Margaret Sulllavan was not beautiful, there was nothing really attractive about her, but there was something about her that always made her adorable in every film of hers. Usually she ends tragically in all of them with heart-rending death scenes and departures, but this is slightly different. There are in fact many strikes of comedy here, and several scenes are directly hilarious. The acting is superb, especially by the leading characters Frederic March, Glenn Ford and Margaret Sullavan, but many (if not all) the supporting actors are also contributing to the film with outstanding if not unforgettable performances, including the music score. Erich von Stroheim is his usual character of more depths than one, but also the two other female parts are absolutely smashing, to say the least. This is not one of the best known Remarque novels, but it does deliver all his finest qualities, above all an infinite human tenderness and compassion. This is a film to love and learn from especially in our troubled times, when new dictatorships threaten the entire world.
