The great Gale Sondergaard could easily have played more leading roles than the few she did. She was beautiful, commanding, elegant, mysterious and regal. She played some of the most memorable spider women on film, typecast perhaps, but that's Hollywood for you. In this B anti-Nazi propaganda drama, she is the wife of Ludwig Donath, a loyal Austrian businessman who becomes a victim of the Nazi's, simply because he does an uncanny imitation of the fuhrer. To show him who's in charge, the Nazi's keep him prisoner from his family and turn him into the spitting image of Hitler himself. It isn't just a case of changing his mustache; he's under constant watch. Sondergaard watches sadly as their two sons are turned into Hitler youth, and when she tries to make an appeal to Hitler himself, a chance encounter stirs up her hatred and has a shocking twist that will leave the audience with mixed feelings.
While Donath has limited screentime (as both the unfortunate husband AND Hitler), he is equally gentle in one role and calculating while being commanding as Hitler. Unlike Bob Watson, Donath only got one shot to play the fuhrer. Sondergaard is mesmerizing, strikingly beautiful and noble, a nice twist from the dragon ladies she usually played. This shows how society changes when governments change, indicating that certain Austrians weren't as loyal to the peace of their beautiful country if it threatened their own personal safety. Seeing two boys go from loving children to potential future fascists is quite angering. It's a reminder that even in the worst of political times, remaining true to one's own personal ideals is more important than the safe existence of complacency. The twist at the end left me with mixed feelings, but with how the film is written, I was willing to accept that sudden shocking finale. Bravo to Sondergaard for surprising me with a graceful but determined performance.
While Donath has limited screentime (as both the unfortunate husband AND Hitler), he is equally gentle in one role and calculating while being commanding as Hitler. Unlike Bob Watson, Donath only got one shot to play the fuhrer. Sondergaard is mesmerizing, strikingly beautiful and noble, a nice twist from the dragon ladies she usually played. This shows how society changes when governments change, indicating that certain Austrians weren't as loyal to the peace of their beautiful country if it threatened their own personal safety. Seeing two boys go from loving children to potential future fascists is quite angering. It's a reminder that even in the worst of political times, remaining true to one's own personal ideals is more important than the safe existence of complacency. The twist at the end left me with mixed feelings, but with how the film is written, I was willing to accept that sudden shocking finale. Bravo to Sondergaard for surprising me with a graceful but determined performance.