Review of Downfall (1997) by Dana A — 24 Apr 2010

One of the best Hitler films ever made. This film takes you into Hitler's bunker during the fall of the third Reich and the last ten days of the battle for Berlin. This historical docudrama spends its time examining one of history's most enigmatic and inscrutable dictators as he descend into paranoia to the bewilderment of his inner circle and, in particular, one young woman stenographer who, in real life, survived the war and published her memoirs providing one of the few historical records of that time and place.

The film is excellently done and stands alone as a dramatic presentation. But what makes this film truly remarkable excels is that it provides insights into Hitler's last days; something never dealt with in such detail before in film.

An engrossing film only made more pleasureable with the splendid performance by Bruno Ganz as Hitler. Though it's by no means perfect and its historical accuracy can only be accounted for by a handful of witnesses, this is a film that transports you back to an era.

It reminds you of the choas and killer nature of the Nazis but also reminds us they were human and humans are capable of events such as the Third Reich while others may eventually find themselves deluded by their propaganda and charismatic personas.

This film doesn't try to get you to sympathize with the characters, but instead shows how Hitler cared for those around him that were dedicated to his absurd cause and beliefs while the isolation of living in a bunker overshadowed how detached he was from reality.

An excellent and surprisingly one of the best Hitler films out there, just even more surprised it came from the Germans.