Because the two nations are traditional enemies, German miners that cross the border face discrimination in France. Thus, when the lingering fire causes a devastating accident on the French side of the mine, German workers engage in heated debate whether or not to come to the rescue.
But the German miners soon conclude that miners must help each other in a crisis, regardless of their nationality. A large team of courageous German rescue workers from the first shift cross the French border, while a trio of second shift workers break down the barriers inside the mine and risk their lives to search for trapped French miners. They encounter elderly but spry retired miner Alex Bernard, who entered the mine after the accident in search of his innocent young grandson miner, Pierre-Louis.
Drama above ground is provided by Héléna Manson, whose French lover is trapped inside the mine.
In the immediate aftermath of the rescue, the German miner heroes are honored at an exuberant French ceremony, where miners from both nations proclaim unity as miners despite their national divisions. The film title translates to English as comradeship.
How others will see it. The irony is not lost on most viewers. Despite the enthusiastic speeches that close the movie, another World War, even more horrific than the first, would occur before a lasting peace would be achieved. The pro-worker socialist sympathies of director Pabst would later be set aside when he made films in Germany during the Nazi regime.
Nonetheless, Pabst is well regarded today by advanced cinefiles, especially his efforts between 1925 and 1931. He is best known for two lurid silents starring American brunette beauty Louise Brooks.
While Kameradschaft is less famous, and lacks the steamy soap opera story of his efforts with Brooks, its quality is recognized by imdb.com voters, who award it 7.6 out of 10. The ratings are consistent across all demographics, but it must be noted that the typical American television viewer flipping through channels would pay scant attention to this old subtitled black and white film.
How I felt about it. We like it. True, it is difficult to believe that an old man who looks to be in his late seventies is unlikely to enter a coal mine ravaged by fire and poisonous gas, climb down a mile of stairs, to come across the very person he is trying to rescue (his grandson), who is floating unconscious but alive. After pulling the lad to relative safety, it so happens that the three second-shift German miners reach them, and there just happens to be a working phone connection where they are to the surface above. It all admittedly makes for good drama, but is nonetheless far-fetched.
Also, although a point of view provides focus, the movie's message of worker solidarity is hammered home a bit too strong. But it is difficult to disagree with, and the plain-spoken, hard-working miners do seem unlikely to let prejudice and politics interfere with rescuing fellow miners in peril.
We are impressed with the sets, especially the cavernous mine itself, and its couple of convincing cave-ins. The subplot involving semi-hottie Manson appears to have been mostly trimmed away on the cutting room floor.