Western Front Association - U.S. Branch - Movie Review of the Guns of August

THE GUNS OF AUGUST (1964). This VHS was released by Universal Studios in 1993 in NTSC format (U.S. and Canada only); available from Amazon.com for about $89; reviewed by Steve Leavenworth, rating it

1/2, and Jim Minnoch also rating it

1/2. They can be reached at jemcam@comcast.net.

This is an outstanding archival documentary film which is based on Barbara Tuchman's Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same title. The emphasis of the book is the period just before the war and continuing on to the Battle of the Marne whereas the movie moves on to the end of the war. It is all actual footage of the war and well organized to follow events sequentially. It is an excellent audio-visual accompaniment to the book, which is one of the acknowledged best books of the war.

Barbara Tuchman

The pre-war footage is wonderful about the pomp and circumstance of Belle Epoch, a prodigal period of European love of life. One humorous note about London life in the Edwardian Age: "Gentlemen's clubs abounded in the upper-class society. Only wives of members were allowed into the hallowed halls, with one exception - member's mistresses were permitted but only if the lady was another member's wife". There seemed to be little reason why Europeans would give up "the good life" to go to war.

But, besides the usual reasons (militarism, Serbia, alliances) for the war, the movie points out that the French were eager to redeem themselves from their upsetting defeat in the 1870 war with Germany. Also, Germany wanted to expand her boundaries; King George of Britain was more reluctant but feared Germany's modern fleet; and Czar Nicholas was determined to defend her boundaries. This is a superior documentary film by the prominent Universal Studios which magnanimously presents the enigmatic sequence of events in a graspable style. We recommend this film unreservedly to students of the Great War.

Created: 12 April 2004