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Downfall (2004 film)

May 04, 2023

Downfall (German: Der Untergang) is a 2004 German-language historical war drama film directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel from a screenplay by its producer, Bernd Eichinger. It is set during the Battle of Berlin in World War II, when Nazi Germany is on the verge of defeat, and depicts the final days of Adolf Hitler (portrayed by Bruno Ganz). The cast includes Alexandra Maria Lara, Corinna Harfouch, Ulrich Matthes, Juliane Köhler, Heino Ferch, Christian Berkel, Alexander Held, Matthias Habich, and Thomas Kretschmann. The film is a German-Austrian-Italian co-production.

Downfall
Theatrical release poster
Directed byOliver Hirschbiegel
Screenplay byBernd Eichinger
Based on
Produced byBernd Eichinger
Starring
CinematographyRainer Klausmann[1]
Edited byHans Funck[1]
Music byStephan Zacharias[1]
Production
company
Distributed byConstantin Film (Germany and Austria)
01 Distribution (Italy)
Release dates
  • 8 September 2004 (2004-09-08) (Germany)
  • 10 September 2004 (2004-09-10) (Austria)
Running time
155 minutes (theatrical version)[2]
CountriesGermany
Italy
Austria[3]
LanguageGerman[2]
Budget€13.5 million[4] (approx. $15 million)
Box office$92.2 million[5]

Principal photography took place from September to November 2003, on location in Berlin, Munich, and in Saint Petersburg, Russia. As the film is set in and around the Führerbunker, Hirschbiegel used eyewitness accounts, survivors' memoirs, and other historical sources during production to reconstruct the look and atmosphere of 1940s Berlin. The screenplay was based on the books Inside Hitler's Bunker by historian Joachim Fest and Until the Final Hour by Traudl Junge, one of Hitler's secretaries, among other accounts of the period.

The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on 14 September 2004. It was controversial with audiences for showing a human side of Hitler, and for its portrayal of members of the Third Reich. It later received a wide theatrical release in Germany under its production company Constantin Film. The film grossed over $92 million. Critics gave favourable reviews, particularly for Ganz's performance as Adolf Hitler and Eichinger's screenplay. It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 77th Academy Awards.

Plot

In November 1942, at the Wolf's Lair in East Prussia, Fuhrer of Nazi Germany Adolf Hitler invites a number of young women to interview for the position of his personal secretary. Traudl Junge is overjoyed when he chooses her. Two and a half years later, the Red Army has pushed Germany's forces back and surrounded Berlin. On Hitler's 56th birthday, the Red Army begins shelling Berlin's city centre. Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler tries to persuade Hitler to leave Berlin, but Hitler refuses. Himmler leaves to negotiate terms with the Western Allies in secret. Later, Gruppenführer Hermann Fegelein, Himmler's liaison officer at Hitler's headquarters, also attempts to persuade Hitler to flee, but Hitler insists that he will win or die in Berlin. SS doctor Obersturmbannführer Ernst-Günther Schenck is ordered to leave Berlin per Operation Clausewitz, though he persuades an SS general to let him stay in Berlin to treat the injured. In the streets, Hitler Youth child soldier Peter Kranz's father approaches his son's unit and tries to persuade him to leave. Peter, who destroyed two enemy tanks and will soon be awarded a medal by Hitler, calls his father a coward and runs away.

At a meeting in the Führerbunker, Hitler forbids the overwhelmed 9th Army from retreating, instead ordering Obergruppenführer Felix Steiner's units to mount a counter-attack. The generals find the orders impossible and irrational. Above ground, Hitler awards Peter his medal, hailing Peter as braver than his generals. In his office, Hitler talks to Minister of Armaments Albert Speer about his scorched earth policy. Speer is concerned about the destruction of Germany's infrastructure, but Hitler believes the German people left behind are weak and thus deserve death. Meanwhile, Hitler's companion Eva Braun holds a party in the Reich Chancellery. However, her brother-in-law Fegelein tries to persuade Eva to leave Berlin with Hitler, but she dismisses him. Artillery fire eventually breaks up the party.

On the battlefield, General Helmuth Weidling is informed he will be executed for allegedly ordering a retreat. Weidling comes to the Führerbunker to clear himself of his charges. His action impresses Hitler, who promotes him to oversee all of Berlin's defences. At another meeting, Hitler learns Steiner did not attack because his unit lacked sufficient force. Hitler becomes enraged at what he sees as an act of betrayal and launches into a furious tirade, shouting that everyone has failed him and denouncing his generals as cowards and traitors. He finally acknowledges that the war is lost, but that he would rather commit suicide than leave Berlin.

Schenck witnesses old men being executed by German military police for supposedly refusing to take part in the fighting. Hitler receives a message from Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, requesting state leadership. Hitler declares Göring a traitor, ordering his dismissal from all posts and his arrest. Speer makes a final visit to the Führerbunker, and admits to Hitler that he has defied his orders to destroy Germany's infrastructure. Hitler, however, does not punish Speer, who decides to leave Berlin. Peter returns to find his unit dead and runs back to his parents. Hitler continues to imagine fantastic ways for Germany to turn the tide. At dinner, Hitler learns of Himmler's secret negotiations. Hearing that one of his most loyal followers has abandoned him sends him into another rage, and he quickly orders Himmler's execution. He also finds out that Fegelein has deserted his post, and has him executed despite Eva's pleas. SS physician Obergruppenführer Ernst-Robert Grawitz asks Hitler's permission to evacuate for fear of Allied reprisal. Hitler refuses, leading Grawitz to kill himself and his family.

The Soviets continue their advance, Berlin's supplies run low, and German morale plummets. Hitler hopes that the 12th Army, led by Lieutenant General Walther Wenck, will save Berlin. After midnight, Hitler dictates his last will and testament to Junge, before officially marrying Eva. The following morning, Hitler learns that the 12th Army is unable to relieve Berlin. Refusing surrender, Hitler plans his death. He administers poison to his dog Blondi, bids farewell to the bunker staff, and commits suicide with Eva. The two are crudely cremated with petrol in a ditch in the Chancellery garden.

Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels assumes the Chancellorship. General Hans Krebs fails to negotiate a conditional surrender with Soviet Marshal Vasily Chuikov. Goebbels declares that Germany will not surrender as long as he is alive. Goebbels' wife Magda poisons her six children with cyanide, before committing suicide with Goebbels; Weidling announces unconditional surrender of German forces in Berlin afterwards. Many government and military officials including Krebs commit suicide after learning of Germany's defeat. Peter discovers his parents were executed. Junge leaves the bunker and tries to flee the city; Peter joins her as she sneaks through a group of Soviet soldiers before the two find a bicycle and leave Berlin.

Cast

Officials and civilians

Wehrmacht

Schutzstaffel

Additional cast members in smaller roles include Alexander Slastin as Soviet Marshal Vasily Chuikov, Elena Dreyden as Inge Dombrowski, Norbert Heckner as Walter Wagner, Silke Nikowski as Frau Grawitz, Leopold von Buttlar as Sohn Grawitz, Veit Stübner as Tellermann, Boris Schwarzmann as Matvey Blanter, Vsevolod Tsurilo as Russian Adjutant, Vasily Reutov as Weidling's chief of staff Theodor von Dufving. The Goebbels children are portrayed by Alina Sokar (Helga), Charlotte Stoiber (Hilda), Gregory Borlein (Helmut), Julia Bauer (Hedda), Laura Borlein (Holde), and Amelie Menges (Heide).

Production

Development

Producer and screenwriter Bernd Eichinger wanted to make a film about Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party for twenty years but was, at first, discouraged after its enormity prevented him from doing so.[6] Eichinger was inspired to begin the filmmaking process after reading Inside Hitler's Bunker: The Last Days of the Third Reich (2002) by historian Joachim Fest.[7][8][6] Eichinger also based the film on the memoirs of Traudl Junge, one of Hitler's secretaries, called Until the Final Hour: Hitler's Last Secretary (2002).[9][10] When writing the screenplay, he used the books Inside the Third Reich (1969), by Albert Speer,[11] one of the highest-ranking Nazi officials to survive both the war and the Nuremberg trials; Hitler's Last Days: An Eye-Witness Account (1973), by Gerhard Boldt;[12] Das Notlazarett unter der Reichskanzlei: Ein Arzt erlebt Hitlers Ende in Berlin (1995) by Ernst-Günther Schenck; and Soldat: Reflections of a German Soldier, 1936–1949 (1992) by Siegfried Knappe as references.[13]

After completing the script for the film, Eichinger presented it to director Oliver Hirschbiegel. Though he was interested in exploring how the people of Germany "could have plumbed such depths", as a German, Hirschbiegel hesitated to take it as he "reacted to the idea of Nazism as a taboo". Hirschbiegel eventually agreed to helm the project.[14][13]

Casting

 
Bruno Ganz studied the Hitler and Mannerheim recording for four months to prepare for his role[15]

When Bruno Ganz was offered the role of Hitler, he was reluctant to accept the part, and many of his friends advised against it,[4][16] but he believed that the subject had "a fascinating side", and ultimately agreed to take the role.[15] Ganz conducted four months of research and studied a recording of Hitler in private conversation with Finnish Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim in order to properly mimic Hitler's conversational voice and Austrian dialect. Ganz came to the conclusion that Hitler had Parkinson's disease, noting his observation of Hitler's shaky body movements present in the newsreel Die Deutsche Wochenschau, and decided to visit a hospital to study patients with the disease.[15] Ganz auditioned in the casting studio with makeup for half an hour and tested his voice for Hirschbiegel who was convinced by his performance.[4][17]

Alexandra Maria Lara was cast as Traudl Junge; she was given Junge's book Until the Final Hour (2002), which she called her "personal treasure", to read during filming. Before she was cast, she had seen André Heller's documentary film Im toten Winkel which impressed her and influenced her perspective on Junge.[18][19]

Filming and design

 
Filming took place near the Obvodny Canal in Saint Petersburg in a run-down industrial district to imitate the setting for Berlin

Principal photography lasted twelve weeks from September to November 2003, under the working title Sunset.[20][13] The film is set mostly in and around the Führerbunker; Hirschbiegel made an effort to accurately reconstruct the look and atmosphere of World War II through eyewitness accounts, survivors' memoirs, and other historical sources. Hirschbiegel filmed in the cities of Berlin, Munich, and Saint Petersburg, Russia, with a run-down industrial district along the Obvodny Canal used to portray the historical setting in Berlin.[20][21] Hirschbiegel noted the depressing atmosphere surrounding the shoot, finding relief through listening to Johann Sebastian Bach's music.[16] Alexandra Maria Lara also mentioned the depressing and intense atmosphere during filming. To lighten the mood, Lara's colleagues engaged in activities such as football, while Ganz tried to keep a happy mood by retiring during shooting breaks.[19]

The film was produced on a €13.5 million budget.[4] The bunker and Hitler's Wolf's Lair were constructed at Bavaria Studios in Munich by production designer Bernd Lepel.[17][1] The damaged Reich Chancellery was depicted through the use of CGI. Hirschbiegel decided to limit the use of CGI, props and sets so as not to make the set design look like that of a theatre production,[17] explaining:

The only CGI shot that's been used in the film was the one with the [Reich Chancellery] because of course we could not reconstruct that – that's the only thing. I'm very proud of that, because if you do a war movie, you cannot do that and build sets. You feel the cardboard. You feel that it's all made to entertain, and it takes away from that horror that war basically means.[17]

Themes

According to Eichinger, the film's overlying idea was to make a film about Hitler and wartime Germany that was very close to historical truth, as part of a theme that would allow the German nation to save their own history and "experience their own trauma". To accomplish this, the film explores Hitler's decisions and motives during his final days through the perspective of the individuals who lived in the Führerbunker during those times.[22] Eichinger chose not to include mention of the Holocaust because it was not the topic of the film. He also thought it was "impossible" to show the "misery" and "desperation" of the concentration camps cinematically.[23][24]

Portrayal

During production, Hirschbiegel believed that Hitler would often charm people using his personality, only to manipulate and betray them.[16] Many of the people in the film, including Traudl Junge, are shown to be enthusiastic in interacting with Hitler instead of feeling threatened or anxious by his presence and authority. The production team sought to give Hitler a three-dimensional personality, with Hirschbiegel telling NBC: "We know from all accounts that he was a very charming man – a man who managed to seduce a whole people into barbarism."[25] He said Hitler was "like a shell", attracting people with self-pity, but inside the shell was only "an enormous will for destruction".[16]

The film explores the suicides and deaths of the Nazi Party as opposed to the people who choose life. Hitler's provision of cyanide pills to those in the bunker and the Goebbels' murder of their children are shown as selfish deeds while people such as Schenck, who choose to help the injured and escape death, are shown as rational and generous.[26][27] In the DVD commentary, Hirschbiegel said that the events in the film were "derived from the accounts, from descriptions of people" in the bunker.[28] The film also includes an introduction and closing with the real Junge in an interview from Im toten Winkel, where she admits feeling guilt for "not recognizing this monster in time".[27]

Release

Downfall premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on September 14, 2004.[12][29] After first failing to find a distributor, the film was eventually released on September 16 in Germany by Constantin Film.[8][30] It premiered in the U.S. in Manhattan on February 18, 2005, under Newmarket Films.[31] On its broadcast in the UK, Channel 4 marketed it with the strapline: "It's a happy ending. He dies."[32]

Box office and awards

Downfall sold nearly half a million tickets in Germany for its opening weekend and attracted 4.5 million viewers in the first three months.[33][29] The final North American gross was $5,509,040, while $86,671,870 was made with its foreign gross.[5] The film made $93.6 million altogether.[13]

Downfall was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 77th Academy Awards.[34] It won the 2005 BBC Four World Cinema competition.[35] The film was also ranked number 48 in Empire magazine's "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema" in 2010.[36]

Home media

The film was released on DVD in 2005 by Columbia-TriStar Home Entertainment (now Sony Pictures Home Entertainment).[37] Shout! Factory released a collector's edition Blu-ray in March 2018, with a "making-of" featurette, cast and crew interviews, and audio commentary from director Oliver Hirschbiegel.[38]

Reception

Critical response

The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 90% based on 141 reviews from critics, with a weighted average of 8.00/10. The website's consensus reads, "Downfall is an illuminating, thoughtful and detailed account of Hitler's last days."[39] On Metacritic, the film was awarded the "Must-See" badge, holding a weighted average of 82 out of 100 based on 35 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[40]

Reviews for the film were often very positive,[41] despite debate surrounding the film from critics and audiences upon its release (see Controversy).[42][24] Ganz's portrayal of Hitler was singled out for praise;[43][44][45] David Denby for The New Yorker said that Ganz "made the dictator into a plausible human being".[46] Addressing other critics like Denby, Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert said the film did not provide an adequate portrayal of Hitler's actions, because he felt no film could, and that no response would be sufficient. Ebert said Hitler was, in reality, "the focus for a spontaneous uprising by many of the German people, fueled by racism, xenophobia, grandiosity and fear".[47]

Hermann Graml, history professor and former Luftwaffe helper, praised the film and said that he had not seen a film that was "so insistent and tormentingly alive". Graml said that Hitler's portrayal was presented correctly by showing Hitler's will "to destroy, and his way of denying reality".[48] Julia Radke of the German website Future Needs Remembrance praised the film's acting and called it well crafted and a solid Kammerspielfilm, though it could lose viewer interest due to a lack of concentration on the narrative perspective.[49] German author Jens Jessen said that the film "could have been stupider" and called it a "chamber play that could not be staged undramatically". Jessen also said that it was not as spectacular as the pre-media coverage could have led one to believe, and it did not arouse the "morbid fascination" the magazine Der Spiegel was looking for.[50]

Hitler biographer Sir Ian Kershaw wrote in The Guardian that the film had enormous emotive power, calling it a triumph and "a marvellous historical drama". Kershaw also said that he found it hard to imagine anyone would find Hitler to be a sympathetic figure in his final days.[30] Wim Wenders, in a review for the German newspaper Die Zeit, said the film was absent of a strong point of view for Hitler which made him harmless, and compared Downfall to Resident Evil: Apocalypse, stating that in Resident Evil the viewer would know which character was evil.[4][42]

Controversy

They just got it wrong. Bad people do not walk around with claws like vicious monsters, even though it might be comforting to think so. Everyone intelligent knows that evil comes along with a smiling face.[16]

—Hirschbiegel in 2015, on the criticism surrounding the portrayal of Hitler

Downfall was the subject of dispute by critics and audiences in Germany before and after its release, with many concerned regarding Hitler's portrayal in the film as a human being with emotions in spite of his actions and ideologies.[42][30][51] The portrayal sparked debate in Germany due to publicity from commentators, film magazines, and newspapers,[25][52] leading the German tabloid Bild to ask the question, "Are we allowed to show the monster as a human being?"[25]

It was criticized for its scenes involving the members of the Nazi party,[23] with author Giles MacDonogh criticizing the portrayals as being sympathetic towards SS officers Wilhelm Mohnke and Ernst-Günther Schenck,[53] the former of whom was accused of murdering a group of British prisoners of war in the Wormhoudt massacre.[N 1] But at a discussion in London, Hirschbiegel said in response that he did not find the allegations against Schenck convincing.[56] The film was also seen as controversial because it was made by Germans instead of British or American filmmakers.[8] Russian press visited the set, making the producers uneasy and occasionally defensive. Yana Bezhanskay, director of Globus Film, Constantin's Russian partner, raised her voice to Russian journalists and said: "This is an antifascist film and nowhere in it do you see Hitler praised."[20]

Cristina Nord from Die Tageszeitung criticized the portrayal, and said that though it was important to make films about perpetrators, "seeing Hitler cry" had not informed her on the last days of the Third Reich.[57] Some have supported the film: Hans-Jürgen Syberberg, director of Hitler: A Film from Germany, felt the time was right to "paint a realistic portrait" of Hitler.[16] Eichinger replied to the response from the film by stating that the "terrifying thing" about Hitler was that he was human and "not an elephant or a monster from Mars".[8] Ganz said that he was proud of the film; though he said people had accused him of "humanizing" Hitler.[52]

Internet parodies

See also: List of Internet phenomena
 
The scene depicting Hitler's angry tirade, after his orders were not carried out, became a viral video after numerous parodies were posted to the internet.

Downfall is well known for its rise in popularity due to many "Hitler Rants" internet parody videos which use several scenes in the film: where Hitler becomes angry after hearing that Steiner's attack never happened, due to a lack of forces; when Hitler hears Luftwaffe commander Hermann Göring's telegram; when Hitler phones General der Flieger Karl Koller about Berlin's April 20 bombings; when Hitler is having dinner and discovers Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler secretly made a surrender offer to the Western Allies; where Hitler orders Otto Günsche to find SS-Gruppenführer Hermann Fegelein; and when Hitler discusses a counterattack against advancing Soviet forces with his generals. In the videos the original German audio is retained, but new subtitles are added so that Hitler and his subordinates seem to be reacting to an issue or setback in present-day politics, sports, entertainment, popular culture, or everyday life.[58][59][60][61] In addition, some users combine footage from the film with other sources, dub the German dialogue over video games and/or footage from other films and TV series, or edit images of the characters onto pre-existing or animated footage, often for greater comic effect.[62][63][60]

Hirschbiegel spoke positively about these parodies in a 2010 interview with New York magazine, saying that many of them were funny and a fitting extension of the film's purpose.[64] Nevertheless, Constantin Film asked video sites to remove them.[58] The producers initiated a removal of parody videos from YouTube in 2010.[65] This prompted more posting of parody videos of Hitler complaining that the parodies were being taken down, and a resurgence of the videos on the site.[63]

One particular parody was the subject of BP Refinery v Tracey, where a BP employee named Scott Tracey was terminated from his job for a video satirising collective bargaining negotiations at the company he was working in. Tracey managed to successfully appeal his unfair dismissal to the Full Federal Court who decided that the video in question was not offensive, and had his job reinstated and received $200,000 in compensation.[66]

See also

References

Informational notes

  1. ^ Mohnke was rumoured, but never proven, to have ordered the execution near Dunkirk in 1940.[54] He strongly denied the accusations against him, and told historian Thomas Fischer that he never issued any orders to take or execute English prisoners.[55]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e Elley, Derek (16 September 2004). "Downfall". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  2. ^ a b "DOWNFALL (15)". British Board of Film Classification. 24 December 2004. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  3. ^ "Downfall (2004)". British Film Institute. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Eichinger-Film "Der Untergang": Bruno Ganz spielt späten Hitler". Spiegel Online (in German). 16 April 2003. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  5. ^ a b "DOWNFALL". Box Office Mojo.
  6. ^ a b Landler, Mark (15 September 2004). "The All-Too-Human Hitler, on Your Big Screen". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  7. ^ Vande Winkel 2007, p. 187.
  8. ^ a b c d Summers, Sue (20 March 2005). "Now the Germans have their say". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  9. ^ Denby, David (14 February 2005). "Back in the Bunker". The New Yorker. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  10. ^ Machtans & Ruehl 2012.
  11. ^ Oren, Michael B. (4 July 2005). "Pass the Fault". The New Republic. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  12. ^ a b Bathrik, David (1 November 2007). "Whose Hi/story Is It? The U.S. Reception of Downfall". New German Critique. Duke University Press. 34 (3): 1–16. doi:10.1215/0094033X-2007-008. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  13. ^ a b c d Niemi 2018.
  14. ^ Trapani, Salvatore (5 February 2005). "The Downfall – Interview: Oliver Hirschbiegel • Director". Cineuropa. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  15. ^ a b c Diver, Krysia; Moss, Stephen (25 March 2003). "Desperately seeking Adolf". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  16. ^ a b c d e f Johnston, Sheila (30 April 2015). "The dangers of portraying Hitler". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  17. ^ a b c d Cavagna, Carlo. "Interviews: DOWNFALL". AboutFilm.Com. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  18. ^ Bonke, Johannes (17 September 2004). "Alexandra Maria Lara über ihr Gefühls-Chaos" (in German). Filmreporter.de. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  19. ^ a b Sarkar, David (25 August 2004). "Das Böse kann niemals eindimensional sein" (in German). Planet Interview. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  20. ^ a b c Varoli, John (7 October 2003). "A War-Torn Berlin Reborn in Russia". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  21. ^ Meza, Ed (12 August 2003). "Hitler pic lands in Russia". Variety. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  22. ^ Mazierska 2011.
  23. ^ a b "Controversial Hitler Film Opens Across Germany". Deutsche Welle. 17 September 2004. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  24. ^ a b Borcholte, Andreas (15 September 2004). ""Der Untergang": Die unerzählbare Geschichte". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  25. ^ a b c Eckardt, Andy (16 September 2004). "Film showing Hitler's soft side stirs controversy". NBC News. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  26. ^ Vande Winkel 2007.
  27. ^ a b Bangert 2014.
  28. ^ Fuchs, Cynthia (3 August 2005). "Downfall (2004)". PopMatters. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  29. ^ a b Bendix 2007.
  30. ^ a b c Kershaw, Ian (17 September 2004). "The human Hitler". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  31. ^ Scott, A. O. (18 February 2005). "The Last Days of Hitler: Raving and Ravioli". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  32. ^ "Hitler: The Lost Files". The Irish Times. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  33. ^ "German film on Hitler's demise a box office hit". The Irish Times. 20 September 2004. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  34. ^ "Hitler Film Wins Oscar Nomination". DW. 26 January 2005. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  35. ^ "Downfall wins BBC world film gong". BBC. 26 January 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  36. ^ "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema – 48. Downfall". Empire.
  37. ^ Atanasov, Svet (8 August 2005). "Downfall". DVD Talk. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  38. ^ "Downfall Collector's Edition Blu-ray Detailed". Blu-ray.com. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  39. ^ "Downfall (Der Untergang) (2004)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  40. ^ "Downfall Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  41. ^ Vande Winkel 2007, p. 212.
  42. ^ a b c "A film depicting Adolf Hitler's human side is attracting crowds and stirring debate in Germany". Columbia University. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  43. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (1 April 2005). "Downfall Review". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  44. ^ Newman, Kim (10 May 2017). "Downfall Review". Empire. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  45. ^ Smithey, Cole (9 May 2005). "German Filmmakers do Justice to the Fall of Hitler's Empire". Smart New Media.
  46. ^ Denby, David (14 February 2005). "David Denby's comments on Der Untergang". The New Yorker. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  47. ^ Ebert, Roger (11 March 2005). "Downfall". Chicago Sun-Times.
  48. ^ ""Der Untergang": Faktisch genau, dramaturgisch lau". Der Spiegel (in German). 16 August 2004. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  49. ^ Radke, Julia (1 November 2004). "Hirschbiegel: Der Untergang. Filmrezension". Future Needs Remembrance (in German). Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  50. ^ Jessen, Jens [in German] (26 August 2004). "Stilles Ende eines Irren unter Tage". Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  51. ^ Vande Winkel 2007, p. 208.
  52. ^ a b "My Hitler part in 'Downfall'". The Irish Times. 26 March 2005. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  53. ^ Eberle & Uhl 2005, p. xviii.
  54. ^ Weale 2012.
  55. ^ Fischer 2008, p. 26.
  56. ^ Higgins, Charlotte (5 April 2005). "Bunker film 'is too kind to Nazis'". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  57. ^ Furlong, Ray (16 September 2004). "'Human' Hitler disturbs Germans". BBC. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  58. ^ a b Finlo Rohrer (13 April 2010). "The rise, rise and rise of the Downfall Hitler parody". BBC News. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  59. ^ . The Guardian. London. 5 July 2013. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  60. ^ a b (in Swedish). SVT Play. Archived from the original on 23 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  61. ^ Brady, Tara (31 July 2015). "Oliver Hirschbiegel: from Hitler to Princess Diana and back again". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  62. ^ Boutin, Paul (25 February 2010). "Video Mad Libs With the Right Software". The New York Times. pp. B10. Retrieved 26 February 2010. In various home-subtitled remakes over the last few years, Hitler explodes when told that the McMansion he was trying to flip is in foreclosure, that the band Oasis has split up, that the Colts lost the Super Bowl or that people keep making more "Downfall" parodies.
  63. ^ a b Evangelista, Benny (23 July 2010). "Parody, copyright law clash in online clips". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  64. ^ Rosenblum, Emma (15 January 2010). "The Director of Downfall Speaks Out on All Those Angry YouTube Hitlers". New York. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  65. ^ Finlo Rohrer (21 April 2010). "Downfall filmmakers want YouTube to take down Hitler spoofs". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  66. ^ Zhou, Naaman (15 November 2019). "BP worker fired over Downfall video appeals, saying Fair Work did not understand meme". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

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  • Machtans, Karolin; Ruehl, Martin A. (30 November 2012). Hitler – Films from Germany: History, Cinema and Politics since 1945. Palgrave Macmillan UK. ISBN 9781137032386.
  • Mazierska, Ewa (12 July 2011). European Cinema and Intertextuality: History, Memory and Politics. Springer. ISBN 9780230319547.
  • Niemi, Robert (2018). 100 Great War Movies: The Real History Behind the Films. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781440833861.
  • Weale, Adrian (2012). Army of Evil: A History of the SS. New York; Toronto: NAL Caliber (Penguin Group). ISBN 978-0-451-23791-0.

Further reading

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Downfall (film).
 
Wikiquote has quotations related to Downfall (2004 film).
  • Der Untergang (Downfall) at IMDb
  • Der Untergang (Downfall) at AllMovie
  • . Archived from the original on 11 July 2015.
  • Richardson, Jay (4 September 2005). "Interview with director Oliver Hirschbiegel". Future Movies.

May 04, 2023
downfall, 2004, film, downfall, german, untergang, 2004, german, language, historical, drama, film, directed, oliver, hirschbiegel, from, screenplay, producer, bernd, eichinger, during, battle, berlin, world, when, nazi, germany, verge, defeat, depicts, final,. Downfall German Der Untergang is a 2004 German language historical war drama film directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel from a screenplay by its producer Bernd Eichinger It is set during the Battle of Berlin in World War II when Nazi Germany is on the verge of defeat and depicts the final days of Adolf Hitler portrayed by Bruno Ganz The cast includes Alexandra Maria Lara Corinna Harfouch Ulrich Matthes Juliane Kohler Heino Ferch Christian Berkel Alexander Held Matthias Habich and Thomas Kretschmann The film is a German Austrian Italian co production DownfallTheatrical release posterDirected byOliver HirschbiegelScreenplay byBernd EichingerBased onInside Hitler s Bunkerby Joachim Fest Until the Final Hourby Traudl JungeMelissa MullerProduced byBernd EichingerStarringBruno Ganz Alexandra Maria Lara Corinna Harfouch Ulrich Matthes Juliane Kohler Heino Ferch Christian Berkel Alexander Held Matthias Habich Thomas KretschmannCinematographyRainer Klausmann 1 Edited byHans Funck 1 Music byStephan Zacharias 1 ProductioncompanyConstantin Film 1 Distributed byConstantin Film Germany and Austria 01 Distribution Italy Release dates8 September 2004 2004 09 08 Germany 10 September 2004 2004 09 10 Austria Running time155 minutes theatrical version 2 CountriesGermanyItalyAustria 3 LanguageGerman 2 Budget 13 5 million 4 approx 15 million Box office 92 2 million 5 Principal photography took place from September to November 2003 on location in Berlin Munich and in Saint Petersburg Russia As the film is set in and around the Fuhrerbunker Hirschbiegel used eyewitness accounts survivors memoirs and other historical sources during production to reconstruct the look and atmosphere of 1940s Berlin The screenplay was based on the books Inside Hitler s Bunker by historian Joachim Fest and Until the Final Hour by Traudl Junge one of Hitler s secretaries among other accounts of the period The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on 14 September 2004 It was controversial with audiences for showing a human side of Hitler and for its portrayal of members of the Third Reich It later received a wide theatrical release in Germany under its production company Constantin Film The film grossed over 92 million Critics gave favourable reviews particularly for Ganz s performance as Adolf Hitler and Eichinger s screenplay It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 77th Academy Awards Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 2 1 Officials and civilians 2 2 Wehrmacht 2 3 Schutzstaffel 3 Production 3 1 Development 3 2 Casting 3 3 Filming and design 4 Themes 4 1 Portrayal 5 Release 5 1 Box office and awards 5 2 Home media 6 Reception 6 1 Critical response 6 2 Controversy 7 Internet parodies 8 See also 9 References 10 External linksPlot EditIn November 1942 at the Wolf s Lair in East Prussia Fuhrer of Nazi Germany Adolf Hitler invites a number of young women to interview for the position of his personal secretary Traudl Junge is overjoyed when he chooses her Two and a half years later the Red Army has pushed Germany s forces back and surrounded Berlin On Hitler s 56th birthday the Red Army begins shelling Berlin s city centre Reichsfuhrer SS Heinrich Himmler tries to persuade Hitler to leave Berlin but Hitler refuses Himmler leaves to negotiate terms with the Western Allies in secret Later Gruppenfuhrer Hermann Fegelein Himmler s liaison officer at Hitler s headquarters also attempts to persuade Hitler to flee but Hitler insists that he will win or die in Berlin SS doctor Obersturmbannfuhrer Ernst Gunther Schenck is ordered to leave Berlin per Operation Clausewitz though he persuades an SS general to let him stay in Berlin to treat the injured In the streets Hitler Youth child soldier Peter Kranz s father approaches his son s unit and tries to persuade him to leave Peter who destroyed two enemy tanks and will soon be awarded a medal by Hitler calls his father a coward and runs away At a meeting in the Fuhrerbunker Hitler forbids the overwhelmed 9th Army from retreating instead ordering Obergruppenfuhrer Felix Steiner s units to mount a counter attack The generals find the orders impossible and irrational Above ground Hitler awards Peter his medal hailing Peter as braver than his generals In his office Hitler talks to Minister of Armaments Albert Speer about his scorched earth policy Speer is concerned about the destruction of Germany s infrastructure but Hitler believes the German people left behind are weak and thus deserve death Meanwhile Hitler s companion Eva Braun holds a party in the Reich Chancellery However her brother in law Fegelein tries to persuade Eva to leave Berlin with Hitler but she dismisses him Artillery fire eventually breaks up the party On the battlefield General Helmuth Weidling is informed he will be executed for allegedly ordering a retreat Weidling comes to the Fuhrerbunker to clear himself of his charges His action impresses Hitler who promotes him to oversee all of Berlin s defences At another meeting Hitler learns Steiner did not attack because his unit lacked sufficient force Hitler becomes enraged at what he sees as an act of betrayal and launches into a furious tirade shouting that everyone has failed him and denouncing his generals as cowards and traitors He finally acknowledges that the war is lost but that he would rather commit suicide than leave Berlin Schenck witnesses old men being executed by German military police for supposedly refusing to take part in the fighting Hitler receives a message from Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring requesting state leadership Hitler declares Goring a traitor ordering his dismissal from all posts and his arrest Speer makes a final visit to the Fuhrerbunker and admits to Hitler that he has defied his orders to destroy Germany s infrastructure Hitler however does not punish Speer who decides to leave Berlin Peter returns to find his unit dead and runs back to his parents Hitler continues to imagine fantastic ways for Germany to turn the tide At dinner Hitler learns of Himmler s secret negotiations Hearing that one of his most loyal followers has abandoned him sends him into another rage and he quickly orders Himmler s execution He also finds out that Fegelein has deserted his post and has him executed despite Eva s pleas SS physician Obergruppenfuhrer Ernst Robert Grawitz asks Hitler s permission to evacuate for fear of Allied reprisal Hitler refuses leading Grawitz to kill himself and his family The Soviets continue their advance Berlin s supplies run low and German morale plummets Hitler hopes that the 12th Army led by Lieutenant General Walther Wenck will save Berlin After midnight Hitler dictates his last will and testament to Junge before officially marrying Eva The following morning Hitler learns that the 12th Army is unable to relieve Berlin Refusing surrender Hitler plans his death He administers poison to his dog Blondi bids farewell to the bunker staff and commits suicide with Eva The two are crudely cremated with petrol in a ditch in the Chancellery garden Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels assumes the Chancellorship General Hans Krebs fails to negotiate a conditional surrender with Soviet Marshal Vasily Chuikov Goebbels declares that Germany will not surrender as long as he is alive Goebbels wife Magda poisons her six children with cyanide before committing suicide with Goebbels Weidling announces unconditional surrender of German forces in Berlin afterwards Many government and military officials including Krebs commit suicide after learning of Germany s defeat Peter discovers his parents were executed Junge leaves the bunker and tries to flee the city Peter joins her as she sneaks through a group of Soviet soldiers before the two find a bicycle and leave Berlin Cast EditOfficials and civilians Edit Bruno Ganz as Adolf Hitler Alexandra Maria Lara as Traudl Junge Ulrich Matthes as Reichsleiter Joseph Goebbels Corinna Harfouch as Magda Goebbels Juliane Kohler as Eva Braun Birgit Minichmayr as Gerda Christian Donevan Gunia as Peter Kranz Karl Kranzkowski as Wilhelm Kranz Ulrike Krumbiegel as Dorothee Kranz Michael Brandner as Hans Fritzsche Anna Thalbach as Hanna Reitsch Bettina Redlich as Constanze Manziarly Elizaveta Boyarskaya as Erna Flegel Oliver Stritzel as Johannes Hentschel Heino Ferch as Oberbefehlsleiter Albert Speer Wehrmacht Edit Christian Redl as Generaloberst Alfred Jodl Rolf Kanies as General der Infanterie Hans Krebs Chief of the Army General Staff Michael Mendl as General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling Dietrich Hollinderbaumer as Generalfeldmarschall Robert Ritter von Greim Dieter Mann as Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel Justus von Dohnanyi as General der Infanterie Wilhelm Burgdorf Hans H Steinberg as General der Flieger Karl Koller Klaus B Wolf as Kriegsmarine Korvettenkapitan Alwin Broder Albrecht Devid Striesow as Feldwebel Fritz Tornow Mathias Gnadinger as Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring Luftwaffe commander in chief Schutzstaffel Edit Ulrich Noethen as Reichsleiter and Reichsfuhrer SS Heinrich Himmler Thomas Thieme as Reichsleiter and SS Obergruppenfuhrer Martin Bormann Christian Hoening as SS Obergruppenfuhrer Ernst Robert Grawitz Thomas Kretschmann as SS Gruppenfuhrer and Generalleutnant Waffen SS Hermann Fegelein Alexander Held as SS Brigadefuhrer Walther Hewel Andre Hennicke as SS Brigadefuhrer Wilhelm Mohnke Matthias Habich as SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Prof Dr Werner Haase Thomas Limpinsel as SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Heinz Linge Thorsten Krohn as SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Dr Ludwig Stumpfegger Jurgen Tonkel as SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Erich Kempka Igor Romanov as SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Peter Hogl Igor Bubenchikov as SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Franz Schadle Christian Berkel as SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Dr Ernst Gunther Schenck Fabian Busch as SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Stehr Gotz Otto as SS Sturmbannfuhrer Otto Gunsche Heinrich Schmieder as SS Oberscharfuhrer Rochus Misch Additional cast members in smaller roles include Alexander Slastin as Soviet Marshal Vasily Chuikov Elena Dreyden as Inge Dombrowski Norbert Heckner as Walter Wagner Silke Nikowski as Frau Grawitz Leopold von Buttlar as Sohn Grawitz Veit Stubner as Tellermann Boris Schwarzmann as Matvey Blanter Vsevolod Tsurilo as Russian Adjutant Vasily Reutov as Weidling s chief of staff Theodor von Dufving The Goebbels children are portrayed by Alina Sokar Helga Charlotte Stoiber Hilda Gregory Borlein Helmut Julia Bauer Hedda Laura Borlein Holde and Amelie Menges Heide Production EditDevelopment Edit Producer and screenwriter Bernd Eichinger wanted to make a film about Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party for twenty years but was at first discouraged after its enormity prevented him from doing so 6 Eichinger was inspired to begin the filmmaking process after reading Inside Hitler s Bunker The Last Days of the Third Reich 2002 by historian Joachim Fest 7 8 6 Eichinger also based the film on the memoirs of Traudl Junge one of Hitler s secretaries called Until the Final Hour Hitler s Last Secretary 2002 9 10 When writing the screenplay he used the books Inside the Third Reich 1969 by Albert Speer 11 one of the highest ranking Nazi officials to survive both the war and the Nuremberg trials Hitler s Last Days An Eye Witness Account 1973 by Gerhard Boldt 12 Das Notlazarett unter der Reichskanzlei Ein Arzt erlebt Hitlers Ende in Berlin 1995 by Ernst Gunther Schenck and Soldat Reflections of a German Soldier 1936 1949 1992 by Siegfried Knappe as references 13 After completing the script for the film Eichinger presented it to director Oliver Hirschbiegel Though he was interested in exploring how the people of Germany could have plumbed such depths as a German Hirschbiegel hesitated to take it as he reacted to the idea of Nazism as a taboo Hirschbiegel eventually agreed to helm the project 14 13 Casting Edit Bruno Ganz studied the Hitler and Mannerheim recording for four months to prepare for his role 15 When Bruno Ganz was offered the role of Hitler he was reluctant to accept the part and many of his friends advised against it 4 16 but he believed that the subject had a fascinating side and ultimately agreed to take the role 15 Ganz conducted four months of research and studied a recording of Hitler in private conversation with Finnish Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim in order to properly mimic Hitler s conversational voice and Austrian dialect Ganz came to the conclusion that Hitler had Parkinson s disease noting his observation of Hitler s shaky body movements present in the newsreel Die Deutsche Wochenschau and decided to visit a hospital to study patients with the disease 15 Ganz auditioned in the casting studio with makeup for half an hour and tested his voice for Hirschbiegel who was convinced by his performance 4 17 Alexandra Maria Lara was cast as Traudl Junge she was given Junge s book Until the Final Hour 2002 which she called her personal treasure to read during filming Before she was cast she had seen Andre Heller s documentary film Im toten Winkel which impressed her and influenced her perspective on Junge 18 19 Filming and design Edit Filming took place near the Obvodny Canal in Saint Petersburg in a run down industrial district to imitate the setting for Berlin Principal photography lasted twelve weeks from September to November 2003 under the working title Sunset 20 13 The film is set mostly in and around the Fuhrerbunker Hirschbiegel made an effort to accurately reconstruct the look and atmosphere of World War II through eyewitness accounts survivors memoirs and other historical sources Hirschbiegel filmed in the cities of Berlin Munich and Saint Petersburg Russia with a run down industrial district along the Obvodny Canal used to portray the historical setting in Berlin 20 21 Hirschbiegel noted the depressing atmosphere surrounding the shoot finding relief through listening to Johann Sebastian Bach s music 16 Alexandra Maria Lara also mentioned the depressing and intense atmosphere during filming To lighten the mood Lara s colleagues engaged in activities such as football while Ganz tried to keep a happy mood by retiring during shooting breaks 19 The film was produced on a 13 5 million budget 4 The bunker and Hitler s Wolf s Lair were constructed at Bavaria Studios in Munich by production designer Bernd Lepel 17 1 The damaged Reich Chancellery was depicted through the use of CGI Hirschbiegel decided to limit the use of CGI props and sets so as not to make the set design look like that of a theatre production 17 explaining The only CGI shot that s been used in the film was the one with the Reich Chancellery because of course we could not reconstruct that that s the only thing I m very proud of that because if you do a war movie you cannot do that and build sets You feel the cardboard You feel that it s all made to entertain and it takes away from that horror that war basically means 17 Themes EditAccording to Eichinger the film s overlying idea was to make a film about Hitler and wartime Germany that was very close to historical truth as part of a theme that would allow the German nation to save their own history and experience their own trauma To accomplish this the film explores Hitler s decisions and motives during his final days through the perspective of the individuals who lived in the Fuhrerbunker during those times 22 Eichinger chose not to include mention of the Holocaust because it was not the topic of the film He also thought it was impossible to show the misery and desperation of the concentration camps cinematically 23 24 Portrayal Edit During production Hirschbiegel believed that Hitler would often charm people using his personality only to manipulate and betray them 16 Many of the people in the film including Traudl Junge are shown to be enthusiastic in interacting with Hitler instead of feeling threatened or anxious by his presence and authority The production team sought to give Hitler a three dimensional personality with Hirschbiegel telling NBC We know from all accounts that he was a very charming man a man who managed to seduce a whole people into barbarism 25 He said Hitler was like a shell attracting people with self pity but inside the shell was only an enormous will for destruction 16 The film explores the suicides and deaths of the Nazi Party as opposed to the people who choose life Hitler s provision of cyanide pills to those in the bunker and the Goebbels murder of their children are shown as selfish deeds while people such as Schenck who choose to help the injured and escape death are shown as rational and generous 26 27 In the DVD commentary Hirschbiegel said that the events in the film were derived from the accounts from descriptions of people in the bunker 28 The film also includes an introduction and closing with the real Junge in an interview from Im toten Winkel where she admits feeling guilt for not recognizing this monster in time 27 Release EditDownfall premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on September 14 2004 12 29 After first failing to find a distributor the film was eventually released on September 16 in Germany by Constantin Film 8 30 It premiered in the U S in Manhattan on February 18 2005 under Newmarket Films 31 On its broadcast in the UK Channel 4 marketed it with the strapline It s a happy ending He dies 32 Box office and awards Edit Downfall sold nearly half a million tickets in Germany for its opening weekend and attracted 4 5 million viewers in the first three months 33 29 The final North American gross was 5 509 040 while 86 671 870 was made with its foreign gross 5 The film made 93 6 million altogether 13 Downfall was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 77th Academy Awards 34 It won the 2005 BBC Four World Cinema competition 35 The film was also ranked number 48 in Empire magazine s The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema in 2010 36 Home media Edit The film was released on DVD in 2005 by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment now Sony Pictures Home Entertainment 37 Shout Factory released a collector s edition Blu ray in March 2018 with a making of featurette cast and crew interviews and audio commentary from director Oliver Hirschbiegel 38 Reception EditCritical response Edit The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 90 based on 141 reviews from critics with a weighted average of 8 00 10 The website s consensus reads Downfall is an illuminating thoughtful and detailed account of Hitler s last days 39 On Metacritic the film was awarded the Must See badge holding a weighted average of 82 out of 100 based on 35 reviews indicating universal acclaim 40 Reviews for the film were often very positive 41 despite debate surrounding the film from critics and audiences upon its release see Controversy 42 24 Ganz s portrayal of Hitler was singled out for praise 43 44 45 David Denby for The New Yorker said that Ganz made the dictator into a plausible human being 46 Addressing other critics like Denby Chicago Sun Times critic Roger Ebert said the film did not provide an adequate portrayal of Hitler s actions because he felt no film could and that no response would be sufficient Ebert said Hitler was in reality the focus for a spontaneous uprising by many of the German people fueled by racism xenophobia grandiosity and fear 47 Hermann Graml history professor and former Luftwaffe helper praised the film and said that he had not seen a film that was so insistent and tormentingly alive Graml said that Hitler s portrayal was presented correctly by showing Hitler s will to destroy and his way of denying reality 48 Julia Radke of the German website Future Needs Remembrance praised the film s acting and called it well crafted and a solid Kammerspielfilm though it could lose viewer interest due to a lack of concentration on the narrative perspective 49 German author Jens Jessen said that the film could have been stupider and called it a chamber play that could not be staged undramatically Jessen also said that it was not as spectacular as the pre media coverage could have led one to believe and it did not arouse the morbid fascination the magazine Der Spiegel was looking for 50 Hitler biographer Sir Ian Kershaw wrote in The Guardian that the film had enormous emotive power calling it a triumph and a marvellous historical drama Kershaw also said that he found it hard to imagine anyone would find Hitler to be a sympathetic figure in his final days 30 Wim Wenders in a review for the German newspaper Die Zeit said the film was absent of a strong point of view for Hitler which made him harmless and compared Downfall to Resident Evil Apocalypse stating that in Resident Evil the viewer would know which character was evil 4 42 Controversy Edit They just got it wrong Bad people do not walk around with claws like vicious monsters even though it might be comforting to think so Everyone intelligent knows that evil comes along with a smiling face 16 Hirschbiegel in 2015 on the criticism surrounding the portrayal of Hitler Downfall was the subject of dispute by critics and audiences in Germany before and after its release with many concerned regarding Hitler s portrayal in the film as a human being with emotions in spite of his actions and ideologies 42 30 51 The portrayal sparked debate in Germany due to publicity from commentators film magazines and newspapers 25 52 leading the German tabloid Bild to ask the question Are we allowed to show the monster as a human being 25 It was criticized for its scenes involving the members of the Nazi party 23 with author Giles MacDonogh criticizing the portrayals as being sympathetic towards SS officers Wilhelm Mohnke and Ernst Gunther Schenck 53 the former of whom was accused of murdering a group of British prisoners of war in the Wormhoudt massacre N 1 But at a discussion in London Hirschbiegel said in response that he did not find the allegations against Schenck convincing 56 The film was also seen as controversial because it was made by Germans instead of British or American filmmakers 8 Russian press visited the set making the producers uneasy and occasionally defensive Yana Bezhanskay director of Globus Film Constantin s Russian partner raised her voice to Russian journalists and said This is an antifascist film and nowhere in it do you see Hitler praised 20 Cristina Nord from Die Tageszeitung criticized the portrayal and said that though it was important to make films about perpetrators seeing Hitler cry had not informed her on the last days of the Third Reich 57 Some have supported the film Hans Jurgen Syberberg director of Hitler A Film from Germany felt the time was right to paint a realistic portrait of Hitler 16 Eichinger replied to the response from the film by stating that the terrifying thing about Hitler was that he was human and not an elephant or a monster from Mars 8 Ganz said that he was proud of the film though he said people had accused him of humanizing Hitler 52 Internet parodies EditSee also List of Internet phenomena The scene depicting Hitler s angry tirade after his orders were not carried out became a viral video after numerous parodies were posted to the internet Downfall is well known for its rise in popularity due to many Hitler Rants internet parody videos which use several scenes in the film where Hitler becomes angry after hearing that Steiner s attack never happened due to a lack of forces when Hitler hears Luftwaffe commander Hermann Goring s telegram when Hitler phones General der Flieger Karl Koller about Berlin s April 20 bombings when Hitler is having dinner and discovers Reichsfuhrer SS Heinrich Himmler secretly made a surrender offer to the Western Allies where Hitler orders Otto Gunsche to find SS Gruppenfuhrer Hermann Fegelein and when Hitler discusses a counterattack against advancing Soviet forces with his generals In the videos the original German audio is retained but new subtitles are added so that Hitler and his subordinates seem to be reacting to an issue or setback in present day politics sports entertainment popular culture or everyday life 58 59 60 61 In addition some users combine footage from the film with other sources dub the German dialogue over video games and or footage from other films and TV series or edit images of the characters onto pre existing or animated footage often for greater comic effect 62 63 60 Hirschbiegel spoke positively about these parodies in a 2010 interview with New York magazine saying that many of them were funny and a fitting extension of the film s purpose 64 Nevertheless Constantin Film asked video sites to remove them 58 The producers initiated a removal of parody videos from YouTube in 2010 65 This prompted more posting of parody videos of Hitler complaining that the parodies were being taken down and a resurgence of the videos on the site 63 One particular parody was the subject of BP Refinery v Tracey where a BP employee named Scott Tracey was terminated from his job for a video satirising collective bargaining negotiations at the company he was working in Tracey managed to successfully appeal his unfair dismissal to the Full Federal Court who decided that the video in question was not offensive and had his job reinstated and received 200 000 in compensation 66 See also EditAdolf Hitler in popular culture Vorbunker The Bunker 1981 English language TV movie that broadly depicts the same events starring Anthony Hopkins as Adolf HitlerReferences EditInformational notes Mohnke was rumoured but never proven to have ordered the execution near Dunkirk in 1940 54 He strongly denied the accusations against him and told historian Thomas Fischer that he never issued any orders to take or execute English prisoners 55 Citations a b c d e Elley Derek 16 September 2004 Downfall Variety Penske Media Corporation Retrieved 12 May 2018 a b DOWNFALL 15 British Board of Film Classification 24 December 2004 Retrieved 11 June 2012 Downfall 2004 British Film Institute Retrieved 12 May 2018 a b c d e Eichinger Film Der Untergang Bruno Ganz spielt spaten Hitler Spiegel Online in German 16 April 2003 Retrieved 14 December 2015 a b DOWNFALL Box Office Mojo a b Landler Mark 15 September 2004 The All Too Human Hitler on Your Big Screen The New York Times Retrieved 14 November 2018 Vande Winkel 2007 p 187 a b c d Summers Sue 20 March 2005 Now the Germans have their say The Guardian Retrieved 20 February 2019 Denby David 14 February 2005 Back in the Bunker The New Yorker Retrieved 3 January 2019 Machtans amp Ruehl 2012 Oren Michael B 4 July 2005 Pass the Fault The New Republic Retrieved 3 January 2019 a b Bathrik David 1 November 2007 Whose Hi story Is It The U S Reception of Downfall New German Critique Duke University Press 34 3 1 16 doi 10 1215 0094033X 2007 008 Retrieved 3 January 2019 a b c d Niemi 2018 Trapani Salvatore 5 February 2005 The Downfall Interview Oliver Hirschbiegel Director Cineuropa Retrieved 21 February 2019 a b c Diver Krysia Moss Stephen 25 March 2003 Desperately seeking Adolf The Guardian London Retrieved 6 February 2009 a b c d e f Johnston Sheila 30 April 2015 The dangers of portraying Hitler The Telegraph Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Retrieved 16 November 2018 a b c d Cavagna Carlo Interviews DOWNFALL AboutFilm Com Retrieved 14 November 2018 Bonke Johannes 17 September 2004 Alexandra Maria Lara uber ihr Gefuhls Chaos in German Filmreporter de Retrieved 23 February 2019 a b Sarkar David 25 August 2004 Das Bose kann niemals eindimensional sein in German Planet Interview Retrieved 23 February 2019 a b c Varoli John 7 October 2003 A War Torn Berlin Reborn in Russia The New York Times Retrieved 12 November 2018 Meza Ed 12 August 2003 Hitler pic lands in Russia Variety Retrieved 12 November 2018 Mazierska 2011 a b Controversial Hitler Film Opens Across Germany Deutsche Welle 17 September 2004 Retrieved 25 March 2019 a b Borcholte Andreas 15 September 2004 Der Untergang Die unerzahlbare Geschichte Der Spiegel in German Retrieved 23 February 2019 a b c Eckardt Andy 16 September 2004 Film showing Hitler s soft side stirs controversy NBC News Retrieved 12 December 2018 Vande Winkel 2007 a b Bangert 2014 Fuchs Cynthia 3 August 2005 Downfall 2004 PopMatters Retrieved 26 February 2019 a b Bendix 2007 a b c Kershaw Ian 17 September 2004 The human Hitler The Guardian London Retrieved 20 July 2009 Scott A O 18 February 2005 The Last Days of Hitler Raving and Ravioli The New York Times Retrieved 20 February 2019 Hitler The Lost Files The Irish Times Retrieved 19 March 2017 German film on Hitler s demise a box office hit The Irish Times 20 September 2004 Retrieved 14 November 2018 Hitler Film Wins Oscar Nomination DW 26 January 2005 Retrieved 15 November 2018 Downfall wins BBC world film gong BBC 26 January 2006 Retrieved 20 July 2009 The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema 48 Downfall Empire Atanasov Svet 8 August 2005 Downfall DVD Talk Retrieved 16 November 2018 Downfall Collector s Edition Blu ray Detailed Blu ray com 12 February 2018 Retrieved 16 November 2018 Downfall Der Untergang 2004 Rotten Tomatoes Retrieved 22 November 2021 Downfall Reviews Metacritic Retrieved 9 September 2019 Vande Winkel 2007 p 212 a b c A film depicting Adolf Hitler s human side is attracting crowds and stirring debate in Germany Columbia University Retrieved 15 November 2018 Bradshaw Peter 1 April 2005 Downfall Review The Guardian Retrieved 15 November 2018 Newman Kim 10 May 2017 Downfall Review Empire Retrieved 15 November 2018 Smithey Cole 9 May 2005 German Filmmakers do Justice to the Fall of Hitler s Empire Smart New Media Denby David 14 February 2005 David Denby s comments on Der Untergang The New Yorker Retrieved 5 May 2015 Ebert Roger 11 March 2005 Downfall Chicago Sun Times Der Untergang Faktisch genau dramaturgisch lau Der Spiegel in German 16 August 2004 Retrieved 15 November 2018 Radke Julia 1 November 2004 Hirschbiegel Der Untergang Filmrezension Future Needs Remembrance in German Retrieved 15 November 2018 Jessen Jens in German 26 August 2004 Stilles Ende eines Irren unter Tage Die Zeit in German Retrieved 15 November 2018 Vande Winkel 2007 p 208 a b My Hitler part in Downfall The Irish Times 26 March 2005 Retrieved 14 November 2018 Eberle amp Uhl 2005 p xviii Weale 2012 Fischer 2008 p 26 Higgins Charlotte 5 April 2005 Bunker film is too kind to Nazis The Guardian Retrieved 3 January 2019 Furlong Ray 16 September 2004 Human Hitler disturbs Germans BBC Retrieved 26 March 2019 a b Finlo Rohrer 13 April 2010 The rise rise and rise of the Downfall Hitler parody BBC News Retrieved 13 April 2010 Internetting a user s guide 18 How downfall gained cult status The Guardian London 5 July 2013 Archived from the original on 31 October 2013 Retrieved 10 July 2013 a b Kobra Del 2 av 12 Hitlerhumor in Swedish SVT Play Archived from the original on 23 March 2013 Retrieved 23 March 2013 Brady Tara 31 July 2015 Oliver Hirschbiegel from Hitler to Princess Diana and back again The Irish Times Retrieved 10 May 2018 Boutin Paul 25 February 2010 Video Mad Libs With the Right Software The New York Times pp B10 Retrieved 26 February 2010 In various home subtitled remakes over the last few years Hitler explodes when told that the McMansion he was trying to flip is in foreclosure that the band Oasis has split up that the Colts lost the Super Bowl or that people keep making more Downfall parodies a b Evangelista Benny 23 July 2010 Parody copyright law clash in online clips San Francisco Chronicle Retrieved 19 February 2012 Rosenblum Emma 15 January 2010 The Director of Downfall Speaks Out on All Those Angry YouTube Hitlers New York Retrieved 16 January 2010 Finlo Rohrer 21 April 2010 Downfall filmmakers want YouTube to take down Hitler spoofs The Guardian London Retrieved 21 April 2010 Zhou Naaman 15 November 2019 BP worker fired over Downfall video appeals saying Fair Work did not understand meme The Guardian Retrieved 3 March 2023 Bibliography Bangert Axel 2014 The Nazi Past in Contemporary German Film Viewing Experiences of Intimacy and Immersion Boydell amp Brewer ISBN 9781571139054 Bendix John Spring 2007 Facing Hitler German Responses to Downfall German Politics and Society 25 1 82 70 89 doi 10 3167 gps 2007 250104 JSTOR 23742889 Bosch Frank 2007 Film NS Vergangenheit und Geschichtswissenschaft Von Holocaust zu Der Untergang Vierteljahrshefte fur Zeitgeschichte 55 1 1 32 doi 10 1524 vfzg 2007 55 1 1 ISSN 0042 5702 Fischer Thomas 2008 Soldiers of the Leibstandarte J J Fedorowicz Publishing Inc ISBN 978 0921991915 Fisher Jaimey Prager Brad 2010 The Collapse of the Conventional German Film and Its Politics at the Turn of the Twenty first Century Wayne State University Press ISBN 9780814333778 Eberle Henrik Uhl Matthias eds 2005 The Hitler Book The Secret Dossier Prepared for Stalin Translated by MacDonogh Giles New York PublicAffairs ISBN 1 58648 366 8 Machtans Karolin Ruehl Martin A 30 November 2012 Hitler Films from Germany History Cinema and Politics since 1945 Palgrave Macmillan UK ISBN 9781137032386 Mazierska Ewa 12 July 2011 European Cinema and Intertextuality History Memory and Politics Springer ISBN 9780230319547 Niemi Robert 2018 100 Great War Movies The Real History Behind the Films ABC CLIO ISBN 9781440833861 Weale Adrian 2012 Army of Evil A History of the SS New York Toronto NAL Caliber Penguin Group ISBN 978 0 451 23791 0 Further reading Bischof Willi ed 2005 Filmri ss Studien uber den Film Der Untergang Munster Unrast Verlag ISBN 978 3 89771 435 9 studies about the Film Fest Joachim 2004 Inside Hitler s Bunker The Last Days of the Third Reich New York Farrar Straus and Giroux ISBN 978 0 374 13577 5 Fischer Thomas 2008 Soldiers of the Leibstandarte J J Fedorowicz Publishing Inc ISBN 978 0 921991 91 5 Junge Traudl Muller Melissa Bell Anthea 2004 Until the Final Hour Hitler s Last Secretary New York Arcade Publishing ISBN 978 1 55970 728 2 O Donnell James P 2001 1978 The Bunker The History of the Reich Chancellery Group Boston Houghton Mifflin ISBN 978 0 395 25719 7 Vande Winkel Roel 2007 Hitler s Downfall a film from Germany Der Untergang 2004 In Engelen Leen Vande Winkel Roel eds Perspectives on European Film and History Gent Academia Press pp 182 219 ISBN 978 90 382 1082 7 Retrieved 18 April 2009 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Downfall film Wikiquote has quotations related to Downfall 2004 film Der Untergang Downfall at IMDb Der Untergang Downfall at AllMovie Germania Vision and Crime exhibition by Berliner Unterwelten Archived from the original on 11 July 2015 Richardson Jay 4 September 2005 Interview with director Oliver Hirschbiegel Future Movies Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Downfall 2004 film amp oldid 1153074129, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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