Downfall Movie Review 2004

Controversial German film explores the last days of Hitler (Ganz) and his cronies in the bunker before the fall of Berlin in 1945. Overlong but engrossing look at the mundane, very human face of evil. Ganz is amazing in the role of a lifetime, virtually becoming the most hated man in history. All the smaller roles, Hitler's secretary Traudl Junge (Lara) for instance, are wonderfully fleshed out by an incredibly talented cast.

Distribution

Movies Unlimited, 3015 Darnell Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19154, Phone: (215)637-4444, Toll-free: 800-668-4344, Fax: (215)637-2350, Email: movies@moviesunlimited.com, URL: http://www.moviesunlimited.com

Available on DVD
Running time 155 minutes.
Originally from German.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Biopics: Politics, Nazis & Other Paramilitary Slugs, World War II, Period Piece: 1940s, Berlin, Germany, Historical Drama, Adapted from Memoirs or Diaries

Screenplay

Bernd Eichinger

Cast

Bruno Ganz, Agustin Lara, Corinna Harfouch, Ulrich Matthes, Heino Ferch, Christian Berkel, Matthias Habich, Thomas Kretschmann, Ulrich Noethen, Goetz Otto, Juliane Koehler, Donevan Gunia

Cinematography

Rainer Klausmann

Director

Oliver Hirschbiegel

Music

Stephan Zacharias

Other

Roland Winke, Michael Kranz, Hans Funck, Elena Zhukova, Claudia Bobsin, Bernd Lepel

Producer

Bernd Eichinger, Constantin Film