Downfall (2 Disc Edition) [DVD] [2005]

I just watched this movie on Amazon Prime, having read Traudl Junge's biography some time ago. Initially I was surprised that the movie was going to concentrate only on Hitler's very last days in Berlin. Her diaries and the biography covered a longer period and are a rich source of material about Hitler and the Third Reich. Going back further would have given valuable insight into how Hitler's fortunes changed over the course of WW2.But, on reflection, this is a big subject and it was probably better to concentrate on the most turbulent period.Whether you believe that Traudl's decision to take the job as Hitler's private secretary was influenced by her youth and excitement at being close to someone so powerful, it's true that her diaries have provided us with the legacy of one of the closest factual accounts we have of the period and especially the last days in the bunker in Berlin.Bruno Ganz is superb in the role of Adof Hitler. Completely authentic and compelling based on what I've seen of material broadcast by and about Hitler.The movie is mesmerizing and absorbing. The savagery of war as a whole is all here, and it hardly needs saying that the closer it became to being inevitable that the Reich was doomed, the more savage it all became.The only fly in the ointment for me was the Americanized English of the subtitles. I cringed every time 'gotta' was used for 'got to', but luckily I understand German reasonably well, so did not have to rely on the subtitles too much.Kudos to the amazing Bruno Ganz, but also many congratulations to the entire excellent cast, for portraying such an important event so believably. The movie is a roller coaster ride of disbelief and horror.

There are so many wonderful aspects to this film, from the actors, director, makeup to the costume and production designer.Taken from the book by Traudl Junge, Hitlers last private secretary, she recounts the last days of his life and his demagogicrule while ensconced in the bunker set below the Reichstag.Hitler was a great orator, albeit someone who was paranoid, exciteable, depressed and often all three at the same time BUT he was capable of holding his audience in his hand, an audience that at times consisted of hundreds of thousands of people. He would NOT tolerate failure whatever the reasons and no matter by whom.Bruno Ganz is quite outstanding as the megalomaniac German leader, Alexandra Maria Lara - Traudl Junge whom she plays as being a little 'naive'. Corinna Harfouch - Magda Goebbels, who comes across as even harder than her husband Josef, the Nazi parties accicianado Minister of Propaganda played by Ulrich Matthes who said he could NOT understand HOW Goebbels could show or have any empathy with his victims.The film covers the Russian Army and their entry into Berlin - in the films case supplanted by St.Petersburg where the films crew were given virtually free-rein to make the film.One of the saddest moments in the film comes towards the end when the Goebbels decide life without the Fuhrer just isn't life and they commit mass suicide. Corinna Hafouch states in the films 'extras' that she completely 'broke down' as the time for filming this arrived. Bruno Ganz admitted he was very moved and melancholy when he had one of the child actors playing the Goebbels, sitting on his lap. All those taking part in the film are certain to a man in condemning Hitler, the Nazis and all their terrible actions.The logistics of making the film are explained in the exceptional extras to the film.The film and therefore Bruno Ganz give a first-rate depiction of how Hitler was becoming rapidly unstable as time passed and also that he seemingly had NO idea of what troops he had, where they were at any given time or what they were capable of achieving, and he was also more than willing to sacrifice the WHOLE of the German people, whom he said deserved their fate, indeed blaming THEM for HIS failures.

* SynopsisFrom November 1942, in Germany, in the famous bunker, a typist Traudl Junge, (Alexandra Maria Lare) is selected to aid Hitler's paperwork. The war begins to turn the tide from success to defeat, and this ongoing personal interaction is recorded in the diary of Traudl Junge.* CommentaryWell, known names are recorded as actually being present around the bunker, such as Eva Braun (Juliane Kohler), and Joseph Goebbels (Ulrich Mattles), and Albert Speer (Heino Ferch). The part of the Hitler character (Bruno Ganz) has a pleasant side, an even caring with others, which is unexpected. Yet when he meets is his army commanders, he is abusive, shouting and humiliating those under his command. He really flips his anger and rages to lose control as the armies he moves around his maps do not really exist. The extreme devotion to the cause, say with Joseph and Magda Goebbels, is explored. She (Corinna Harfouch) sees no future without National Socialism and murders her six children, and then plays cards. She is more upset with Hitler’s lack of power than of her own offspring being killed. He (Ulrich Mattles) cries over the death of Hitler, but not the millions he killed. He attributes the failure not to himself, but to other choosing his ideas. Joseph had a double Doctorate, yet had not a clue about humanity he destroyed. Its intelligent war movie based on characterisations and not of actions and explosions. It’s a rare movie built with someone who was present at the time they happened.