Tweet Will "The Road Back" ever see the light of day?

For those not familiar with this title, "The Road Back" is a sequel to "All Quiet on the Western Front." I remember checking out this title (very poor quality) at well known LA classic rental store (it was a freebee for each film your rented). One of the board members mentioned a "work print" of this film being in existence. What the story on this film? Legal limbo? Bad elements? Thanks, Bill

I believe the rights reverted to Remarque. In any case, it was never in syndication through Screen Gems or MCA. There are prints extant (I have a video copy of a very nice 16mm print). Like someother properties, rights reversal may only have affected domestic distribution, so Universal may have been able to sell worldwide.

I do remember seeing THE ROAD BACK in New York at MOMA probably in the late 1970's. The museum ran a 16mm print---probably a rental from Universal. It was shown after a presentation of a 35mm nitrate of ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT---a very beaten up print, but with footage unseen by most in the audience at that time. THE ROAD BACK was rather disappointing.

Did Universal really emasculate ROAD BACK due to pressure from the German consulate, or was there more to it-perhaps an attempt to make the film more "commercial"?