The Mortal Storm ***** (1940, Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan, Robert Young, Robert Stack) – Classic Movie Review 2701

Director Frank Borzage’s strong, sensitive and significant 1940 drama finds the MGM studio in full patriotic mode, doing its bit for the free world by trying to stir up the wartime American public against the Germans. A film with something vital on its mind, it is based on British writer Phyllis Bottome’s 1938 novel.

It is important to note that this anti-Nazi film was made one year before America’s entry into the war against Hitler, which not all Americans wanted to join. Indeed it is one of the few directly anti-Nazi Hollywood films released before the Americans joined World War Two in December 1941. The tricky to handle theme is the impact on the people when a nation turns fascist.

Borzage’s carefully written, expertly handled and exquisitely performed drama stars Frank Morgan as a German Jewish professor whose Roth family are leading a quiet, content life in a small Bavarian village in the German Alps. But they are thrown into turmoil and divided over Nazism when Hitler takes power in 1933. Professor Roth cannot abide by the attitude of the new order towards scientific fact. But the professor’s stepsons Erich Von Rohn (William T Orr) and Otto Von Rohn (Robert Stack) eagerly embrace the Nazi regime.

Margaret Sullavan stars as Morgan’s daughter, Freya Roth, a young German girl engaged to a Nazi party member (Robert Young). She breaks the engagement when she fully realises his political views and turns her attention to anti-Nazi family friend Martin Breitner (the young James Stewart). The couple attempt to flee Germany, while evil step-brother Otto (Stack) reconsiders his loyalty to the Nazis.

This is still a special, thought-provoking movie. The always reliable scene-stealer Morgan excels himself, while the Sullavan/Stewart duo are a highly appealing star pair. Borzage’s direction is delicate and sympathetic.

Predictably, Germany reacted by banning MGM movies.

This is Dan Dailey’s film debut as Youth Party Leader Holl (billed as Dan Dailey, Jr) and also in the cast are Bonita Granville, Irene Rich, Ward Bond, Gene Reynolds, Russell Hicks, William Edmunds, Esther Dale, Granville Bates and Maria Ouspenskaya.

Mountain snow scenes were filmed at Salt Lake City, Utah and Sun Valley, Idaho.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2701

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