writers_reign The teaming of Frank Morgan, Margaret Sullivan and James Stewart plus Europe proved a winning parlay for MGM in 1940 so much so that they shot them in two movies European-set back to back that year, The Shop Around The Corner and The Mortal Storm, in each case surrounding them with fine supporting actors. 'Shop' was an out-and- out delight and retains both its charm and appeal to this day. This one, every inch as great in terms of quality is dated by its propaganda content whilst ironically up-to-date in its tacit warning of how pure evil is insidious. It's of its time inasmuch as Borzage chooses to open not only in 1933 but on the very day that Hitler is elected Chancellor and neo-Nazis would argue that he stacks the deck by presenting a microcosm of Germany via a typical family on a day when they ate supremely happy, patriarch Frank Morgan's 60th birthday, marked by both colleagues and students at the small university where he holds a Professor's chair and by his family and close friends in a dinner at home, where the news of Hitler's triumph in the election is heard on the radio. From that moment, of course, both family and nation begin to fragment, but because the film was made in 1940, the first full year of a war that would last for six, it can only guess at the darkness ahead. In retrospect it is remarkably accurate at depicting both the national susceptibility to the ravings of a charismatic madman and the brutal, callous, harsh, ruthless streak running through its Hitler youth embodied beautifully in the Robert Young character who finally gives the order to fire on the girl to whom he was once engaged, fleeing to safety in Austria with one of the closest friends of his youth. The acting across the board is beyond praise and given that I've just watched the DVD in January, 2016, it stands up remarkably well.

rickdumesnil-55203 so disappointing. I'm a fan of war and spy movies and i was so anxious to see this one. I bought it and after 30 minutes of watching i shook my head and said....what a disaster. The acting is bad and all cast seem to throw out their lines to get get home as quick as possible. James Stewart is bland and margaret sullivan acts like a puppet on a string. the story line could have been interesting but was going all directions we see Granville for 5 minutes.......M organ doesn't come back...YET we see endless close up of fake skiing...and that seems to last for an eternity. Gave it a 2...for Frank Morgan....and beautiful mountains. WHAT a simply poor waste of time.

mmallon4 I try to avoid calling movies underrated or saying "Why is this not more well known?!", otherwise I would sound like the most malfunctioning record but as to why The Mortal Storm is not more famous goes beyond just my own personal preferences. The fact that Hollywood's then biggest studio Metro Goldwyn Mayer would release an anti-Nazi film at a time when the US and Germany where not involved in conflict; a movie which would then entice a country who were involved in a conflict of which the US had a neutral stance towards. To give some historical context, although it seems hard to believe nowadays, fascist and other Nazi like ideas where widespread throughout the United States during the 20's and 30's (heck, just look at the film Gabriel Over the White House from 1933, also released by MGM, or the public initial backlash against films with anti-fascist sentiments such as Sergeant York or To Be Or Nor To Be). Prior to the US involvement in the war, there was even uncertainty as to whether or not the US should take part in the conflict in Europe. This movie being overlooked is criminal. It deserves the special edition DVD treatment with documentaries behind its production. I'm sure there must be an interesting story behind the making of this film. MGM have generally been seen as a studio who played it safe, thanks in part to its conservative studio head Louis B. Mayer. So it comes as a surprise The Mortal Storm would come from this studio and they paid the price. The Mortal Storm lead to MGM films being banned in Germany. The word Nazi is never used once throughout the film, while the characters I can only assume are Jews are referred to as Non- Aryan. I wonder if this was done to prevent further controversy surrounding the film but it's still an incredibly brave picture.The core story is about of Nazism affected common families and their friends. The Roths (Jewish I assume) are a happy picture postcard family one day, the next there are completely torn apart. The professor of the town's local university is treated with the highest of respect one day, the next his students are boycotting his class after he states that science has shown there is no difference between the blood of various races. The Mortal Storm is a work of propaganda, not that there's anything wrong with that. Propaganda is an art form in itself, one which tries to get an emotional reaction out of the viewer in order to convert them to one side. The Mortal Storm achieves just that. The tension during the film just builds and builds, ending in an ending which is one huge punch to the gut. Watching the film again in order to write this review I surprised just how engaging it was on a further viewing. There are many little touches I never noticed previously, such as when Robert Young's character announces his engagement to Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart is the only character the room who does react with joy. Majority of the film is shot on sets with the use of painted backgrounds and miniatures, yet the whole thing still looks fantastic, and looks more idyllic than real world locations could.You really get a sense for this small town in the alps. The only complaint if any I can find with the film is the opening narration at the beginning which is overly bombastic.The casting of the previously paired Shop Around the Corner stars couldn't be more perfect. James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan play two friends who are forced to become lovers due to the impending circumstances. I can't recall any other movies which portray a love story like this. Sullavan often portrayed characters who represented bravery; her voice is so fragile yet powerful at the same time. The cast isn't the only tie the film shares with The Shop Around the Corner; both films represent a European society which was on the brink of destruction.

jarrodmcdonald-1 What's striking about The Mortal Storm is that it was filmed in February 1940 and premiered in June of the same year. That was 18 months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The book was published in the late 1930s. It's profound because it was not only timely but prophetic. This is a good example of filmmakers who are attempting to illuminate, warn and hopefully prevent tragedy. While the Jews are not mentioned specifically in the film, there are speeches about what happens if you are not Aryan or at least pro-Aryan and there is also mention of concentration camps. If this film was remade today (and it very easily could be), I think you could substitute the fanaticism of the religious right in place of the Nazis. These wars are still happening today, in a domestic and spiritual sense, and as a result, The Mortal Storm remains just as timely and perhaps as powerful as ever.