attack!

Wake me when the enemy gets here.

Alarm!

Get up, old man!

It's an attack!

- What's wrong? - Gas masks!

Quick or they'll all suffocate!

There won't be much of them left.

It was a direct hit.

He's gone.

For Christ's sake!

Are you nuts?

There's not much oxygen as it is.

- The roof's caving in! - Prop it up!

Hurry!

Faster!

Keep pushing!

It came from that direction?

Goddamn it!

Friendly fire!

Tell them to direct their fire further ahead!

What's wrong?

Shit!

Runner, quick!

Our own artillery is shelling our position!

Artillery observation took a direct hit.

Runner!

To the battle orderly of the neighboring company!

Their shells are falling short. Medic!

Now...

I can't breathe anymore.

I'm through!

Karl?

This is water!

Help!

Messenger dog!

Good boy!

Go on!

Well, I'll be!

This is too much!

- What's the problem? - The front trench is lost.

Are you crazy?

Volunteer runner to go

to regiment headquarters.

Well?

Volunteer runner.

Student!

Are you crazy?

Like a fox!

I'll go.

To regiment headquarters.

Back in the dugouts, boys.

- What is it, August? - Nothing.

Lieutenant Richter! Aren't those lines repaired yet?

I sent out all the linesmen.

It's hopeless, First Lieutenant.

Your Excellency!

All lines to my trenches have been shot to pieces.

Message from the 3rd Company.

Artillery commander!

Go ahead.

Damn it, Major, you're shooting my regiment to smithereens!

REGIMENT DUGOUT "TRUDE"

Your fire's falling short!

You listen here!

Please move your fire forward!

No!

Understand? - Runner from 3rd Company.

This is the Trude regiment dugout.

I'll connect you with the adjutant.

Captain Wolzow?

Yes.

What's wrong with your connection?

Go on. Eat your fill.

Thanks.

Don't run off.

- Bessancourt? - Straight ahead.

- Poor guy. - He's in bad shape.

Jacqueline!

Monsieur Georges! Did something happen to you?

No.

- Is the student back? - No.

Heavy losses in one night.

The men? - Repairing the trenches.

How's morale?

The men on leave are back too.

Who's up for leave next?

Karl.

Send Karl in here!

You know...

I don't even like sending them on leave these days.

They just drag down morale when they come back.

And say that everyone back home is starving.

Three lilies, three lilies

Were planted on my grave

Along came a proud horseman

And plucked each one

Stay! Don't go!

I can't let my comrades win the war on their own.

What a disaster! This war is crazy!

People all crazy!

Don't go!

Stay here.

Man, your battalion is fighting on the front.

What about it?

And you're -

Is this the 5th?

Military police!

- Is this the 5th? - Yes.

One of your men deserted last week.

They caught him last night.

Yes, that's right.

The orderly room is across the way.

They'll hand him over this afternoon.

Have your guns ready.

Thanks a lot, comrade.

Take care, comrade.

When we march out

Through the city gate

My dark-haired maiden

At home you must wait

Maiden, wave good-bye

Under the green linden tree

Sits a little finch and sings

"Maiden, wave good-bye"

Are you running off?

I got home leave!

You lucky dog!

At the Brussels station you can buy heaps of sausage!

And bacon and eggs! - And schnapps! I'll buy it all!

Their jaws will drop back home!

And my wife is still a sweet young thing.

Finally someone to cuddle with again!

Life sure looks different this morning, huh?

You can't understand what it means.

You don't have a girl.

I do now, since yesterday!

Good evening.

Dear comrades...

allow me to introduce

our beloved young...

Forget-Me-Not.

Today I parade around in my finest dress

Just take a look at the front

It's just a bit racy

And the back side has something for the audience too

Tra la la It's May and here I stand

And all shout for Veronika!

When the little daisies bloom

Violets and mignonettes

You must kneel before me

And speak to me of love

How aroused I'll be

When I look passionately into your blue eyes!

When the little daisies bloom

I will be your wife

Silk stockings make my legs look fine

That's the reason Max is mine

To see me in my finery

Will whet his appetite

And lovestruck I'll trumpet the wedding march

Tara, tara! Chi-boom tara!

And all shout for Veronika!

When the little daisies bloom

Violets and mignonettes

You must kneel before me

And speak to me of love

How aroused you'll be

When you look passionately into my blue eyes!

When the little daisies bloom

You will be my wife

- The bee's knees, huh, boys? - A real doll.

You've really got it good here on the front!

- Get a load of these guys. - God help us!

- Isn't she the cat's meow! - Shut your mouth, you.

- Who are you boys anyway? - 1st Battalion replacements.

You enlistee brats think it's always like this.

You're in for a nasty surprise. - So what? This is swell!

Just you wait. We take up positions tomorrow.

- Shut up! - Quiet!

Hey, stop that! What are you doing?

It's my turn now. Go away!

Not again!

Have you ever seen such a thing?

The stage to myself at last.

- I want to play too. - You do?

Good. Let's play together.

He fell down! He can't even sit on a chair!

- Let's go on playing. - Go on playing?

Why not?

You'll see.

Here we go.

Come on, keep playing.

Just fooling around. Let's play something else.

We'll play something else.

Conductor, please.

Hey there! How's it going out there?

- We're holding up. - When will you reach Paris, finally?

I'll save you a place at the tavern!

What a miserable life! Money can't buy you a thing.

It's either shady dealings or starve to death.

In this cold couldn't you leave the brat at home?

All alone? My mother's at the factory all day.

What are you doing? Back of the line!

What's wrong with the old cow? Cutting in line!

Leave the woman alone.

My Adolf is dead.

Think you're the only one?

That's no reason to cut in line. Go to the back!

Let me through, will you?

- All those packages! - Really something, huh?

- I'll say! - They've got it good.

Isn't that your son Karl?

- Where? - Over there.

I can't leave the line now.

I've been waiting since this morning.

Well, well.

Well...

you can just go on kissing.

Well?

Why aren't you kissing?

I said go on kissing!

Take the blanket off.

Take it off!

Well?

One...

two...

Don't shoot!

Kiss her! Why don't you kiss her!

Kiss her!

Don't shoot!

Willi!

A draft notice?

Who's this for? You?

You too?

Tomorrow morning.

Get out! Now!

I'm dog-tired.

Packed in like sardines.

I've been traveling for two days.

It's horrible what they put you through.

I...

It's not my fault. - Save it.

Make some coffee.

SOLD OUT

Is he really back?

Well?

What's wrong? - Mother!

Karl!

Are you really here?

I brought all this for you.

What's going on with you two?

I should have just stayed at the front.

Don't talk like that!

What's going on with you two?

Oh, Mother!

It's not my fault.

Times being what they are...

the butcher's boy downstairs...

brings me a little something now and then.

You know how it is.

What are we supposed to live on?

They have no idea out on the front, of course.

When one of them is hungry, the others go hungry too.

They stick together.

All for one!

Take him his coffee.

But what's a woman to do...

in this horrible town...

so utterly alone?

Stay and have some coffee.

- How was it? - All right.

It's just taking too long. - No, I have some.

It's good.

Taste it.

Got it from a farmer in Vaudin for 3.50 marks.

My friend the student fell in love with a girl there -

Well? What about your friend?

He'll marry her.

I stood the whole way on the train.

Go make up his bed.

You've been away from home too long.

Eighteen months...

and nine days to be exact.

You can't leave women alone like that.

You just can't.

Is that my fault?

Is it anyone's fault?

Come over for lunch tomorrow, the two of you.

These are hard times for everyone, Mother.

Just say one kind word!

Don't.

Why can't you just make peace out there once and for all?

Hark, what stirs at the manor?

What hears my blackened ear?

The innkeeper from the vale?

A cascade rushes in the dale

Hush! Who approaches the manor?

A horseman from his steed dismounts

And upon the gates does pound

Good God, it is my son!

But where is my mother dear...

That's 12!

... with her tears for me so sincere?

Your mother, she was good

But now she lies in the ground

So the son took up his sword

And pierced his father's heart

Oh son! Oh son!

Please spare me

Your mother died for you

Then he raised his sword again

And pierced his very own heart

Now the manor and grounds stand empty

While in the cemetery all lie in peace

Who are you writing to?

My mother, of course.

You old blockhead!

Dear homeland

I greet thee

From far away I greet thee

From far away I greet thee

Dear homeland

I greet thee

You! Relief. To the sap trench.

Let's go!

Clear out that dugout.

This way!

Keep going! Move it!

Watch out! Grenades!

Grenades ready! Forward!

Take cover! Watch out!

Goddamn bastard!

Get back!

- Comrades! - Shut up!

You'll see your mother again!

- Go! - Here they come!

- Come on! - They got Fritz too!

Medic!

Come on, boys! We have to get Fritz back!

Boys, I'm hit!

Goddamn it!

You'll pay now, you bastard!

You'll pay now!

If I leave at 10:30, I'll be right on time.

There's some coffee left.

I'll get some on the way.

You're happy to go.

Sure am!

Just can't wait to get back to the trenches...

Three more minutes.

...to see the student and all my other comrades.

Funny, huh?

But that's how it is

when you've lain in the muck together for so long.

Forgive me.

Sometimes I wonder...

You've been as cold as stone to me.

...how I got so damned lucky!

- If you'd at least scolded me! - Help me with this.

But there's no talking to you about it.

Well...

all ready for the trenches again.

Well... good-bye.

You're just running off? What am I to do?

I'm a human being too! I'm your wife!

Stop it, now. There's no changing things.

You can't leave like this!

There's no more time.

Stop your blubbering. Come on.

There you go. Don't cry.

If this keeps up,

in two weeks there won't be a soul alive here.

No, wait!

What is it, young lady?

I don't want to go! I can't!

Where is my friend, the student?

Yeah, yeah, I'll tell him.

Off you go!

I'll be in Bayaume!

I'll be in Bayaume!

You understand?

Bayaume!

To the depot!

The entire sector has been under heavy fire

since midnight.

One moment, Major.

Where are the impacts now?

In the rear, Lieutenant.

In the rear, Major. That's right.

It's none of our business.

They're shelling the division cantonment.

No harm in them getting a little taste too.

Jesus! Karl's back!

Look at you, city slicker! How you doin'?

Well, how was it back home?

How do you think?

Nice of you to come back just in time for this mess.

- Is the lieutenant inside? - On the phone.

- How long has this been going on? - This is the third day.

Yes, Major?

Major, I repeat:

All reports confirm our suspicions

that the enemy will launch an offensive in the early morning.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

You hear that?

Fine with me.

Keep aiming toward the rear. Let 'em have it!

His Excellency himself?

Yes, Your Excellency!

Am I alone in the dugout?

Just a moment, sir.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Clear out, men.

- Hi, August. - Hi, Karl.

No, later.

Where's the student?

Cover!

Where's the student?

Out there.

Since when?

Last week.

That's him!

No, that's a Frenchman.

Listen to him howl!

He's been howling for days,

but no one can get to him.

- I'm going. - Don't! That's a Frenchman.

They can get him themselves.

What if it's the student?

I saw him.

I crawled past him on patrol.

Where was he hit?

He wasn't.

He's lying in water.

I can't take this!

Come on, Karl.

He'll stop sooner or later.

- I'll get him today. - Look out for your own hide.

You can see what's going on.

But we can't just let him rot out there.

But -

The lieutenant.

- Who's this? - Reporting back from leave.

Oh, it's you.

I need four dependable men to dig in

beyond the barbed wire.

I'll send gunners in after you.

The important thing is to attack the French in their flank.

Who will volunteer?

I will, Lieutenant.

I thought you might.

You can show us

how much good your home leave did you.

Who else will go?

May I choose them myself?

Very well.

Will you come?

What can I do? I have no choice!

I can't let you go by yourself.

There's the student.

Dear God!

Get a hold of yourself! We're heroes, after all!

My friend, if we were heroes,

we'd have been home long ago.

Watch out!

Come on!

Here they come!

You swine!

Pull the pins, man!

Go, men!

Gas!

Yes, sir...

Your Majesty!

Hurrah!

I'm blind!

Make way!

Just out of surgery!

My legs are gone!

You still have arms, my boy! Think about your girl!

Make way!

Gown.

Gloves.

Start anesthesia.

Scalpel.

Swabs.

Where is the student?

Where is the student?

Just say one kind word.

I'm your wife.

Hush, my child.

I'll come back to you.

It's not my fault.

Forgive me.

These are hard times for everyone.

So utterly alone...

I know that!

It's not you. It's everything!

It's everyone!

We are all...

guilty.

- I can't go on. - Cigarette.

I have five children at home.

Start the anesthesia.

There's no more ether.

I want to go home.

Me...

comrade.

Not enemy.

Not enemy.

Water!

THE END?!