Movie Review: Der Untergang (Downfall) (2004)

Alexandria Maria Lara as Traudl Junge

‘Der Untergang’ (English: Downfall) is an historical war drama film directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel from a screenplay by Bernd Eichinger. The film is set during the Battle of Berlin in World War II, when Nazi Germany is on the verge of defeat and depicts the final days of Adolf Hitler, in his Fühererbunker. The film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 77th Academy Awards. Scenes from the film, such as the one where Hitler displays rage after his generals fail to obey his orders, spawned a series of Internet memes.

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The film begins with Hitler selecting Traudl Junge as his personal secretary in 1941, and then cuts to three years later when the Red Army has pushed Garmany’s forces back and surrounded Berlin. 

On Hitler’s 56^th Birthday, the Red Army begins shelling Berlin's city centre. Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler tries to persuade Hitler to leave Berlin, but Hitler refuses, insisting he will win or die in Berlin. Himmler leaves to negotiate terms with the Western Allies in secret.

The film has portrayed the desperation of the German people in the last few weeks of war in 1945, Dr. Ernst Günter, a SS physician when denied by Hitler to leave Berlin, Kills himself and his family at his dinner table by a hand grenade. Ganz’s portrayal of the Nazi dictator is perhaps the best aspect of the film, as his acting seems very genuine and is highly commendable, specially in the scenes where Hitler receives a message from Luftwaffe chief Hermann Göring, requesting state leadership. Hitler declares Göring a traitor, ordering Göring's dismissal from all posts, arrest, and execution in the event of his death. Hitler imagines more ways for Germany to turn the tide. At dinner, Hitler learns of Himmler's secret negotiations and orders his execution and also finds out that Fegelein has deserted Berlin, having him executed despite Eva's pleas. These scenes have been a showcase of Ganz's finest performances, as he moves with rage and emotion.

One of the most famous scenes of the film is when Hitler told of the inability of the Schutzstaffel (SS) Major Felix Steiner to launch a counter attack because his unit was too weak. Ganz here has showed Hitler’s rage and flurry of emotions with impressive and commendable acting. It was at this time Hitler stated that everyone had failed him, no one carried out his orders. He denounced all his generals as cowards before finally acknowledging that the war lost.

The film has also dealt Hitler’s psychological breakdown in a subtle yet impacting way. The viewer gets a hint of what night be going on in his mind as he experienced his downfall. 

The film shows that how civilians were executed by the German Military police as supposed traitors, and how even indoctrinated children as young as fought in the Battle of Berlin, and get Iron Cross from the Führer himself.

As the Russians draw closer and closer to Berlin, Hitler refuses surrender and instead plans his own death. The cinematography has done a great job, such as moving closely to the characters in the Führer bunker to convey a sense of confinement and wide and open in shots showing the outside world. The film explores the suicides and deaths of the Nazi party as opposed to those who chose life, covering the mass suicides of civilians, government officials and others in 1945 to escape the fate served by the Russian Army.

The director has done a wonderful job with his resources, and this film is his best.

They just got it wrong. Bad people do not walk around with claws like vicious monsters, even though it might be comforting to think so. Everyone intelligent knows that evil comes along with a smiling face.

— Hirschbiegel in 2015, on the criticism surrounding the portrayal of Hitler

The film cover’s Hitler’s suicide, and the climate Downfall as the Fascist leader. Following the Führer’s suicide, Propaganda minister.Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels assumes Chancellorship. General Hans Krebs fails to negotiate a conditional surrender with Soviet General Vasily Chuikov. Goebbels declares that Germany will not surrender as long as he is alive. Goebbels' wife Magda poisons her six children with cyanide, before committing suicide with Goebbels.

"On 30th April 1945, the Fuhrer committed suicide thereby leaving everyone who followed him to their own faith. You, our German soldiers followed the Fuhrer's orders and were determined to continue the fight for Berlin, despite that our ammunition ran out and the fight was already lost. I hereby order an immediate ceasefire! Every hour you fight on only prolongs the agony of the civilians and our wounded. In agreement with the Russian troops high command, I ask you to surrender now! Weilding, former commander of Berlin's defense area."

The Great German War Machine thus defeated, ends the war in Europe when Weidling announces unconditional surrender of German forces in Berlin afterwards. 

The film ends on a note of hope, when Junge leaves the bunker and tries to flee the city; a boy joins her as she sneaks through a group of Soviet soldiers before the two find a bicycle and leave Berlin.

What's The Draxanderis Scripture without reviewing the music?

The music by Stephan Zacharias is compelling and very well made, capable of moving the viewer deeply. The melodies are beautiful and the work done in the film is a shining example of Zacharias’ work. The music that plays out at the end of the film has a haunting yet hopeful aspect to it.

The overall film is excellent and is recommended for all who like History, specially about World War II, the most devastating war in human history.   

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