AFI 100 Years, 100 Movies: No. 96


Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films.

No. 96: All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
Original List Ranking: 54
Starring: Lew Ayres, Louis Wolheim, and William Bakewell
Director: Lewis Milestone
About: We start a string here of films that didn't make the anniversary list. Though this film clocked in at No. 54 on the original list, it was removed in 2007. This film won two Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. It is part of the early wave of Hollywood. It is based on a classic novel and while it's not the best version that exists today, it still captures that deeply hopeless sentiment of the story. The book is a staple in the education system, and it makes sense the film would at least resonate with critics on some level. We are blessed to have gotten a new version in 2022 from Edward Berger that is in the original German. I'd wager that makes this film even more irrelevant, except that it will always be a part of Oscar history. Still, it's competently made and a decent adaptation of the story. Not a favorite, but solid, landing it here.

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