Tödlicher Sturm (1940)

Tödlicher Sturm: Directed by Frank Borzage. With Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Robert Young, Frank Morgan. The Roth family leads a quiet life in a small village in the German Alps during the early 1930s. When the Nazis come to power, the family is divided and Martin Breitner, a family friend, is caught up in the turmoil.

“The Mortal Storm is one of the few movies which shows the shift in attitudes which occurred among the German people after Hitler came to power. Although innumerable movies have been made about WWII, very few address the issue of peer pressure and its affect on the average, non-Jewish German. As a high school teacher, I have used this film in my classes for its unique perspective, and to demonstrate that peer pressure exists for adults as well as adolescents. Although the actual sets are unrealistic by todayu0026#39;s high standards, they are understandable given world conditions at the time of filming, and can actually add to an appreciation of the horror of the war. Viewing this film led to intense and thought-provoking discussion among my students. Any viewer with an understanding of history will undoubtedly find this movie compelling in spite of its technological limitations.”