The 2004 German-Austrian-Italian co-production film “Downfall” is one of the most fascinating WWII movies you will ever see. With brilliant performances from its cast and a thoroughly unique production, “Downfall” offers the viewer a historical and accurate glimpse into the final days of Adolph Hitler, told from the perspective of his personal secretary, Traudl Junge.
I’ll start with this point of praise. The acting and presentation of the characters is amazing. The film opens with the real-life Traudl Junge lamenting her youthful indiscretions, still unable to forgive herself after sixty years. She doesn’t make excuses for what she did. In fact, she owns up to her choices in a thoroughly realistic way. The breathtaking Alexandra Maria Lara steals the show in the role of young Traudl Junge. We see a great breadth of emotions from the character. Nervous and curious as she first meets The Fuhrer in 1942. One can envision themselves in a similar situation. Admiring the leader of your country, unaware of the atrocities he is hiding behind. The movie evolves from Junge’s point of view and with that, we get the most accurate depiction of what was really happening.
The late Bruno Ganz does the impossible as he becomes a perfect doppelganger of Adolph Hitler. Ganz had a stage and film career that spanned 1960-2019, and clearly did his homework in preparation for this part. From the speech patterns to the subtleties of hand placement and gestures, you’ll think a video camera was actually recording in The Führerbunker. Most of us picture Hitler as a real life Darth Vader. Ganz’s performance gives a degree of civility to the character allowing us to recognize he was an actual human being. Obviously misguided, but still a mortal man, descending further into madness ten days before his death.
The rest of the cast is immense, and composed of actors I’m not familiar with. Rest assured, all are outstanding in looking and acting the parts they portray. Most notable were Ulrich Matthes and Corinna Harfouch as Joseph and Magda Goebbels, Michael Mendl as General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling, Christian Berkel as Dr. Ernst-Günther Schenck and Juliane Köhler as Eva Braun. Ulrich Noethen is chilling as Heinrich Himmler, looking exactly like him which is hardly a compliment outside of a movie portrayal.
Yes World War II serves as the backdrop, but bloodshed and battle, while present, aren’t to be the main focus. Director Oliver Hirschbiegel chose to shoot the production in various key locations in Europe (Berlin, Munich, and St. Petersburg) which provide the beauty and gloom of these ancient cities. Hirschbiegel used very little CGI and for the better, as it keeps the realistic chaos of the war fully intact. What’s thoroughly unique is that we get to witness the atrocities of the war from the perspective of the German people.
“Downfall” isn’t about concentration camps or Dunkirk, or Pearl Harbor. The intent is the final days, hours, and minutes of the entire Nazi regime. From world dominance to seclusion amidst the deep layers of the bunker as the Battle of Berlin rages above. The constant sounds of artillery shells, bombs dropping from planes, and air raid sirens echo throughout the entire film. Nervous generals fail at reasoning with Hitler, who refuses to accept the inevitable until the very end. The chaos on the streets and in the bunker is as realistic as any war picture you could find. Subtitles add to the realism of the production, and while the run time of 155 minutes is daunting, it isn’t wasted in any way.
“Downfall” is an amazing film. It’s constructed so well you’ll find yourself forgetting that you are watching a movie and not actual footage.
