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Tremendous WWII film

Customer Rating:
While not a documentary, it does recreate the nightmare of the battle between the Soviets and the German army at the end of WWII. If you liked this movie, I would suggest reading Antony Beevor's historical account titled "The Fall of Berlin 1945."

Excellent Dramatization

Customer Rating:
This movie is an excellent portrayal based on the recollections of a minor clerical worker who was in the bunker during the last days before the Russian entry into Berlin.

You are drawn horrifically into the fatalism of Hitler's most fanatical supporters; into the fear and disbelief of those trapped in the bunker as they gradually begin to realize what their position really is. And the scenes of Berlin, bombed to ruin, are heartbreaking.

I bought this movie as a gift for my grandson, who is interested in the phenomenon of Hitler's journey to power from obscurity. I found the movie and paid for expedited delivery so it would arrive on December 24; as I tracked the status of delivery, I saw it had been delivered to the wrong address and gave up on a timely Christmas delivery; but about 4:00p.m. it did arrive.

Fantastic

Customer Rating:
As an avid historian I was incredibly fascinated by the story of the last few days of the German Third Reich in Berlin. The major players of the Nazi regime are all represented. The story doesn't just portray them as one note villains--rather it paints a picture of all shades with acts of courage and evil alike, honor and deceit. Bruno Ganz is terrific as Hitler. The entire cast is fantastic as is the story. The only thing that may turn people off is that the film is entirely in German with English subtitles. You can't get much better than this.

Well done movie, touchy subject

Customer Rating:
This is a very well-made semi-documentary about Hitler's final days. The sets, the acting, the dialog are all excellent.

After seeing the movie, my main question was how much of the events and speeches were historical and which parts were fictionalized, written for the movie? For example, the horrific speeches by Goebbels and Hitler to the effect that the German civilian population deserved to suffer now because they had proved to be weak - how do we know Goebbels actually said that? I wondered, because some aspects of the movie were clearly fictionalized to make a better story. For example when the heroine, Hitler's secretary played by the beautiful Alexandra Maria Lara, escapes Berlin after the downfall, it would not have been the gentle bicycle ride in the countryside as depicted. In reality, she could not have - and did not - escape from the systematic massive gang rapes of German women by Russian soldiers in the aftermath of May, 1945.

In trying to read more about the historically accurate story, what I discovered, to my surprise, was the phenomenal level of continuing discomfort that still prevents many from coming to grips with the Hitler era, especially within Germany, 65 years down the road. For example, this movie was itself virtually ignored by the German press. Some complained that the movie was too kind to Hitler and the others, humanizing them by showing their tenderness within their own families. Others were afraid the movie would encourage Neo-Nazis.

All so weird. The Third Reich was supposed to last a thousand years. Apparently what will take a thousand years is for all those affected by the Nazi years, inside and outside Germany, to come to grips with it.

I never was able to find out if the dialog was historically accurate.

(Side note: The movie is being publicized these days for an odd reason of internet humor; YouTube is full of parody versions where a key scene has subtitles overwritten to make it seem Hitler is becoming enraged over the recall of Toyota brakes or the Obama healthcare bill or other current events. Some of these are hilarious. Just search on Youtube for "Hitler.")

Inside the bunker, the last days of tyranny....

Customer Rating:
This movie was an excellent recreation of the events that took place days leading up to Hitler's end and VE day.
The acting was flawless. There were no excessive exagerations, just superbe performances by the actors portraying the most evil men in history.
The actor who played Goebells was spot on, physically and the way he captured his vile personality.
Bruno Ganz did a superb performance as the doomed dictator. Capturing his typical rages to his distance from reality.
You saw the grity reality of the war's impact on those trapped in Berlin before the Russians entered.
The innocent and the fanatical.
I STRONGLY recommend this movie to WWII history buffs and those interested in one of the darkest and most fascinating chapters in human history.