Before the Fall (2004)

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, Devid Striesow

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
Alexander Held	...	Friedrichs Vater

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:

boxing | male objectification | unpunished antagonist | nazi germany | nazi | 

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Taglines:

Men Make History. We Make The Men.

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Genres:

Drama | Sport | Thriller | War

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Germany] Official site [Singapore] (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 USA:

$8,036, 9 October 2005, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$144,065, 21 May 2006

Company Credits

Production Co:

Olga Film, 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

Parts of the story are based on incident's in the life of Dennis Gansel's grandfather.

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Goofs

During Friedrich's glider flight, his helmet is securely strapped at the start but is shown unstrapped a few seconds later. He kept both hands on the glider's yoke.

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Quotes

Albrecht Stein: [reading from his essay] "As childish as it sounds, the winter time and the sight of freshly fallen snow always fill us with inexplicable joy. Perhaps because as children, we associated it with Christmas. I always imagine myself the hero who killed dragons, rescued virgins, and freed the world from evil. As we went out yesterday to find the prisoners, I felt like that little boy who wanted to save the world."
Vogler: Albrecht, stop.
Albrecht Stein: But as we returned, I understood that I am part of the evil that I ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in 2006 Glitter Awards (2006)

User Reviews

Deserves Academy Award for Best Foreign Film

I just watched Napola at the Montreal World Film Festival and I was pleasantly surprised. This choice of a random movie turned out to be a real cinematographic gem.

Set during World War II, this movie is about the dilemma and choices of some German teenagers who attend a napola - a special institution for gifted boys to turn them into the Nazi elite. Their days consist of military training and indoctrination; they are forced to lose all pity and become ruthless servants of the Fuhrer.

The story follows the entrance of Friedrich into a napola, the changes that he undergoes and the choices that he makes. Admitted because of his boxing skills, he seizes it as an opportunity to escape his poor working class situation. His best friend at the napola is the Governor's son - sensitive, caring, humane and opposed to Nazi dogma, he is obviously in the wrong place but has no choice but to fulfill his dad's wishes. As their friendship develops, Friedrich struggles between the ideology that the napola is forcing upon him and his friend's pacific beliefs.

This powerful film with excellent acting culminates on the boxing ring as Friedrich fights against the champion from another napola. The scene of the morning practice on the frozen lake left me breathless, while the ending of the grenade throwing session shook me with its passion, despair, and horror.

Another reason why I liked this movie so much is that it is made by Germans; indeed one would expect Hollywood to come up with such a story and that the outcome would be a highly emotional melodrama. I could feel the director disagreeing strongly with the Nazis, but rather than feeling shameful for what his countrymen did 60 years ago, he denounced it. Indeed, Friedrich's ultimate choice should be the choice of the new Germany.

My rating: 9/10