INGRID BERGMAN's immense popularity during the '40s was the only factor to save this film from instant oblivion. It was a huge box-office failure, but nobody blamed Bergman who still looked luminous despite her deadly dull assignment opposite CHARLES BOYER, as the protagonist facing deportment during World War II's Nazi reign.
All the ingredients that seemed to make ARCH OF TRIUMPH into a "must see" film were there. First, it's from a novel by Erich Maria Remarque who gave the world ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. Then the cast included Bergman, Boyer, CHARLES LAUGHTON and LOUIS CALHERN. Then, it was directed by Lewis Milestone and released in time to be considered for Oscar nominations. Alas, there were none and it opened to humiliating reviews.
It's a deadly dull affair between Boyer's refugee and Bergman's lady of the night and whatever interest the story might have had is made tedious by the slow funeral pace of the story with its dimly lit exteriors and interiors. It's a thin story without much significance and it's shabby as a piece of entertainment. Not even the great Charles Laughton can save it, his role is so obscure in the scheme of things.
Not worth seeing unless you must see every film Ingrid made. She and Boyer were paired much more successfully in GASLIGHT four years earlier.
Trivia note: The film's running time was slashed after terrible reviews but restored to 131 minutes for arhival prints.
All the ingredients that seemed to make ARCH OF TRIUMPH into a "must see" film were there. First, it's from a novel by Erich Maria Remarque who gave the world ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. Then the cast included Bergman, Boyer, CHARLES LAUGHTON and LOUIS CALHERN. Then, it was directed by Lewis Milestone and released in time to be considered for Oscar nominations. Alas, there were none and it opened to humiliating reviews.
It's a deadly dull affair between Boyer's refugee and Bergman's lady of the night and whatever interest the story might have had is made tedious by the slow funeral pace of the story with its dimly lit exteriors and interiors. It's a thin story without much significance and it's shabby as a piece of entertainment. Not even the great Charles Laughton can save it, his role is so obscure in the scheme of things.
Not worth seeing unless you must see every film Ingrid made. She and Boyer were paired much more successfully in GASLIGHT four years earlier.
Trivia note: The film's running time was slashed after terrible reviews but restored to 131 minutes for arhival prints.