Downfall (2004)

• Year: 2004
• Released: 08 Apr 2005
• Country: Germany, Austria, Italy
• Adwords: Nominated for 1 Oscar. 22 wins & 34 nominations total
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363163/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/downfall
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/downfall
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: German, Russian, French, English
• MPA Rating: R
• Genre: Biography, Drama, History
• Runtime: 156 min
• Writer: Bernd Eichinger, Joachim Fest, Traudl Junge
• Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
• Cast: Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara, Ulrich Matthes
• Keywords: based on novel or book, world war ii, 1940s, nazi, dying and death,

	8.2/10
	82/100
	90% – Critics
	94% – Audience

Downfall Storyline

In April of 1945, Germany stands at the brink of defeat with the Soviet Armies closing in from the west and south. In Berlin, capital of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler proclaims that Germany will still achieve victory and orders his Generals and advisers to fight to the last man. “Downfall” explores these final days of the Reich, where senior German leaders (such as Himmler and Goring) began defecting from their beloved Fuhrer, in an effort to save their own lives, while still others (Joseph Goebbels) pledge to die with Hitler. Hitler, himself, degenerates into a paranoid shell of a man, full of optimism one moment and suicidal depression the next. When the end finally does comes, and Hitler lies dead by his own hand, what is left of his military must find a way to end the killing that is the Battle of Berlin, and lay down their arms in surrender.

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Downfall Movie Reviews

A magnificent piece of cinema. Spectacular in every respect

Truly great movies are few and far between these days; but Der Untergang most definitely represents one of those rare occasions. Oliver Hirschbiegel, who brought us the wonderful ‘Das Experiment’ has produced a film that is very nearly perfect. Depicting the final ten days of Hitler and the National Socialist regime, Der Untergang or ‘The Downfall’ to give it it’s English title is an expose of failure and the way that a madman can bend a whole nation into doing his bidding. The film is very realistic, and an excellent ensemble cast breathe life and believability into the roles of the various members of the Nazi party and because every performance is picture perfect, the whole thing comes together brilliantly as one whole piece. Bruno Ganz gives the central performance as the Fuhrer himself and it is one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen in a film. His portrayal of Hitler in the middle of his downfall is absolutely perfect, and Ganz excellently portrays the man’s every emotion. It must be difficult to play such a notorious character as Hitler himself, but Ganz rises to the occasion and gives it his all.

It is not the acting or the realism that is Der Untergang’s main claim to greatness, however – it’s the double meaning behind every scene. Each one is perfectly composed, and all the time you’re watching you can not only see what’s happening on screen but also take note of the implications surrounding it. Through every scene, there’s always the notion that a nation is falling. That’s another thing that’s great about this movie – the way that it manipulates the audience into an awkward situation. On the one hand, we know that Hitler and the Nazi regime were unspeakably evil; but while we’re watching this almost great nation crumble around it’s leader, it is hard to watch without feeling some sympathy for the country, in spite of the ideals that were preached. I thought it would be impossible to generate feelings for the Nazi’s; but Der Untergang has managed even that. ‘The Downfall’ is an apt title for this movie, as aside from depicting an important event in history; the film is fundamentally about failure. The entire movie focuses on one man’s huge downfall, and it is both a heartbreaking and powerful cinematic experience. Der Untergang is not to be missed.

The last days at the bunker

This magnificent film goes where no one else dared to go to show us the last days of Adolf Hitler. The director, Oliver Hirshbiegel, working with a big cast, brings to life the madness of the last days of the monster, as observed by a young and impressionable secretary who witnessed most of the crisis.

At the beginning of the film we watch as five young women are brought to be interviewed by Hitler for a job as his personal secretary. Young Traudl Junge is selected. She is a pretty woman who is naive in many ways and probably had no inkling about the trip she was going to embark.

The film captures the tragic figure of Hitler as everything is caving in on him and his grand plans for victory. We watch a man at the beginning of the film that is still thinking he is in command of the German forces, but his authority has eroded, as it becomes clear to the people under him the war is lost and it will be a matter of time before they are defeated.

We watch the life of privilege the higher ups led inside the bunker. It was a fortification in which all comforts the regular Germans could not imagine existed. We get to know the people in Hitler’s inner circle. The Goebbels, both Joseph and Magda, supporters of the regime, maintain the loyalty to the Fuhrer until the end. The scene where Magda Goebbels murders her children is hard to take and we keep sinking in our seats, as we can’t believe such cruelty existed. In her narrow view of things, Magda must take her family with her to a death these children didn’t deserve.

The film is totally dominated by Bruno Ganz. As Hitler, he makes us see this man as he probably was in real life. Mr. Ganz’s uncanny resemblance with Hitler is what makes the film works the way it does. At times, Mr. Ganz is totally irrational, and at times, he is presented as a lost man who can’t see what he has done to Germany and to Europe and the world.

As Traudl Junge, the young secretary, Alexandra Maria Lara gives a subtle performance. She saw plenty inside the bunker and lived to tell it to the world. The other excellent performance is given by Corinna Harfouch, who as Mrs. Goebbels makes us cringe in horror because of what she is capable of doing. Juliane Kohler, as Eva Braun, is an enigma. At times, she is presented as a carefree young woman who might have loved Hitler. Yet, we don’t ever know what made this Eva Braun tick. Ulrich Matthes as Joseph Goebbels and Heino Ferch as Albert Speer are equally effective playing these two men.

The director and his team have to be congratulated for taking us on a voyage to see the last moments of the Third Reich.

Very important historically but not for the faint of heart

This film is based on the experiences of Hitler’s secretary as well as other survivors of the bunker during the final days of Nazi Germany. It follows these people (with a strong emphasis on Hitler through the first 80% of the film) and excels at its historical accuracy. Unlike some of the other Hitler biopics (such as the ones starring Richard Basehart and Alec Guinness), this one shows an odd and 3-dimensional man–screaming and irrational one moment yet rather kind and likable the next. If Hitler had ONLY been a screaming madman (as he’s generally shown) no one would have followed him and he never would have led Nazi Germany. Here he is much more believable and the writer, director and actor (Bruno Ganz) all created the best screen Hitler to date.

The film is a history teacher’s dream come true, as the film sure makes you THINK it’s being filmed in Berlin during the final days. The look of the bombed out and burned out city is amazing, the bunker sure looks like what the real bunker would have looked like, the uniforms, weapons, cars, etc. all look as they should.

I have only one reservation about this incredibly well made film and that is although the film often sanitized the violence here and there, other times it’s up close and personal and overwhelming. For example, many times folks blow their brains out with pistols. You often only hear it and you might see a brief look at the corpse. But, other times, with little warning, someone whips out their pistol and blows a hole through their head…and you see all of it. And, the death of the Goebbels children is heart-wrenching to watch. There also are the scenes involving amputations that are hard to watch. So, while I applaud the film for accuracy, it it NOT for small children or anyone who isn’t prepared to see exactly how it was…blood and all.

Overall, incredibly compelling and a film that’s among the best the Germans have ever made. Ironically, Ganz played Hitler in this one and his other super-famous film was WINGS OF DESIRE in which he played an angel!!