The World Moves On

Plot

The story opens 185 years ago when two families, cotton merchants in England and America, with branches in France and Prussia swear to stand by each other in a belief that a great business firmly established in four countries will be able to withstand even such another calamity as the Napoleonic Wars from which Europe is slowly recovering. Then many years later, along comes World War I and the years that follow, to test the businesses.

Cast

Madeleine Carroll as Mrs. Warburton, 1825/Mary Warburton Girard, 1914

Franchot Tone as Richard Girard

Reginald Denny as Erik von Gerhardt

Sig Ruman as Baron von Gerhardt (as Siegfried Rumann)

Louise Dresser as Baroness von Gerhardt

Raul Roulien as Carlos Girard (1825) / Henri Girard (1914)

Stepin Fetchit as Dixie

Lumsden Hare as Gabriel Warburton (1825) / Sir John Warburton (1914)

Dudley Digges as Mr. Manning

Frank Melton as John Girard (1825)

Brenda Fowler as Madame Agnes Girard (1825)

Russell Simpson as Notary (1825)

Walter McGrail as The Duallist (1825)

Marcelle Corday as Madame Girard II (1914)

Charles Bastin as Jacques Girard, the Boy (1914)

Barry Norton as Jacques Girard (1924)

George Irving as Charles Girard (1914)

Ferdinand Schumann-Heink as Fritz von Gerhardt

Georgette Rhodes as Jeanne Girard

Claude King as Colonel Braithwaite

Ivan F. Simpson as Clumber (as Ivan Simpson)

Frank Moran as Sergeant Culbert, Soldier in Trench

Reception

Mordaunt Hall of The New York Times called it "an ambitious undertaking, well composed and photographed, but it does seem as though the film would be all the better if it were shortened." Variety said it was "an impressive picture", although the first half-hour was "undeniably slow." "Impressive in magnitude and well cast", reported Film Daily. John Mosher of The New Yorker panned it as "a completely synthetic affair" that was "padded out to the limit". The Chicago Tribune called it "a moving tale" and "well worth your time", with "but one fault – extreme length."

The film was not a success at the box office.

Awards

John Ford won the Special Recommendation award at the 1934 Venice Film Festival for this film.