The Mortal Storm
| The Mortal Storm | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Frank Borzage |
| Produced by | Frank Borzage Victor Saville |
| Written by | Phyllis Bottome (novel) |
| Screenplay by | Claudine West Hans Rameau George Froeschel |
| Based on | The Mortal Storm (1938 novel) |
| Starring |
Margaret Sullavan James Stewart Robert Young Frank Morgan Robert Stack |
| Music by |
Bronislau Kaper Eugene Zador |
| Cinematography |
William H. Daniels Lloyd Knechtel Leonard Smith |
| Edited by | Elmo Veron |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Mortal Storm is a 1940 drama film from MGM directed by Frank Borzage and starring Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart. The film's theme is the impact upon a nation's population when the country becomes fascist. The supporting cast features Robert Young, Robert Stack, Frank Morgan, Dan Dailey, Ward Bond and Maria Ouspenskaya.
In 1933, Freya Roth (Margaret Sullavan) is a young German girl engaged to a Nazi party member (Robert Young). When she realizes the true nature of his political views she breaks the engagement and turns her attention to anti-Nazi Martin Breitner (James Stewart). Her father, Professor Roth (Frank Morgan), does not abide by the attitude of the new order towards scientific fact.
Though his stepsons Erich (William T. Orr) and Otto (Robert Stack) eagerly embrace the regime, their father's reluctance to conform leads at first to a boycott of his classes and eventually to his arrest. He, a 60-year-old man, is imprisoned and forced to perform strenuous physical labor. His wife is permitted a five-minute visit in which the professor urges her to take Freya and her younger brother and leave the country. He dies soon after.
Freya is kept from leaving by Nazi officials suspicious of her father's work. She reunites with Martin and together they attempt to escape through a mountain pass. A squad (reluctantly led by her former fiancee) gives chase and Freya is fatally wounded, dying in Martin's arms just after they cross the border. Later, Erich and Otto are informed of their sister's death. Though Erich responds with anger towards Martin; Otto seems repentant, wandering their once happy home before walking into the heavy snow.
...
Wikipedia