While not liking every film Douglas Sirk did (my recent viewing of 'Magnificent Obsession' for example really underwhelmed me, sorry to anybody who disagrees and they undoubtedly exist), he was an interesting director and one of the most interesting when it came to melodramas which he specialised in. His melodramas are not for all tastes definitely, with some working much better than others, but at his best (i.e. 'Imitation of Life') his films were brilliant.
'A Time to Love and a Time to Die', a title that some people are going to love and others are going to hate (even if it is an over-the-top one it is generally a poetic one in my view and pretty much sums up what the film is about), may not be one of Sirk's best. Having said that, while it is not perfect by any stretch, it is one of his most interesting with the subject matter for example and also one of his most underrated and deserving of more credit than it does.
It isn't without problems in my view. It does run a little too long and it makes the film occasionally drawn out, the romance occasionally slows things down a bit. Some of the dialogue is rather soapy and could have had more punch, at least it is not as unintentionally camp or as sentiment-heavy as some of Sirk's other films.
Did feel generally that debuting John Gavin, once you try to get over the fact that he is not remotely believable as a German, didn't do too badly a job, but inexperience does show initially where he doesn't always look comfortable.
Mostly he plays his role with authority and pathos and Liselotte Pulver is both fetching and affecting as his love interest. Their chemistry is charming. Keenan Wynn and Charles Regnier are memorable in support, the whole cast in fact give everything they've got and make characters that sound on paper cliched and potentially sketchy interesting and certainly more plausible than those in other Sirk films, the conflict having tension too. 'A Time to Love and a Time to Die' looks great and is especially lavishly and not too glossily shot. Miklos Rozsa's score is sweeping and haunting.
Sirk's direction has the sensitivity and passion that was missing in 'Magnificent Obsession' and the war scenes are staged very powerfully without being cluttered. While the script is not perfect it is sincere on the whole and as said it is not camp and sentimental. Furthermore, 'A Time to Love and a Time to Die' is an emotionally powerful film without being manipulative or over-sentimentalised, the war scenes are harrowing and poignant. The ending is shocking and really did appreciate that it didn't go the too pat route like other Sirk films did.
Overall, interesting and powerful film that deserves more credit than it does. 7/10
