"Downfall" Talkback (Spoilers)

[GregX]

Release Date: September 16, 2004
Studio: Constanin Film
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Starring: Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara, Corrina Harfouch, Ulrich Matthes, Juliane Kohler,

Plot Summary: In the dead of a November night in 1942, a group of young women are escorted by SS officers through the woods to Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters in Eastern Prussia. They are candidates for the post of personal secretary to the Fuehrer. Among them is 22-year-old Traudl Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara), a fresh-faced girl from Munich. Traudl is chosen for the job and she is overcome with joy at the thought of serving beside her Fuehrer.

BERLIN, APRIL 20, 1945: Hitler has retreated to a bunker system under the German Chancellery. Traudl Junge is asleep in her room, deep beneath the ground. She is awakened by tremors from artillery fire. The enemy is getting closer.

Inside Hitler's bunker, his mistress, Eva Braun, is preparing the celebration of his 56th birthday, as the Russian Army is closing a ring around Berlin. While the city burns above them, Hitler and his Minister of Propaganda, Josef Goebbels, continue to hope for a final victory.


My Review: This movie is, well, somewhat depressing.... and it's in German. I wrote this review about a year ago, but watched the movie again today.

How does one review a film like Oliver Hirschbiegel's "Downfall". I heard it was very controversial in Germany and, after watching it, I can see why.

"Downfall" is about Adolf Hitler in his bunker during the last days of the Third Reich. We watch this movie from the point of view of his secretary, Traudl Junge.

Last night, I watched Leni Riefenstahl's "Triumph of the Will", in anticipation of watching "Downfall" today. Triumph was the most famous Nazi propaganda movie ever made. It was made by Nazis, about Nazis, for Nazis. Hitler in godlike poses during the Nuremberg rallies of 1934, apple-cheeked children giving him flowers. I'm not trying to be funny by saying it was the most frightening movie I've ever seen. I wanted those images in my mind when I watched "Downfall".

Hitler is played by Bruno Ganz, and well, honestly, there were several moments in the film where I could not tell the difference between him, and the real Hitler. He gave an incredible performance. Terrifying, and very human...

... Now, we get to the controversy. Many have condemned this movie for portraying Hitler as a human being. Some critics, accused Hirshbiegel of trying to make the audience sympathize with Hitler. I believe they missed the point, entirely. Not once did I feel any sympathy for the Fuhrer. Not once. Yes, they did humanize him. But, as much as we may wish otherwise, he was a human being. That makes what he did much more atrocious. We all have our comfort zones, we all like to believe we're not capable of great evil. That no one like us could possibly do these things. Humans have a dark side. We all have it. Much as we would like to think so, Hitler did not have horns, and goat hooves. If anything, this movie did the impossible, it made me despise the man even more than I already did.

I read, that the German government was afraid this movie would give rise to the Neo-Nazi movement. I don't see how that can be the case, since Hitler shows no regard for any of his people at the end, saying things like "in this war, there are no civilians" and "the only ones who've survived are the weak." He was humanized, but was no less of a mad man.

But, more disturbing than Hitler was Corinna Harfouch as Magda Goebbels. Anyone who knows their history knows that shortly after Hitler committed suicide, she drugged up and poisoned her six children, because she didn't want them to "grow up in world without National Socialism," ugh... watching her force the poison down her oldest daughter's throat... sickening. Then, she and her husband go off and kill themselves as well.

The film is excellent, I believe it was nominated for Best Foreign Language film, but didn't win. It's well acted, well directed. The cinematography is gorgeous. It's long, clocking in at 155 minutes, but you don't feel it. It's very disturbing in places though, as it should be. We're staring into the worst of humanity, and it's not being treated like an over the top cartoon character.

I could probably keep going, because there is so much in this movie to talk about, but we'd be here all day. I recommend it. Two thumbs up from me.

You'll feel as if you actually met the real Adolf Hitler. It is that powerful.

[A.Magik]

I thought it to be the most spectacular version of the Bunker story, with its portrayal of the battlefield in the streets. One particular scene that remains in the memory is Eva Braun's attempt to liven up things by having a dance upstairs, only to get an explosive interruption.

The 1982 TV-movie The Bunker also was praised for treating Hitler in a more-human depiction (as opposed to the many 'overracting madman' portrayals which makes it difficult to understand why a nation followed him in the first place). That starred Anthony Hopkins (who won an Emmy), Susan Blakeley as Eva, and Piper Laurie as Frau Goebbels.

Other depictions of the final days include Alec Guinness' Hitler: The Last Ten Days (1971)and the War & Remembrance mini-series with Steven Berkoff. Seen any of those?

[Hanshotfirst113]

Tell me, how could Bernd Eichinger, who produced a film franchise as shallow as the Resident Evil, DOA, and Fantastic Four,films, pen and produce a film of this kind of punch-to-the-gut power? This film is just that. Gantz's performance is nothing short of brilliant. Many have accused the film of "humanizing" the characters. As Greg and the filmmakers mention on the DVD, I'm fully convinced that this is entirely intentional. To be honest, I have no idea why people think that it engendars sympathy at all. All that it does is make the people depicted all the more monsterous. Watching Goebbels murder her own children, watching the strings of almost ritualistic suicides, watching the Hitler youth, eight-year-olds who fight for Nazi ideals, is terrifying. Yet Hirschbiegel never panders. There's an almost documentary-like fixation, an almost chilling detachment. The camera doesn't judge, the actors don't judge, the film doesn't judge. It doesn't need to, because everything in it speaks for itself. And it speaks volumes. Powerful stuff.

[JLApe]

Excellent film! Never felt long or dragging despite the running time.

Yes, acts of monstrosity are perpetrated by humans. Born human, raised human, but chose to do evil out of their own free will. The films rightfully depicts these "monsters" as human because that's what they are. Like the rest have said here, it makes their acts more horrifying, more heinous.

Never knew Hitler had Parkinson's until this film. According to an article I read, Ganz spent a great deal of time researching Parkinson's, and studied patients suffering from such. Brilliant performance. Watching him is truly watching the Fuhrer. And he is/was human. Had ailments (Parkinson's and whatever else that required him to take all those drugs), emotions spanning between warmth and rage, and will. Suicide is a human response to a fear greater than one's own mortality. In this case, it is a fear of what would come after the occupation of Berlin.

Camera refuses to flinch from the acts committed by these "monsters". Watching the Grobbels murder their own kids in full view. Sickening.

It's somewhat amusing to see Hitler literally losing his mind and his sense of reality, with his officers seeing that and not able to do anything about it but try to comply with his orders. Years earlier, these same officers regarded him as a superstar. Eva Braum especially.

I want to recommend this film but won't. Not everyone can stomach the heinous that are shown.