The Truth Is Chilling

Rating: 10/10 (31 May 2006)

I had the DVD of this film for my birthday, and quite by chance also bought The Name Of The Rose (also produced by Bernd Eichinger) so I had the experience of watching two movies by this superb producer in two days, filmed 20 years apart.
To save anyone who doesn't want to read further: I have over 200 DVDs in my collection and have no hesitation in placing this as #1.
Now for the review: I'm not sure it is possible to write a 'spoiler' for historic events (not counting the people who came out of Titanic crying because 'the ship sank'). We know Hitler died, we know the Allies won WWII.
I came to this movie having read the book "The Last Days Of Hitler" by Hugh Trevor-Roper, who was the officer British Intelligence charged with finding out the truth, in September 1945. Obviously I was curious to see how Downfall compared.
The main difference is in focus. While the book looks from the top (leadership) down, the film looks from the bottom (Traudl Junge - a secretary) up. The difference in perception is fascinating.
Hitler: Our first view of him is somehow of a kindly man who stops dictating, looks at Traudl and says "Let's try again" when she fails to keep up with him. The duality of this, his private character is incredible and makes one think bipolar or schizophrenia as it seems impossible to believe that the raging monster who says that the German people do not deserve to survive is the same one who orders Junge and Christian to leave the bunker. If in his eyes the German people do not deserve life, why does he show concern for them? Is it because among his inner circle they are one of the vanishing number who have never betrayed him?
Eva Braun: Blind loyalty is the only description I can find for her. Her devotion to Hitler is total, even when pleading for the life of Fegelein she bows unquestioningly to his decision.
Traudl Junge: I can't say more than the lady herself, who in the DVD starts and ends the film with her judgment on herself. Her very simple stance (paraphrased) was "Ignorance is no excuse. Youth is no excuse. I could have asked. I didn't want to know."
Josef Goebbels: Frightening. A true sociopath in every sense of the word. Hitler may have had the 'excuse' of mental illness towards the end, but Goebbels' actions were those of a rational thinking man who just did not see anything wrong in his actions. The ranting of a clearly unhinged mind is one thing, but save us all from the man who calmly considers his actions and rationalises such atrocities as those explained away by Goebbels.
However, again like Hitler, his portrayal showed a stark duality to his character. One moment singing 'Happy Birthday' to Hitler with his children, with a warm smile and sparkling eyes; the next telling Traudl Junge very calmly that the German people quite rightly deserved the fate that was being visited on them.
Magda Goebbels: As with other reviewers here, I found her almost the most chilling, second only to her husband. How any mother could deliberately and calmly bring about the deaths of her own children is something a rational mind cannot comprehend.
Every single performance in the movie was captivating. I was glued to the screen from beginning to end. Bruno Ganz et al were perfect in their roles and brought every person back to life; as noted above sometimes to chilling effect. Talking to a friend on the phone about the film he thought I meant that the characters were stereotypical 'nasty Germans', but this is *not* the case.
I've mentioned the duality of the main characters, but there were others, Prof. Dr. Ernst-Günter Schenck, Prof. Dr. Werner Haase, SS-Gruppenführer Hermann Fegelein to name but a few who showed that not all Germans were rabid Nazis, and that those who were, were very much in the minority. The Army in particular just wanted to get the war over with the minimum of casualties; a wish shared I think by every military commander throughout history.
The look of the film was authentic and very atmospheric; whether in the cramped bunker (apparently built more as an authentic replica than a film-set) where the shots were mostly taken hand held as there was no space for a mounted camera; to the outdoor shots filmed in St Petersburg. It is rivaled in this respect only by Enemy At The Gates for capturing the full horror and idiocy of war.
For true historians of the war - a must see.
For all modern history students - a must see.
For all who have never lived through war (I myself am 36 so I have not)
Lest We Forget.
A Must See.