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The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993)

Die Macht der Bilder: Leni Riefenstahl (original title)
| Documentary, Biography, History | June 1994 (USA)
The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl Poster
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A documentary about the life and work of Leni Riefenstahl, a German film director most notorious for making the most effective propaganda films for the Nazis.

Directors:

Ray Müller (as Ray Muller), Ray Müller

Writers:

Ray Müller, Ray Müller (as Ray Muller)

Stars:

Leni Riefenstahl, Marlene Dietrich, Arnold Fanck | See full cast & crew »
Reviews
5 wins & 2 nominations. See more awards »

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Edit

Cast

Credited cast:
Leni Riefenstahl ... Herself
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marlene Dietrich ... Herself (archive footage)
Arnold Fanck ... Himself (archive footage)
Walter Frentz Walter Frentz ... Himself - Camerman 1936 Olymipcs
Joseph Goebbels ... Himself (archive footage) (as Josef Goebbels)
Rudolf Hess ... Himself (archive footage)
John Herbert Higgins John Herbert Higgins ... Himself - U.S. Swimmer (archive footage)
Adolf Hitler ... Himself (archive footage)
Saburo Ito Saburo Ito ... Himself - Japanese Swimmer (archive footage)
Horst Kettner Horst Kettner ... Himself - Leni's Companion
Reizô Koike Reizô Koike ... Himself - Japanese Swimmer (archive footage)
Guzzi Lantschner Guzzi Lantschner ... Himself - Camerman 1936 Olymipcs
Ralph Metcalfe ... Himself - U.S. Sprinter (archive footage)
Ray Müller Ray Müller ... Himself
Jesse Owens ... Himself (archive footage)
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

This documentary recounts the life and work of one of most famous, and yet reviled, German film directors in history, Leni Riefenstahl. The film recounts the rise of her career from a dancer, to a movie actor to the most important film director in Nazi Germany who directed such famous propaganda films as Triumph of the Will and Olympiad. The film also explores her later activities after Nazi Germany's defeat in 1945 and her disgrace for being so associated with it which includes her amazingly active life over the age of 90. Written by Kenneth Chisholm <kchishol@execulink.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

film director as character | female film director as character | female film director | woman director | reference to leni riefenstahl | See All (47) »

Genres:

Documentary | Biography | History

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »
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Details

Country:

France | UK | Germany | Belgium

Language:

German | English

Release Date:

June 1994 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

The Power of the Image: Leni Riefenstahl See more »

Filming Locations:

Austria See more »
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Box Office

Gross USA:

$449,707
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arte France, Channel Four Films, Middlemarch Films See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White | Color
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Connections

References Olympia Part One: Festival of the Nations (1938) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is it true that Riefenstahl was a skilled mountaineer?
See more »

User Reviews

 
A most revealing portrait
7 March 2000 | by bullfrog-5 – See all my reviews

This is an excellent biography of one of the most influential filmmakers in history. It not only gives a comprehensive overview of her body of work but reveals many of innovative techniques she pioneered. Her accomplishments are all the more impressive when one considers the role of women in her heyday.

However, the most interesting aspect of this film for me is how this intelligent woman (still lucid in her 90's) deals with queries about her political involvement during the National Socialist period in Germany.
11 of 13 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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