In the scene of Kaiser Wilhelm II (Denys Graham) pinning medals on the soldiers, the Kaiser uses only his right arm and hand, while an aide holds the soldiers' tunics, an historically accurate detail, since the real Kaiser Wilhelm had a stunted and withered left arm that was virtually useless.
Filmed largely in Soviet-occupied Czechoslovakia, one of the first US/UK productions to be shot in a Communist country.
Richard Thomas (Paul Baumer) was 28 when he made this movie, making him ten years older than his character.
Ernest Borgnine was 62 when he played Pvt. Stanislaus "Kat" Katczinsky. The character was only about 40 in the novel.
When the movie came out, elementary schools were issued educational study guides and students were encouraged to watch.