Sincere, moving story about the Nazi takeover in Germany and its affect on one family in particular. The father (Frank Morgan) is sent to a concentration camp. His stepsons become ardent Nazis, as does the man who was supposed to marry his daughter (Margaret Sullavan). This also drives a wedge between the sons and a lifelong friend (James Stewart),who is in love with Sullavan.

Beautifully acted with fine performances from all. Stewart and Sullavan are amazing. Robert Young, usually playing good guy parts, here plays a Nazi. Bonita Granville does well, as does Ward Bond in a villainous part. Maria Ouspenskaya is brilliant as usual. But the best kudos would have to go to Frank Morgan for his sensitive, intelligent performance. Possibly the finest of his career. Robert Stack also appears as one of the Nazi stepsons and plays a part in the film's powerful final scene.

This is truly a classic in every sense of the word. It's a movie that should be seen by everybody, both for its content as well as its historical value.

Having seen this movie version of the novel by Phyllis Bottome many times, I had not realized that this would be very potent and reflect the goings on of civilization in my lifetime. This is set during the rise of Hitler and immediately afterwards as the power and terror he sets on the German people creates fear in those who are either not Aryan or opposed to the Nazi's methods. Decent young men turn into monsters overnight as the humiliations of the past decades after the first world war creates a desire for change that can only be achieved through a mad man. A beloved university professor (Frank Morgan),honored on his 60th birthday for the desire to pass on his immense knowledge, finds that one night of tribute for a lifetime of work is wiped out by the announcement that Hitler has just been made chancellor. I could imagine featured actress Esther Dale biting her tongue as her character expressed joy over announcing the news, with Morgan's stepsons (Robert Stack and William T. Orr) overjoyed, as well as longtime family friend Robert Young. Morgan's daughter (Margaret Sullavan) is aware that this means trouble, as does their pacifist friend James Stewart. Stewart's pacifist nature is immediately questioned, but his determination and belief that "peace is better than war" sustains him even though he knows that war is most likely imminent. It's sooner rather than later that the students who previously praised Morgan are boycotting his class (leaving threats to those who remain),and the scene is soon followed by the horrific burning of books.

This is a hard film to watch at times because it is darker than most of the films that showed the atrocities going on pre American involvement. This is much needed propaganda lead Americans to the realization that pretty soon, their own young would be needed to fight for freedom as country after country fell under the evil of fascism. The film covers the attempts of Morgan, wife Irene Rich and daughter Sullavan to attempt to leave Germany as quickly as possible, but as we came to learn, that was not always possible under the evils of the government's wide eye. The friendships that Stewart, Young, Stack, Orr and a young Dan Dailey (particularly vicious as the youth leader) grew up depending on were all destroyed within days, and in retrospect, it's a very sad story on that level, on the level of inhumanity, on the shock of sudden change and constant fear, and on the insinuation that many of these young men knew that they were doing wrong, but out of fear or misguided loyalty to their old friends felt that they must go along. A telling example is between Orr and Stack where one of them begins to question what they are doing, leading to a horrifying reaction from the other. Young Bonita Granville, as Ouspenskaya's servant girl, shows the most fear, something she lost a few years later when she appeared in the exploitation drama "Hitler's Children".

The snowy scenery of the Alps and the surrounding area is gorgeously photographed, and this is brilliantly directed by the magnificent Frank Borzage. Every single performance is superb, with Morgan winning your heart the moment he steps up to begin his class and realizes that it won't be a normal day as it is evident that the crowd inside the auditorium is larger than normal. But the horror that crosses his face after being sung happy birthday to by the sudden announcement is just the beginning. This is not the flibbertigibbet Morgan of his many "Wizard of Oz" like characters; He's devoted to his entire family, some of whom are not related by blood, and as the horrors continue to surround him, the pained look in his face shows a man defeated by obstacles he believed he would never see in his lifetime. Rich is very subtle as his loyal wife. Sullavan, who had a different type of snowy scenery with Stewart in the same year's "The Shop Around the Corner", shows an underlying strength, an integrity, and she's a heroine to root for. Young and Stewart are the two male leads, and while it's shocking to see Young playing a Nazi, he is sensational in the part, as if he knew that the only way to portray this character was to go into it full force. Stewart seems too all American to me to be fully believable in the part, too Mr. Smith to be German, even a pacifist one. But it's an important film in his career, one he played obviously because he believed in the film and its message.

The sudden twist of the young men into vicious Nazi's reminds me of the division of the United States today over liberal and conservative causes. Where Americans used to have the capacity to "agree to disagree", we now fight and argue anonymously over every single news item, whether allegedly true or "alternative facts". It's a slower revolution than what was going on in Germany from 1933 on, but it is equally scary, with people branded in unfavorable lights simply by disagreeing over what's going on in the new government. The passive/aggressive way this is happening doesn't seem based on any particular leaders interference, but like those loyal to Hitler in 1933, those either for or against the leaders today are so passionately hateful towards those with whom they do not agree. We were supposed to learn from the travesty's of World War II that only through freedom and the ability to express our thoughts without fear of repercussion could we maintain a civilization free of a bully leader like Hitler. Yes, watching this 77 year old movie brings up all those thoughts and more, and that is the power of cinema. Without films like "The Mortal Storm", we would have nothing to look back to in order to guide us to a hopefully better future.

There is no way that I think this movie could have been done just a year or two before, as Hollywood had very mixed opinions about the Nazi menace. Many moguls just hoped the war in Europe would just blow over and few films really addressed the true Nazi menace until the US actually entered the war. However, one of the brave films to address it honestly and pre-December 1941 was Moral Storm. I commend it for both being willing to take a stand against repression AND for giving a fairly propaganda-free message. In other words, although the Nazis are portrayed as bad, they are not nearly as comical and over-the-top as they were often portrayed in later films.

On top of the message, the acting is as good as it gets. Stewart, Sullavan, Morgan and the rest at their best. In particular, I find myself about to cry when Ms. Sullavan cried--she was THAT good. Also, in a bit of unusual casting, Robert Young (you probably know his from FATHER KNOWS BEST or MARCUS WELBY) played a Nazi. This was actually a great choice, as in most of his prior movies he'd cultivated a "nice guy" image--what better way to show the insidiousness of evil by having seemingly good people join them. For Frank Morgan, this was probably his best performance of his career. Perfect acting all around. While not one of the very greatest films ever made, it certainly stands out as perhaps the best of 1940. This is also very, very sad as the apparently cowardly (what other explanation could there be?) Academy didn't nominate the film for a single award!!!