Probably the most accurate WW II movie I have ever seen

Rating: 10/10 (10 February 2009)

A lot of war movies have a sense of patriotism or commercialism, but Der Untergang feels like it is just giving you the cold hard facts of the last ten days of the Third Reich. I have to commend the filmmakers for not using black and white or filtering the color, like many other WW II movies today. It is becoming a cliché. The film is based on Traudl Junge's recollections of the last ten days she spent in Hitler's Bunker. It takes place entirely in the Bunker, which gives the film a very claustrophobic feel. As the outcome of the war becomes clearer, the Bunker becomes a cesspool of drunkenness, denial, and even death.
Hitler's secretary Traudl Junge has a strange relationship with him. She stays with him out of sympathy and loyalty, but she is often horrified by his cruelty and inhumanity. This might be difficult to understand but I believe this makes the movie all the more realistic. She can recognize cruelty when she sees it but Hitler is the Fuhrer, a man who is practically worshiped. Hitler is shown to have elements of humanity. He despises smoking, loves his dog Blondi, and genuinely seems to care for his secretaries and Dr. Goebbel's children. We can feel his sorrow as the Russians advance toward Berlin. His dream of a German Empire had been lost and it breaks his soul. One of my favorite shots in the film is that of Hitler staring silently at a picture of Frederick the Great, seemingly thinking about his failures.
This is not to say Der Untergang is pro Nazi. I believe that by portraying Hitler's humanity the film makes his crimes all the more terrible. If he was just a one dimensional monster that would be his excuse. The inhumanity of the Third Reich does emerge throughout the film. Hitler blames the German people for the defeat of the military, calling them cowards and saying they deserve their fate. Joseph Goebbels expresses similar sentiments. Magda Goebbels says she cannot live in a world without National Socialism, and poisons her children before committing suicide with her husband.
The film perfectly captures an aura of hopelessness and denial. Eva Braun throws a party in the middle of the Russian bombing, trying to get her mind off Germany's impending defeat. She does anything and everything to keep her mind off the war. Hitler orders his Generals to move Tank divisions that do not exist or are too crippled to be of any use. He blames his Generals for Germany's defeat and not himself, which he usually did in real life. People around Hitler are aware that the situation is hopeless and betray him to save their own skin.
In the midst of all the madness, some people have retained their sanity. Professor Schenck, a German Doctor, tries to help the wounded soldiers and civilians when his own government abandons them. Berlin is in ruins and people are left to fend for themselves. An old man tries to convince soldiers who are no more than thirteen that there is no point in fighting, but to no avail. Eva Braun's brother-in-law Fegelein tries to convince Braun to leave Berlin, but she cannot leave the Fuhrer. We sympathize with these people, and they only show how insane the Third Reich was. People commit suicide out of devotion to the Fuhrer.
Corinna Harfouch plays a chilling Magda Goebbels; the scene where she pleads with Hitler not to kill himself was outstanding. The star of this movie though, is Bruno Ganz. His performance as Hitler feels so authentic it is frightening. If I ever had to recommend a movie just to see one performance, this would be one of them. Hitler has been played by great actors like Anthony Hopkins and Alec Guinness, but Ganz has received the most praise. I will seek out more of Ganz's movies based on this performance.
At the end of the film, an excerpt from an interview with the real Traudl Junge is shown. She says that at the time of the Nuremberg trials she was shocked by what had happened in the Concentration Camps but did not consider herself responsible. Now she admits that she had no excuse. I would imagine this is how many Germans from her generation feel. I highly recommend Der Untergang to anyone who is interested in The Third Reich or anyone who appreciates good film making.