Are We Civilized? (1934)

★★★★★ · On predicting WWII · sciwriter · 2011-03-12

During the depression era (1930's), it was commonly believed that World War II was inevitable. The question was when. This movie is one of the better portrayals of this thinking.

★★★★ · Prophetic · rclo · 2012-06-12

Sober depiction of what could happen anywhere when the people let it happen. In a free and democratic society, it begins with the vote. Put the wrong person in office and pay the price of ignorance. IMO, The soliloquy of the newspaper editor as the propaganda police were confiscating his library would have been more logically-placed in the film at the preceding honorary dinner, when people would have been more receptive to a history lecture. It's unlikely that the police would have let him go on so long when they were grabbing his books.

★★★★ · Prophetic Prop · bearpuf · 2011-03-09

An engaging melodrama, even if the acting is overboard. I was impressed that this piece could make it to the screen by '34 to issue a call of warning. There were some very visual war scenes that held my attention, and like the other reviewer wonder where they were obtained. Were they real or staged? In any event, I'm a quick sucker for anti-Hitler cinema. Thanks to the uploader and also to drpsionic (reviewer) for the suggestion of comparing Gabrielle Over the White House to this film. Although a benign dictatorship (Gabrielle...) is efficient, in the wrong hands it can quicken the sinking of…