Review of Triumph of the Will (1935) by Paul L — 05 Oct 2009

The 1934 film documentary showcasing Adolf Hitler near the peak of his power.

In fact, 'Triumph of the Will' is so much more then that. Breathtaking in its sheer scope, bordering on pageantry not seen since the days of Ancient Rome...innovative and groundbreaking techniques were developed and utilized in order to bring forth the full presence of the total power and control of one man in such a way as to both shock and awe the viewer.

Hitler was obviously a gifted orator, able to read his audience and deliver measured speeches with a mesmerizing stanza and cadence deliberately designed to captivate the masses.

This film provided him with the perfect vehicle to promote his party's ideals to the broadest possible audience at the time.

One can only imagine 'what if ' Hitler's NSDAP had had access to television, or if this film had been promoted internationally...beyond its intended German audience?

Remember, it is often overlooked that Hitler's foremost pet-peeves were his deep hatred of the Soviet Bolshevist movement (Communism), the general breakdown of 'traditional' Christian values, and the Treaty of Versailles.

(See the HBO docudrama 'Conspiracy' (available on DVD) to get an idea of how those around him kept A.H. "out of the loop" with regards to the "Jewish Question").

It is almost too easy to see how one man could entice not only a nation, but eventually an entire continent, to the brink of total distruction...not to mention the unimaginable loss of life...in the span of little over a decade!

What is most frightening in retrospect is just how well the lessons of this film has been learned and accepted...that these very same techniques are so effectively used to this day around the world by political parties, Madison Avenue advertisers, and even during sporting events such as the Olympics.

(Interestingly, this film's producer, Ms. Leni Riefenstahl, also worked on the filming of the 1936 Summer Olympic Games in Berlin.).