Downfall (Der Untergang, German, 2004)
After 60 years of having unpleasant memories of the Third Reich and his atrocities to people of the world over, a film finally came out from Germany to portray the leader whom they elected and would like to forget. Trying to juggle a balance of not hurting the victims of the war, giving a sympathetic face to this leader, telling the history as it is, give a story to just to a few random events in life is not an easy task, but the film managed to put it out just so well.
For a person not very well versed in the nitty-gritty of warfare, it can be very confusing, but a little bit of background will put things in perspective. (especially Alec Guinness' '10 Last 10 days of Hitler' did help, though the latter was more simplified).
The movie starts on a night outside Fuhrer's office in 1942. Candidates are waiting anxiously for an interview for the post of a typist. A mild-mannered Adolf Hitler walks out to greet all of them individually. Somehow, even though she did not shine at typing and dictation, Taudl Hump still got the job. The story that followed is her perspective of what happened in the bunker during the last 10 days of Hitler's war.
Fast forward.. 1945 April 20, Taudl is awoken by artillery shells of the Russian who are just 12km away from Berlin. With this is in the background, we see many things happening over the next few days.
An infuriated Hitler screams in the bunk after hearing Russian artillery fire for not being told about anything.
Himmler, his faithful head of SS and his adjutant Fegelein (also Eva Braun's brother-in-law) try to talk to Hitler to leave Berlin but in vain. Himmler also negotiates with the Russians on the sly.
Hitler birthday is celebrated, and Operation Clausewitz of scorching Berlin of all official documents is progress. Everyone is leaving Berlin.
A father who had lost his arm tries to talk his 12-year-old son of Hitler's Youth Corp to come home. He declines and is told that his platoon would be given the Iron Cross.
The bunker dwellers are given the option to leave. Many leave, but Trudl stays on as she joined the Nazi movement against the advice of her family.
The situation becomes more precarious for Hitler. A disappointed Hitler laments of what good deeds he had done for the Germans, like cleansing the Jewish poison off their soil. At one point, this desperate man becomes delusional hoping for non-existent troops and airplanes to annihilate the Russians. In another instance, he says the German people deserve to die for being weak.
One by one, his General desert him. Some are executed. Many chose suicide.
In the final days, Hitler marries Eva Braun who is portrayed here as a subservient lady to the bully, Hitler.
As Berlin is surrounded in all directions, cyanide capsules are passed around. Blondi, Hitler's German Shepherd, is the first to go. Hitler and Eva die and are cremated as ordered. Goebbels (Minister of Propaganda) and Mrs feed all their six children with cyanide in their sleep in easily the most moving scene of the film. After the act, Mrs Goebbels play solitaire!
Taudl escapes the bunker and the Russians and meets Peter (the youth soldier earlier). They walk holding hands like family, found a bicycle and ride their way to freedom...Das Ende
It is refreshing to see German soldiers from a different perspective after years and years of being depicted as bumbling brainless and emotionless soldiers who are just there to be target practice of the Yankees soldiers in most American war movies.
Kudos to Bruno Ganz for his portrayal of a sinking Adolf Hitler with his labile flair of temper and Parkinsons Disease stricken resting tremors. We also find out that he is not all anger and violence. Hitler has a softer side where he is capable of showing affection to his pet Blondi and is courteous to his secretary, cook and the workers of the bunker.
After 60 years of having unpleasant memories of the Third Reich and his atrocities to people of the world over, a film finally came out from Germany to portray the leader whom they elected and would like to forget. Trying to juggle a balance of not hurting the victims of the war, giving a sympathetic face to this leader, telling the history as it is, give a story to just to a few random events in life is not an easy task, but the film managed to put it out just so well.For a person not very well versed in the nitty-gritty of warfare, it can be very confusing, but a little bit of background will put things in perspective. (especially Alec Guinness' '10 Last 10 days of Hitler' did help, though the latter was more simplified).
The movie starts on a night outside Fuhrer's office in 1942. Candidates are waiting anxiously for an interview for the post of a typist. A mild-mannered Adolf Hitler walks out to greet all of them individually. Somehow, even though she did not shine at typing and dictation, Taudl Hump still got the job. The story that followed is her perspective of what happened in the bunker during the last 10 days of Hitler's war.
Fast forward.. 1945 April 20, Taudl is awoken by artillery shells of the Russian who are just 12km away from Berlin. With this is in the background, we see many things happening over the next few days.
An infuriated Hitler screams in the bunk after hearing Russian artillery fire for not being told about anything.
Himmler, his faithful head of SS and his adjutant Fegelein (also Eva Braun's brother-in-law) try to talk to Hitler to leave Berlin but in vain. Himmler also negotiates with the Russians on the sly.
| Hitler with Goebbels' kids |
A father who had lost his arm tries to talk his 12-year-old son of Hitler's Youth Corp to come home. He declines and is told that his platoon would be given the Iron Cross.
The bunker dwellers are given the option to leave. Many leave, but Trudl stays on as she joined the Nazi movement against the advice of her family.
The situation becomes more precarious for Hitler. A disappointed Hitler laments of what good deeds he had done for the Germans, like cleansing the Jewish poison off their soil. At one point, this desperate man becomes delusional hoping for non-existent troops and airplanes to annihilate the Russians. In another instance, he says the German people deserve to die for being weak.
One by one, his General desert him. Some are executed. Many chose suicide.
In the final days, Hitler marries Eva Braun who is portrayed here as a subservient lady to the bully, Hitler.
As Berlin is surrounded in all directions, cyanide capsules are passed around. Blondi, Hitler's German Shepherd, is the first to go. Hitler and Eva die and are cremated as ordered. Goebbels (Minister of Propaganda) and Mrs feed all their six children with cyanide in their sleep in easily the most moving scene of the film. After the act, Mrs Goebbels play solitaire!
Taudl escapes the bunker and the Russians and meets Peter (the youth soldier earlier). They walk holding hands like family, found a bicycle and ride their way to freedom...Das Ende
It is refreshing to see German soldiers from a different perspective after years and years of being depicted as bumbling brainless and emotionless soldiers who are just there to be target practice of the Yankees soldiers in most American war movies.
Kudos to Bruno Ganz for his portrayal of a sinking Adolf Hitler with his labile flair of temper and Parkinsons Disease stricken resting tremors. We also find out that he is not all anger and violence. Hitler has a softer side where he is capable of showing affection to his pet Blondi and is courteous to his secretary, cook and the workers of the bunker.
4/5, only because could not appreciate the dialogue. The film was nominated for the Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
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