No Greater Glory

Frank Borzage's films puzzle me in many respects. I can't figure out how he manages to move us but he does. I've seen all the often-quoted films - "Three Comrades", "Mortal Storm", "Man's Castle", "Seventh Heaven" - on more than one occasion and yet each time I am truly moved.

I first caught "No Greater Glory" at the Cinematheque in Paris with a friend when we were studying film. The audience was actually moved to tears! We're talking here about a French audience, a foreign language film not particularly well dubbed on film, an era never experienced by the young audience present at the time and performances by child actors unknown for the most part. Yes, the context in the film was European as were the names and places but the situation was Depression-era America, let there be no doubt about that, as were the actors and production staff. I'm still amazed why and how it worked its magic.

The young actors are never "cute", the lines in the film are more adult than child-like, the performances quite adequate but with no pulling-out-all-the-stops Academy Award-winning emoting. In short, it doesn't "feel" like a manipulative movie in any traditional sense of the word, yet we are manipulated by Borzage's hatred of war in general and his remarkable compassion and sincerity in translating his feelings onto the screen. This film is an absolute must!

Curtis Stotlar

In a busy military hospital, one German soldier bemoans participating in a deadly World War, shouting out, "Patriotism is a loathsome lie!" Then, the story dissolves to a Hungarian schoolteacher telling his young students, "There is nothing finer than Patriotism, nothing nobler than War in defense of the country!" Keeping a few of the boys after school, for passing notes, reveals they are part of a gang. They are "The Paul Street Boys", and they are being threatened by older teenage gang "The Red Shirts" who want to take control of a vacant lot. The lot is the only one left in the neighborhood where the gang can meet and play. "The Paul Street Boys" like to play war games.

Most of the two dozen members of the gang are officers. Only small but determined George Breakston (as Erno Nemecsek), remains a "Private". Young blonde Breakston is the smallest because he won't wear heels. He's also clumsy and admits to being afraid - but "Nemecsek" possesses an enviable amount of determination. Despite being made a scapegoat in the group, Breakston admires "The Paul Street Boys" courageous leader Jimmy Butler (as Boka), who is reelected over a scheming Jackie Searl (as Gereb). Young Searl gets only two votes, from himself and the confident winner.

The boys are playing marbles when "The Red Shirts" cocky leader Frankie Darro (as Feri Ats) arrives on screen. Mr. Darro is obviously going to be hard to beat. Darro has already made inroads; working for the enemy, Searl lets Darro sneak into the "Paul Street Boys" lot and steal their flag. That evening, Breakston volunteers for a dangerous mission - to accompany leader Butler and banana lover Donald Haines (as Csonakos) to "The Red Shirts" camp, and bring back their flag. You'll have to see for yourself how successful they are, but you can be sure the gangs go to War...

An interesting side effect of Breakston's capture is the respect Darro has for his enemy's heroics. Breakston would find himself a more valued member of Darro's gang, but never wavers in his support for Butler. These relationships are highly intriguing. You can probably read a lot of different things in the allegorical story (my favorite "reading" is of "Nemecsek" as Jewish, but there are other interpretations). This film is clearly from a superior source, even without the introduction, "From Ferenc Molnar's immortal book." As it turns out, this is a classic novel from Hungry. For upshot Columbia Pictures, director Frank Borzage, photographer Joseph August, and editor Viola Lawrence excel.

Each of the performers are outstanding, with an amazing lead by Breakston. He may tend toward the sentimental, but plays it as directed. The producers and/or Mr. Borzage seem to have added an "All Quiet on the Western Front" type opening, which partially works; really, the story was strong enough as is. Also regrettable is the decision to intentionally speed up the film in selected parts. Incredibly, this received an homage in the opening of the excellent 1969 re-make, which was nominated for an "Academy Award" in the foreign language category.

******** No Greater Glory (3/14/34) Frank Borzage ~ George Breakston, Jimmy Butler, Frankie Darro, Jackie Searl

No Greater Glory (1934)

*** (out of 4)

A rather strange anti-war film that tells the story of two rival kid gangs who are planning to go to war in order to fight over a vacant playground that both sides want. Jimmy Butler plays Boka, a small child who is the only Private in his gang, because he's so small, yet he's the only one will to risk his neck for the greater good of the gang. I've heard people call this a Our Gang Goes to War film and perhaps that isn't too far off base but in the end this is a film I respected a lot more than enjoyed. I'm sure many, many people are going to watch this film and love it but I wouldn't go that far. I think the message is loud and clear but to me it's way too loud and clear. This is the second film I've seen from Borzage's career during this period, the other being Young America, and there's no doubt he wants to get his views across but I think in both films he goes a little overboard. The most impressive thing about this film are the child performances, which range from very good to downright excellent. I was very impressed with the young Butler not only because of his acting but because of his small structure and his ability to rise up and battle. It was a little sad and ironic when I read that he would die in WW2 fighting for his country. George P. Breakston, Jackie Searl and Frankie Darro also add nice work with future Dick Tracy Ralph Morgan having a small role. Another major plus was the cinematography, which looked extremely well and so focused that you couldn't help but feel as if you were there during all the action. The ending, which goes for emotions, certainly gets them and remains one of the most powerful scenes from this era.

No Greater Glory is Frank Borzage's adaption of a biographical novel by Ferenc Molnar. It's set in the postwar depression that Germany had after World War I. As it opens we first see a veteran talking about the futility of war and then it cuts to a German school where the boys, there are no women in this film other than the lead character's mother, are being spoonfed the same militaristic propaganda that sent Lew Ayres and his friends off to the trenches.

These kids learn well and Lord of the Flies like they split into communities, rival communities that we call gangs. The gang we first meet is the Paul Street Boys and their leader Jimmy Butler. Another group of slightly older kids are trying to push these kids out of the vacant lot that the Paul Street kids play in. This means war and these kids have developed their own rules about it.

One kid, small and scrawny George Breakston wants so much to belong to the gang, but the others tease him and tell him he's too little. He spends the rest of the film trying to prove himself worthy.

No Greater Glory is a really heartbreaking film about kids with misplaced values, the kind who would later become good recruiting fodder for the Nazis. Breakston's performance will elicit tears from the stone lions at the New York Public Library. Frankie Darro and Butler as the rival gang leaders do well by their roles.

I'd love to know how Frank Borzage got Harry Cohn at Columbia Pictures to OK this project. It's a B film, no big stars involved at all, still it's not the most commercial of projects. Yet if you do see it, you will discover a classic.

This is a bizarre and very heavy-handed film. Instead of showing adults at war, this film does war on a small scale--with children playing war. This isn't just kids playing war, but they have ranks, follow orders and act much like adults would in war. And, almost the entire film consists of kids acting--with only a few adults here and there. This strange idea seemed to impress most of the reviewers but I couldn't get into it--mostly because it all seemed rather fake and I also thought that children playing war and acting as if it's all lots of fun just seemed a bit grotesque. Although I know it was meant as an allegory about war and heroism and the futility of war--it seemed like it could also be taken as a pro-war film as well! As for the kids, all but Frankie Darro were unknowns and the acting, for kids, was pretty good. But it was also sappy from start to finish--and also made war seem pretty cool--like a recruitment film for the next war.

I guess I am a voice of dissent, but I didn't like the film--though I did at least respect the acting (for the most part) and give it a 4 simply for technical merit. Also, I nominate George P. Breakston for a special award for Best Performance By a Crazy Kid for his acting at the 61 minute mark. It has to be seen to be believed. Further, I nominate all the parents for the Most Irresponsible Parenting award for encouraging their little ragamuffins to become little warmongers.