All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

The semi-autobiographical tale “Im Westen nichts Neues” (1929) by German writer Erich Maria Remarque is one of the greatest war novels of all time. This explains why its big and small screen adaptations received praise and accolades. Shot in Czechoslovakia, the British-American version All Quiet on the Western Front (1979) nabbed the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Made for Television, plus an Emmy for Outstanding Film Editing for a Limited Series or a Special. Germany’s same-named film from 2022 won Oscars for Best International Feature, Cinematography, Original Score, and Production Design. The American anti-war epic All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) picked up Academy Awards for Best Director (Lewis Milestone) and Outstanding Production. This film follows Paul Bäumer (Lew Ayres) and his classmates who are goaded by their teacher (Arnold Lucy) to enlist in the German Army during World War I. When the patriotic pals are sent to the titular location, they quickly lose their innocence and become disillusioned by the horrors of war. This poignant drama set the gold standard for all war movies to follow. More importantly, the pre-Code classic is one of the first mainstream flicks to bring male nudity to cinemas. During a skinny-dipping scene, Mr. Ayres flashes his abs and ass. That goes double for William Bakewell and Slim Summerville. With a name like Slim, you’d think he wouldn’t make audience members feel fat in their pants. But chances are slim to none that the tall drink of water won’t make you splash your slacks!