Before the Fall (2004)
"Napola - Elite für den Führer" (original title)

In 1942, Friedrich Weimer's boxing skills get him an appointment to a National Political Academy (NaPolA) - high schools that produce Nazi elite. Over his father's objections, Friedrich ... See full summary »

Director:

Dennis Gansel

Writers:

Dennis Gansel, Maggie Peren

Stars:

Max Riemelt, Tom Schilling, Jonas Jägermeyr

8 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Max Riemelt	...	Friedrich Weimer
Tom Schilling	...	Albrecht Stein
Jonas Jägermeyr	...	Christoph Schneider
Leon A. Kersten	...	Tjaden (as Leon Alexander Kersten)
Thomas Drechsel	...	Hefe
Martin Goeres	...	Siegfried Gladen
Florian Stetter	...	Justus von Jaucher
Devid Striesow	...	Vogler
Joachim Bißmeier	...	Anstaltsleiter
Michael Schenk	...	Sportlehrer
Justus von Dohnányi	...	Gauleiter Heinrich Stein (as Justus von Dohnàny and Justus von Dohnányi)
Claudia Michelsen	...	Frau Stein
Julie Engelbrecht	...	Katharina (as Julie Marie Engelbrecht)
Johannes Zirner	...	Torben Send
Gerald Alexander Held	...	Friedrichs Vater (as Alexander Held)

Storyline

In 1942, Friedrich Weimer's boxing skills get him an appointment to a National Political Academy (NaPolA) - high schools that produce Nazi elite. Over his father's objections, Friedrich enrolls, seeing this as his ticket out of factory life to university and a good salary. During his year in seventh column (fifth form), this innocence is altered as Friedrich encounters hazing, cruelty, death, and the Nazi code. His friendship with Albrecht, the ascetic son of the area's governor, is central to this education; a night in the forest hunting for escaped Russian POWs brings things to a head.

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Plot Keywords:

nazi | russian | friendship | pow | factory | 

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Taglines:

Men Make History. We Make The Men.

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Genres:

Drama | Sport | War

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [de] Official site [sg] (English)

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

13 January 2005 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Before the Fall

Filming Locations:

Hamburg, Germany

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$8,036 (USA) (7 October 2005)

Gross:

$144,065 (USA) (19 May 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Olga Film GmbH, Constantin Film, Seven Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min 110 min 110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

NaPolA is the acronym for "National-politische Erziehungs-Anstalt" or "National Political Education Institute".

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Goofs

At least one of the Napola boxers and one of the training officers have pierced ears. Very unlikely, this being set in Nazi Germany.

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Quotes

Christoph Schneider: Pull yourself together!
Albrecht Stein: Pull myself together? Do you know what we just did? You shouldn't have shot! You shouldn't have shot!
Tjaden: I didn't give the order. Your father said they had guns!
Albrecht Stein: Why are you looking at me like that?
Friedrich Weimer: I'm not looking at you.
Albrecht Stein: I know what you're thinking. Don't look at me like that!

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Connections

Featured in Smagsdommerne: Episode #2.10 (2005)

User Reviews

No one moved

Today I watched Napola. The movie is quite frightening and shocking. You get the feeling at first that this is a film about a friendship or a school. It isn't. Its a film about cruel intentions, and boys who are to be made mad. It's not a great film but one you should have seen and think about. And every time you must ask the same question: "Had I been so much different from these boys in their uniforms?" When the Movie was about to end and the credits showed up, no one in the Cinema was moving. No one was whispering. No one was talking. About two minutes the whole audience sat there in silence. That was at last more frightening than the whole motion picture.