Review of Triumph of the Will (1935) by Joey D — 26 Jan 2009

There have not been many films that truly document a particular historical event and time period as well as "Triumph of the Will." The film captures the Nuremberg Rallies that took place in 1934 as thousands of Hitler's supporters gathered to pay tribute to their newfound national pride. It contains some of the most compelling footage ever put on film.

The film opens with Hitler's plane landing in Nuremberg then follows him as he and his motorcade parade through the streets amongst a sea of supporters. It next shows the Hitler Youth camps which are vast in size to say the least. The film continues as crowds gather to hear the different Nazi officials give speeches about the new agenda as well as a very powerful scene showing the German army as a unified, robot-like body. They spout off different chants and mantras in perfect unison as if they had been programmed to do so. The film continues with more appearances from Hitler himself before finally coming to a conclusion.

What makes "Triumph of the Will" so important is how well-made it is. It depicts a very indoctrinated German people who, after coming out of the humiliation and hardship of World War I and the Weimar Republic, finally have a reason to feel proud. This piece of propaganda further serves as a building block to Hitler's climb to the power giving him an almost god-like status among his countrymen.

Riefenstahl was a very talented filmmaker, which is why the Third Reich employed her to make this documentary in the first place. One cannot help but be mesmerized by the vivid imagery of a people who have become so caught up the fever of the movement, that they don't even realize the true lunacy of it all. Even without the subtitles, the film is still a fascinating aesthetic. No greater documentation of the height of Nazi movement could possibly exist. This film was made with the sole purpose of making the Third Reich appear powerful and unified, as well as brainwash the German people into adopting an unconditional jingoism through subtle, subversive conditioning (whether verbal or visual).

With knowledge of what happened to the Third Reich and of what horrors they committed, it's difficult to watch "Triumph of the Will" objectively, but that does not take away from its impact. I believe it further enhances it by showing that people can be talked into even the most ludicrous of things. Hitler was not the last figure to be treated in this manner, as similar situations have occurred in other countries since. I'm afraid that the world hasn't seen the last of things like this either. This film is a testament to a time where evil was allowed to rise and endure, and it's important that we never let it happen again.