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Watch on the Rhine

Watch on the Rhine

Drama · Thriller · 1943

On the eve of World War II, the German Kurt Müller, his American-born wife Sara, and their three children, having lived in Europe for years, visit Sara's wealthy mother near Washington, DC. Kurt secretly works for the anti-Nazi resistance. A visiting Romanian count, becoming aware of this, seeks to blackmail him.

Movie details

Watch on the Rhine

“On her lonesome lips a smile.”

1943 Drama · Thriller 1h 54m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.9 / 10

Community rating

On the eve of World War II, the German Kurt Müller, his American-born wife Sara, and their three children, having lived in Europe for years, visit Sara's wealthy mother near Washington, DC. Kurt secretly works for the anti-Nazi resistance. A visiting Romanian count, becoming aware of this, seeks to blackmail him.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Watch on the Rhine?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Herman Shumlin

Written by

Dashiell Hammett

Bette Davis

Bette Davis

Sara Müller

Paul Lukas

Paul Lukas

Kurt Müller

Geraldine Fitzgerald

Geraldine Fitzgerald

Marthe de Brancovis

Lucile Watson

Lucile Watson

Fanny Farrelly

Beulah Bondi

Beulah Bondi

Anise

George Coulouris

George Coulouris

Teck de Brancovis

Donald Woods

Donald Woods

David Farrelly

Court is in session

Put Watch on the Rhine on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.