On how Downfall twists your humanity.
A certain unflinching determination is required to make a film that has its outcome in the title. But in many ways, certainty is the very essence of Oliver Hirschbiegel’s project in Downfall. The film opens on a crumbling Nazi leadership, hurtling towards apocalypse as the thousand-year Reich is crushed beneath the treads of Soviet tanks. From an early scene, in which Hitler’s birthday is heralded by a thunderstorm of Russian artillery, there is no mistaking the fact that everyone in the infamous Führerbunker must flee or perish. In this regard, Downfall is a masterclass in relentless claustrophobia, as the audience cannot help but watch Hitler and his generals draw up pathetic counter-offensives with a gut-wrenching sense of empathy. True hopelessness is a hard feeling to shake, particularly under the shadow of the impending, faceless cataclysm that Hitler and his inner circle faced. Hirschbiegel’s skills as a director are in full throttle as he creates an environment more reminiscent of a horror film than an historical epic at times. But one inescapable question continues to haunt viewers as they watch the film: why do I feel sorry for the Nazis?
Half of the answer to this question is straightforward: competent filmmaking. Downfall isn’t a particularly cinematic film, with most of it being shot in the ruddy confines of Hitler’s bunker. A lot of the time the cinematography seems to be closer to a found-footage film than anything else, as handheld shots track characters frantically pacing through labyrinthian hallways. Beyond the cinematography, watching Bruno Ganz as Hitler is an absolute treat, as Ganz pours all of his energy into the performance. Downfall’s most famous scene, in which Hitler slightly loses his cool, has broken into the Anglosphere in the effective package of short memes with edited subtitles, becoming a popular way for people to react to any kind of current affairs, and causing major headaches for anyone trying to learn German from the film. While this scene seems almost impossible to take seriously given its status as a meme, in the context of the film it is more than natural; it is utterly visceral. Ganz manages to perfectly capture Hitler’s passion, egotism, viciousness and lunacy in an eerie way. Watching him is nothing short of delightful and terrifying. So, if Downfall’s problems don’t come from lazy direction or weak performances, there must be a more sinister source.
Read the article by Julius Wittfoth in Honi Soit.