Comparisons with 'Road to Glory' (US '36)
I've always liked the US version directed by Howard Hawks in 1936, which is entertaining in a bittersweet way, rather than harrowing. But I have never seen Bernard's French original (1932). Hawks' version is strong on character depiction (even minor characters like Gregory Ratoff as Bouffioux), low-key humor, and an ending with matchless irony. Maybe Hawks at his best? Warner Baxter and especially Frederic March are good in their roles, and March's character really develops and changes greatly during the story. But if anyone out there has seen the '32 French original, maybe you could answer 3 questions: (1) Does the French original have a pretty young nurse (like June Lang) with whom the 2 male leads (Baxter, March) both fall in love? (2) Does the commander (like Baxter) have an elderly father (like Lionel Barrymore) who joins the ranks as a common soldier? (3) Is the same patriotic speech repeated 3 times, word for word, by different commanders, at 3 different points in the story? -- Prof Steven P Hill, Cinema Studies, University of Illinois "S (DASH) HILL4 (AT) ILLINOIS (DOT) EDU"
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