British Propaganda film made in 1940 telling the story of Hitler's rise to power. Not far from the truth its mixes real footage with re-enactments with a decidedly anti- Nazi stance to create a very serious, but now very silly film. Its an odd mix of "why we fight" propaganda mixed with information about the enemy with just a touch of dry, and not so dry, wit aimed at making fun of the enemy so he was less terrifying. The mixture probably did exactly what it was suppose to but now over sixty years after the fact the whole effect is more than just a bit cartoonish. Running some 55 minutes it was quite amusing for about half its running time, by which time it was "enough of this already, I get the point". If you're interested in the period and its propaganda this is must see viewing, however if you want a non partisan look at events prior to the start of the war look elsewhere.
5 Reviews
Almost too weird for words
chaswe-2840229 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The DVD I've watched is strangely called "After Mein Kampf", produced by 22nd Century, and is one of a series called World in Conflict: a complete documentary history of World War 2. This DVD is in two sections; the longer one covering Hitler's rise to power, at dizzying speed, from infancy up to 1940, stopping short of his air attack on Britain, and well before his declaration of war on America. The second section is much more brief, introduced by William L. Shirer, apparently in 1945, which outlines the threat that might be presented by fanatical members of the Hitler Jugend. Shirer suggests that the Nazi ideology swallowed by these young men could lead to another future war.
The longer section seems to have been thrown together in a matter of days, and consists of a break-neck range of documentary footage, confusingly mingled with enactments by actors, male and female, speaking English. The haste in which it was made is indicated by the astounding mis-spelling of "Britian" in the preliminary title. Hitler is portrayed in the enacted scenes by a look-alike actor, and the effect is peculiar and unsatisfactory. According to another reviewer the Reichstag incendiary Lubbe was portrayed at his re-enacted trial by Peter Ustinov. In 1940 Ustinov would have been aged 19, and he began acting in 1938. Wikipedia says he appeared in propaganda films, not debuting until 1942. Perhaps the writer was ignorant of this obscure earlier role. Herbert Lom, aged 23 in 1940, may also be spotted by the eagle-eyed. The enacted scenes are exceedingly clumsily shot.
The film was made in England, and appears to be intended partly to stiffen the British resistance to Hitler, and partly to convince the Americans of Hitler's evil. One extended enactment scene is excruciating. It involves a uniformed member of the Hitler Youth who has denounced his father to the Nazis, shown defending his actions in conversation with his mother. Since they are both speaking upper-class English, the impression is decidedly grotesque. It is reminiscent of a denunciation episode in George Orwell's novel, 1984, and one wonders if he had a hand in scripting this film. It's not impossible.
The short film introduced by Shirer is entirely devoted to documentary footage of the Hitler Youth movement. It features German generals, such as Guderian. Its inclusion in this particular DVD is curiously anomalous. Shirer's "Berlin Diary" was published in 1941. He changed his text, and covered up his favourable early impressions of Hitler. Hitler had his admirers in both Britain and the US during the 1930s, such as Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh, Joseph Kennedy, Prescott Bush, and others. William Randolph Hearst believed that Germany would win the war. The documentary film seems to have been made long before 1945.
I had to watch this thing twice before I even began to get a proper grasp of the chronology involved. Still, it's eye-opening, for more than one reason.
The longer section seems to have been thrown together in a matter of days, and consists of a break-neck range of documentary footage, confusingly mingled with enactments by actors, male and female, speaking English. The haste in which it was made is indicated by the astounding mis-spelling of "Britian" in the preliminary title. Hitler is portrayed in the enacted scenes by a look-alike actor, and the effect is peculiar and unsatisfactory. According to another reviewer the Reichstag incendiary Lubbe was portrayed at his re-enacted trial by Peter Ustinov. In 1940 Ustinov would have been aged 19, and he began acting in 1938. Wikipedia says he appeared in propaganda films, not debuting until 1942. Perhaps the writer was ignorant of this obscure earlier role. Herbert Lom, aged 23 in 1940, may also be spotted by the eagle-eyed. The enacted scenes are exceedingly clumsily shot.
The film was made in England, and appears to be intended partly to stiffen the British resistance to Hitler, and partly to convince the Americans of Hitler's evil. One extended enactment scene is excruciating. It involves a uniformed member of the Hitler Youth who has denounced his father to the Nazis, shown defending his actions in conversation with his mother. Since they are both speaking upper-class English, the impression is decidedly grotesque. It is reminiscent of a denunciation episode in George Orwell's novel, 1984, and one wonders if he had a hand in scripting this film. It's not impossible.
The short film introduced by Shirer is entirely devoted to documentary footage of the Hitler Youth movement. It features German generals, such as Guderian. Its inclusion in this particular DVD is curiously anomalous. Shirer's "Berlin Diary" was published in 1941. He changed his text, and covered up his favourable early impressions of Hitler. Hitler had his admirers in both Britain and the US during the 1930s, such as Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh, Joseph Kennedy, Prescott Bush, and others. William Randolph Hearst believed that Germany would win the war. The documentary film seems to have been made long before 1945.
I had to watch this thing twice before I even began to get a proper grasp of the chronology involved. Still, it's eye-opening, for more than one reason.
Meant to stir the populace against Hitler and his Nazi Party.
KennethEagleSpirit15 January 2007
One might wonder why that would have been necessary? Why would such an obvious evil need to be enlarged upon? Its important to remember that earlier on Hitler had much sympathy and support in the U.S. Ranging from a great many organizations of German immigrants, the "Bunds", to elected government officials like Sen. Joseph Kennedy, it took a long time for the U.S. to see Hitler for what he truly was. And that took a certain amount of what I'll call "shock therapy" by the U.S. press and movie industry. This, although it was produced in Britain, is a good example of that therapy. Its well done and hits, for that day and time, a needed mark. A very young Herbert Lom, who was born in Prague, makes a striking appearance as a Hitler Youth. This, one of his earliest roles, must have been a bitter sweet one for him. Well done and well put together, this remains worth watching. Lest we forget. Which is why history tends to repeat itself. We forget.
Crazy British Govt. propagandist film
oscar-3516 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
*Spoiler/plot- 1940, Germany is an aggressor state that loves uniforms, parades and martial music and must be watched at all times.
*Special Stars- Historic figures of the topic from newsreel footage. With several un-credited voice actors providing the voice over plot line.
*Theme- Germany is an aggressor state and must be watched at all times.
*Trivia/location/goofs- British, Documentary. Look for a young Peter Ustinoff as the Reichstag communist bomber.
*Emotion- An rather crazy self-serving propagandist film from the British government drawing many negative conclusions about it's wartime opponent, many somewhat hysterical in scope and nature to scare the public into providing a better war effort. Fun too watch and see the public opinion of the time.
*Special Stars- Historic figures of the topic from newsreel footage. With several un-credited voice actors providing the voice over plot line.
*Theme- Germany is an aggressor state and must be watched at all times.
*Trivia/location/goofs- British, Documentary. Look for a young Peter Ustinoff as the Reichstag communist bomber.
*Emotion- An rather crazy self-serving propagandist film from the British government drawing many negative conclusions about it's wartime opponent, many somewhat hysterical in scope and nature to scare the public into providing a better war effort. Fun too watch and see the public opinion of the time.
Honest Look at Hitler
Michael_Elliott1 March 2012
After Mein Kampf (1940)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Before WWII there were many documentaries, all from Germany, that showed Adolph Hitler as a great man doing great deeds to try and make a better world. Everyone knows TRIUMPH OF THE WILL but this British made documentary was actually one of the first to truly show Hitler for what he was and that was a madman and monster. At 53-minutes, this uses stock footage, news footage and re-enactments to tell the life story of Hitler from his early days to his WWI days and his eventual rise of the Nazi party. This documentary ends with the narrator asking if Hitler is going to pretty much be your ruler and it starts off with such strong words as "rape of Poland." There's no question that the men behind this documentary wanted to warn everyone of what Hitler was and what he was capable of doing. There's no question that this is a pretty entertaining documentary but the biggest problem is that like so many other "documentaries" of this era, propaganda is a major problem. I'm sure at the time it was a good move to preach and go so dramatic because many people might not have known what they were dealing with. When viewed today a lot of this stuff just seems so preachy that it's as if the filmmakers are beating you over the head with the information. That's pretty much the only weak spot as we get all sorts of good stuff. What I enjoyed most was being able to see some of the stuff passed out in Germany to try and make people trust Hitler. This included all sorts of posters and even Hitler's face on packs of cigarettes. Being able to see this stuff was rather fascinating as was hearing the backstory on what turned Hitler to what he became. Needless to say, time has given us more information and those wanting more detail on the subject are going to find it in other documentaries. With that said, this here still contains some good stuff that makes it worth watching.
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Before WWII there were many documentaries, all from Germany, that showed Adolph Hitler as a great man doing great deeds to try and make a better world. Everyone knows TRIUMPH OF THE WILL but this British made documentary was actually one of the first to truly show Hitler for what he was and that was a madman and monster. At 53-minutes, this uses stock footage, news footage and re-enactments to tell the life story of Hitler from his early days to his WWI days and his eventual rise of the Nazi party. This documentary ends with the narrator asking if Hitler is going to pretty much be your ruler and it starts off with such strong words as "rape of Poland." There's no question that the men behind this documentary wanted to warn everyone of what Hitler was and what he was capable of doing. There's no question that this is a pretty entertaining documentary but the biggest problem is that like so many other "documentaries" of this era, propaganda is a major problem. I'm sure at the time it was a good move to preach and go so dramatic because many people might not have known what they were dealing with. When viewed today a lot of this stuff just seems so preachy that it's as if the filmmakers are beating you over the head with the information. That's pretty much the only weak spot as we get all sorts of good stuff. What I enjoyed most was being able to see some of the stuff passed out in Germany to try and make people trust Hitler. This included all sorts of posters and even Hitler's face on packs of cigarettes. Being able to see this stuff was rather fascinating as was hearing the backstory on what turned Hitler to what he became. Needless to say, time has given us more information and those wanting more detail on the subject are going to find it in other documentaries. With that said, this here still contains some good stuff that makes it worth watching.
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