The Devil's General (1955)
"Des Teufels General" (original title)

1941, the Third Reich seems to be winning the war. Luftwaffe (air force) general Harry Harras enjoys the good life as highly respected technician and Berlin ministry/ HQ official. However ... See full summary »

Director:

Helmut Käutner

Writers:

George Hurdalek, Helmut Käutner,

Stars:

Curd Jürgens, Marianne Koch, Viktor de Kowa

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Curd Jürgens	...	Gen. Harry Harras
Marianne Koch	...	Dorothea 'Diddo' Geiss
Viktor de Kowa	...	SS-Gruppenführer Schmidt-Lausitz
Karl John	...	Ingenieur Karl Oderbruch
Eva Ingeborg Scholz	...	Waltraut 'Pützchen' Mohrungen
Harry Meyen	...	Leutnant Hartmann
Bum Krüger	...	Hauptmann Lüttjohann
Paul Westermeier	...	Otto Korrianke, Fahrer von Harras
Camilla Spira	...	Kammersängerin Olivia Geiss
Erica Balqué	...	Anne Eilers
Albert Lieven	...	Oberst Friedrich Eilers
Karl Ludwig Diehl	...	Generaldirektor Hugo Mohrungen
Beppo Brem	...	Hauptmann Pfundtmayer
Werner Fuetterer	...	Baron von Pflunck
Joseph Offenbach	...	Kriminalrat Zernick

Storyline

1941, the Third Reich seems to be winning the war. Luftwaffe (air force) general Harry Harras enjoys the good life as highly respected technician and Berlin ministry/ HQ official. However his outspoken critical attitude at social occasions awakes hopes from opposition and suspicion from the Nazi party. He suddenly finds himself approached and arrested by the Gestapo, who psychologically torture him. Next his position is threatened by technical aircraft trouble he'll be blamed for but may result from sabotage.

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Plot Keywords:

nazi | luftwaffe | party | nazi uniform | world war two | 

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Taglines:

They bought his soul and put him in command of Hell!

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

23 February 1955 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

The Devil's General

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Real-Film GmbH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Klangfilm-Stereocord

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The main character, Gen. Harras, is based on World War I hero Ernst Udet.

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Connections

Version of Des Teufels General (1997)

User Reviews

The best German movie ever!

The epic of Goethe's "Faust" replayed in real life (Ernst Udet, Generalluftzeugmeister, was the source for Zuckmayer's General Harras), and in a play by Carl Zuckmayer. Displays excellently how Germans were suckered into following the modern day "Pied Piper from Austria": Adolf Hitler; and how you have to pay the piper if you follow him. "Denn wer auf Erden des Teufels General gewesen ist und ihm die Bahn gebombt hat, der muss ihm auch in der Hoelle Quartier machen!" - "For whoever was the Devil's General on this Earth, and who bombed the path for him, also has to be his quartermaster in hell!"