IMDb RATING
7.1/10
2.1K
YOUR RATING
The close friendship of three German soldiers is strengthened by their shared love for the same woman, who is dying of tuberculosis.The close friendship of three German soldiers is strengthened by their shared love for the same woman, who is dying of tuberculosis.The close friendship of three German soldiers is strengthened by their shared love for the same woman, who is dying of tuberculosis.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 4 wins & 1 nomination total
Ricca Allen
- Housekeeper at Sea-side Hotel
- (uncredited)
Stanley Andrews
- Officer Giving Toast
- (uncredited)
Jessie Arnold
- Nurse at Sanatorium
- (uncredited)
Henry Brandon
- Valentin - Man with Eye Patch
- (uncredited)
Francis X. Bushman Jr.
- Second Comic
- (uncredited)
George Chandler
- First Comic with Singer
- (uncredited)
Spencer Charters
- Herr Schultz
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis was F. Scott Fitzgerald's only screenwriting credit. Fitzgerald's first draft of the screenplay was completed September 1, 1937.
- GoofsNear the beginning, when the three main characters are seen as civilians, it is 1920. However, Otto's car "Baby" is a 1923 Voisin, and in the road race, the other car is a 1929 Renault.
- Quotes
Young Soldier: [At attention] Major, now that the war is over, can I call you "father" again?
- Crazy creditsThere is no credit for costume design.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Romance of Celluloid (1937)
- SoundtracksAch, wie ist's möglich dann
(uncredited)
(Treue Liebe)
Alte Volksweise
Written by Friedrich Kücken (1827) and Emmerich Freiherr von Hettersdorf (1812)
In the score throughout the film
Played on a record and sung in English by a chorus
Also sung a bit by Barbara Bedford accompanied on piano by Robert Taylor
Featured review
Tender romance with post-World War I background...
All the troubles that were brewing in Germany are vaguely realized by MARGARET SULLAVAN, ROBERT TAYLOR, FRANCHOT TONE and ROBERT YOUNG in this film version of Erich Maria Remarque's novel about three comrades and their relationship with a lovely girl.
Given the essentials of the plot, which has the girl dying of tuberculosis but wanting to marry the man of her dreams (ROBERT TAYLOR) when urged to do so by one of his comrades (FRANCHOT TONE), there's a tendency for the story to become a bit mawkish and sentimental before it reaches its sad ending.
What saves the film from banality are the touching performances of all concerned, especially MARGARET SULLAVAN as the doomed young woman. She is earnest and touching and fully deserved her Academy Award nomination. ROBERT TAYLOR is gentle and sincere as the man she gives her love to.
It's directed in leisurely fashion by Frank Borzage and it's slow in the telling, which may discourage fans not too fond of weepies from the '30s era. It holds up pretty well but is nowhere as effective as MGM's THE MORTAL STORM in which Sullavan and Young also participated. That was a much stronger drama dealing more directly with the threat of Nazism, while THREE COMRADES strives only to be a tender romance with the tension of what was to come only implied rather than shown.
Trivia note: F. Scott Fitzgerald has one of his rare screen credits as co-author of the screenplay at a time when he was lured to Hollywood but found little success there.
Given the essentials of the plot, which has the girl dying of tuberculosis but wanting to marry the man of her dreams (ROBERT TAYLOR) when urged to do so by one of his comrades (FRANCHOT TONE), there's a tendency for the story to become a bit mawkish and sentimental before it reaches its sad ending.
What saves the film from banality are the touching performances of all concerned, especially MARGARET SULLAVAN as the doomed young woman. She is earnest and touching and fully deserved her Academy Award nomination. ROBERT TAYLOR is gentle and sincere as the man she gives her love to.
It's directed in leisurely fashion by Frank Borzage and it's slow in the telling, which may discourage fans not too fond of weepies from the '30s era. It holds up pretty well but is nowhere as effective as MGM's THE MORTAL STORM in which Sullavan and Young also participated. That was a much stronger drama dealing more directly with the threat of Nazism, while THREE COMRADES strives only to be a tender romance with the tension of what was to come only implied rather than shown.
Trivia note: F. Scott Fitzgerald has one of his rare screen credits as co-author of the screenplay at a time when he was lured to Hollywood but found little success there.
helpful•84
- Doylenf
- Nov 26, 2006
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Tri ratna druga
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $839,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 38 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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