The Mortal Storm

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The Mortal Storm

1940,

1h 40m,

Drama

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Watchlist

100%

15 Reviews

Tomatometer

86%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

15 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Professor Victor Roth (Frank Morgan) enjoys a tranquil life with his family in Germany. His daughter Freya (Margaret Sullavan) is courted both by Martin (James Stewart) and Fritz (Robert Young). However, when the Nazis take control of the country, all their lives are shaken. Martin must flee to Austria because of his political stance. Victor loses his job and is sent to a concentration camp when he speaks out against Hitler. Meanwhile, Fritz joins the Nazis and is obliged to hunt down Freya.

Fred Camper

Chicago Reader

Jun 23, 2022

A far subtler director than most, Borzage nevertheless uses spatial separation to express moral opposition: good versus evil, us versus them.

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Jaime N. Christley

Slant Magazine

Nov 14, 2003

4/4

Romance becomes the irritant and, effectively, Borzage positions his romanticism as a contribution to Hollywood's anti-fascist crusade.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Feb 12, 2026

3.5/5

Although melodramatic, this remains a direct, affecting story about the vast personal cost of individual deference to deafening group rhetoric. Neither does it waste the spark of James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan's final collaboration.

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Sean Burns

Crooked Marquee

Jun 17, 2025

Maybe 85 years ago it might have been distracting to watch Hollywood movie stars playing Germans who slip into authoritarianism, but now their American accents just make the movie seem more sickeningly timely.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 24, 2022

4/5

A gutsy film with a much stronger message than people were accustomed to hearing. And even today the film stands strong as a testament to the persuasive power of the movies.

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Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

May 30, 2021

The Mortal Storm shows the first-hand impact of the Nazi atrocities before things get really bad...

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Draco R

Mar 21, 2018

A 1940 anti-fascist movie adaptation of the Phyllis Bottome book, publishing in early 1938. A very happy family in Munich, 1933 becomes very unhappy as Hitler takes over. As Nazi-ism overtakes public and private spaces, conflict ensues. Great ski chase scenes will remind you of James Bond. Ian Fleming was a student of Phyllis Bottome.

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Kylo R

Nov 19, 2016

Shows that not all Germans supported the Nazi party. 1001 movies to see before you die.

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Frank Borzage

Director

Margaret Sullavan

Freya Roth

James Stewart

Martin Breitner

Robert Young

Fritz Marberg

Frank Morgan

Prof. Viktor Roth

Robert Stack

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Synopsis

Professor Victor Roth (Frank Morgan) enjoys a tranquil life with his family in Germany. His daughter Freya (Margaret Sullavan) is courted both by Martin (James Stewart) and Fritz (Robert Young). However, when the Nazis take control of the country, all their lives are shaken. Martin must flee to Austria because of his political stance. Victor loses his job and is sent to a concentration camp when he speaks out against Hitler. Meanwhile, Fritz joins the Nazis and is obliged to hunt down Freya.

Director: Frank Borzage
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 7, 2021
Runtime: 1h 40m

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