Hitler's S.S.: Portrait in Evil (TV 1985)

The story of Helmut and Karl Hoffmann. Both come of age at the start of Hitler's power in Germany. Helmut joins the SS and eventually becomes a successful flag rank officer. Karl joins the ... See full summary »

Director:

Jim Goddard

Writer:

Lukas Heller

Stars:

John Shea, Bill Nighy, Lucy Gutteridge

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Shea	...	Karl Hoffmann
Bill Nighy	...	Helmut Hoffmann
Lucy Gutteridge	...	Mitzi Templer (nightclub singer)
David Warner	...	Reinhard Heydrich
Warren Clarke	...	Becker (SS assistant to Dietrich)
Michael Elphick	...	Ernst Röhm (SA Chief)
Stratford Johns	...	Uncle Walter (bartender)
Robert Urquhart	...	Albrecht Hoffman
José Ferrer	...	Prof. Ludwig Rosenberg
Carroll Baker	...	Gerda Hoffman
Tony Randall	...	Putzi (the comedian)
John Normington	...	Heinrich Himmler
Derek Newark	...	Theodor Eicke
Paul Brooke	...	Gen. Josef Biegler, SA
Colin Jeavons	...	Adolf Hitler

Storyline

The story of Helmut and Karl Hoffmann. Both come of age at the start of Hitler's power in Germany. Helmut joins the SS and eventually becomes a successful flag rank officer. Karl joins the SA and experiences the darker side of Nazism after the SA is disbanded and Karl is thrown into prison and later conscripted into the German army. Brother is pitted against brother until their relationship, and the Third Reich, stands in ruins

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Plot Keywords:

brother | third reich | hitler | ss | germany | 

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Taglines:

Brother is pitted against brother under the shadow of the Third Reich.

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 February 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hitler SS: El retrato del mal

Filming Locations:

Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Edgar J. Scherick Associates, Metromedia Producers Corporation (MPC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Hitler's portrait on the Hitler's S.S.: Portrait in Evil cover/poster is taken from a March 1933 Reichstag election poster, the last one in which Germans had a choice. The poster shows President Paul von Hindenburg and Chancellor Adolf Hitler . The caption states "The Reich will never be destroyed if you are united and loyal: National Socialism."

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Goofs

When Helmut arrives home on leave towards the middle of the series, his younger brother Hans points to Helmut's Security Service (SD) sleeve patch and exclaims "You've been promoted!" The SD sleeve patch actually had nothing to do with rank, and simply indicated an SS member was assigned to the SD.

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Quotes

Putzi: [1939, in a bar full of Nazi's and German soldiers] We hoped you enjoyed our entertainment ladies and gentlemen, that's all we have for you tonight... oh... one thing I almost forgot, someone asked me a request. Would I sing the Polish national anthem... anyone know it? You know it? Well, no matter. It'll be obsolete by Christmas anyway, like the Jews.

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Soundtracks

"Wenn die Soldaten,"
sung on train to the Night of the Long Knives

User Reviews

A different perspective.

What I particularly liked about this movie was the fact that it showed a view of the Nazi regime from a different perspective, that of two young German brothers.

In the beginning when the Nazi party is first coming to power we see the life of two young German men. Like everyone else in Germany at that time they too are caught up in Hitler's fanaticism. One brother joins the S.A. and is chided by the other for going along with that "rubbish". But he ends up getting caught up in the S.S. when he is confronted by Heydrich at his university who then persuades him to join not for his beliefs in politics but for his intelligence. Neither knew what they were getting themselves into.

What's most interesting about this story is the emotional aspects. Seeing how the brothers reacted to things that were starting to happen in the Third Reich. It was all minuscule all first. Seeing S.A. officers push an old man down some stairs. The noble but innocent younger brother tries throughout the war to change the evil that was happening all around him but finds that he is blatantly overwhelmed by opposition from his fellow Germans. While the older brother accepts what he cannot change and tries to help his younger brother into being smarter about his actions. Both are forced along a path that is becoming increasingly harder to follow. It definitely shows how some Germans were forced to go along with what was happening or be killed themselves.

The acting in this movie was really well done. My only gripe was that the actors had British accents all throughout the movie which made you wake up from the story and detract from the realism. Some parts I busted up laughing seeing these guys in Nazi uniforms talking in thick British accents. But the acting by the two brothers was very good and believable. It was very emotional to see what they were going through and felt as they watched people die and the world change around them.