Downfall (2004)

Traudl Junge, the final secretary for Adolf Hitler, tells of the Nazi dictator's final days in his Berlin bunker at the end of WWII.

Director:

Oliver Hirschbiegel

Writers:

Bernd Eichinger (screenplay), Joachim Fest (book)

Stars:

Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara, Ulrich Matthes

Top Rated Movies #119 | Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 21 wins & 29 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bruno Ganz	...	Adolf Hitler
Alexandra Maria Lara	...	Traudl Junge
Corinna Harfouch	...	Magda Goebbels
Ulrich Matthes	...	Joseph Goebbels
Juliane Köhler	...	Eva Braun
Heino Ferch	...	Albert Speer
Christian Berkel	...	Prof. Ernst-Günther Schenck
Matthias Habich	...	Prof. Werner Haase
Thomas Kretschmann	...	Hermann Fegelein
Michael Mendl	...	General Weidling
André Hennicke	...	General Mohnke
Ulrich Noethen	...	Heinrich Himmler
Birgit Minichmayr	...	Gerda Christian
Rolf Kanies	...	General Hans Krebs
Justus von Dohnányi	...	General Wilhelm Burgdorf

Storyline

In April of 1945, Germany stands at the brink of defeat with the Soviet Armies closing in from the west and south. In Berlin, capital of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler proclaims that Germany will still achieve victory and orders his Generals and advisers to fight to the last man. "Downfall" explores these final days of the Reich, where senior German leaders (such as Himmler and Goring) began defecting from their beloved Fuhrer, in an effort to save their own lives, while still others (Joseph Goebbels) pledge to die with Hitler. Hitler, himself, degenerates into a paranoid shell of a man, full of optimism one moment and suicidal depression the next. When the end finally does comes, and Hitler lies dead by his own hand, what is left of his military must find a way to end the killing that is the Battle of Berlin, and lay down their arms in surrender.

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Plot Keywords:

hitler | bunker | nazi | third reich | suicide | 

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Taglines:

April 1945, a nation awaits its...

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, disturbing images and some nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [United States]

Country:

Germany Austria Italy

Language:

German Russian Hungarian

Release Date:

8 April 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Downfall

Filming Locations:

Russia

Box Office

Budget:

€13,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$3,540,118 (Germany), 17 September 2004

Opening Weekend USA:

$24,220, 18 February 2005, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$5,509,040, 2 November 2013

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$92,180,910, 2 November 2013

Company Credits

Production Co:

Constantin Film,Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR),Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

156 min 178 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bruno Ganz practiced Adolf Hitler's distinct Austrian accent with the help of a young actor from Hitler's area in Upper Austria.

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Goofs

In the scene where SS officer Fegelein is executed for treason and desertion, no bullet wounds or blood appear on his uniform when the machine pistol's bullets hit him. Also, the weapon does not eject any empty cartridge cases while it is being fired.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Traudl Junge: I've got the feeling that I should be angry with this child, this young and oblivious girl. Or that I'm not allowed to forgive her for not seeing the nature of that monster. That she didn't realise what she was doing. And mostly because I've gone so obliviously. Because I wasn't a fanatic Nazi. I could have said in Berlin, "No, I'm not doing that. I don't want to go the Führer's headquarters." But I didn't do that. I was too curious. I didn't realise that fate would lead me ...

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Crazy Credits

After the final credits there is a statement by the real Traudl Jung about her feelings of guilt and responsibility. In the British Cinema release, this is moved to before the credits.

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Alternate Versions

German TV version features ca. 22 minutes of additional footage.

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Connections

Featured in Gameballcz: Prasátko Slezina - 6. díl: Dovolená (Prasátko Peppa - parodie) (2014)

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Soundtracks

Die Blauen Dragoner Sie Reiten
(Hans Hertel / G.W. Harmssen)
Courtesy of Voggenreiter Verlag, Bonn

User Reviews

Amazing realism

Der Untergang makes you live the horrors and craziness of war. Bruno Ganz's interpretation of Adolf Hitler is worthy of an Oscar. He is completely believable. Also the rest of the cast performs admirably. You feel transported to Berlin as it was bombarded by the Russians. You get a very clear insight (or an impression?) in how the military decisions were taken during those final days of the war. The movie balances well between large-scale effects of bombs exploding in ruined streets and depictions of different persons going though the experience – from Hitler and his staff in the well-protected bunkers to the principal military commanders torn between reason and loyalty and German civilians trapped in an inferno. The movie is neither pro-Nazi nor does it depict all Nazis as mindless monsters. It gives an impression of utter realism. Go see it in a good cinema – your seat will tremble as the bombs explode. A nine out of ten.