Erich Remarque’s 1928 novel **All Quiet On The Western Front **has been adapted for the cinema a couple of times already, not least in 1930 when the result won the Best Picture Oscar. A new take has been scrambling through the development trenches for a few years and has just landed Roger Donaldson as its director.
Remarque’s book is set in the midst of World War I and finds an idealistic schoolboy named Paul talked into enlisting in the German army in 1914 by his jingoistic teacher. As he and his comrades are slowly devastated by the conflict, they become increasingly aware of the moral and political uncertainties of their cause. Soon, confusion and disillusionment set in as the battles grind on.
So far, the project has seen Daniel Radcliffe flirt with the lead and Mimi Leder attached for a time to direct. Despite confidence from producer Ted Field, nothing has come to fruition yet, but with his old collaborator Donaldson in place, Field is aiming for production to finally kick off this coming March in Europe. Might Radcliffe be lured back? That’ll probably depend on his schedule and Ian Stokell and Lesley Paterson’s script, but it’s certainly the most positive step forward for the film in a long time.