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The
screenplay of the film is based chiefly
on two sources. The first source are memoirs of
Traudl Junge, the last Hitler's secretary, and a
person from his closest staff, with which the
Nazi Chancellor spent the last days of his life. She
became a witness to the events happening in
Hitler's bunker. The other source are works of
Joachim Fest, a famous Hitler's biographer, who
had devoted his entire life and scientific
career to the studies of the phenomenon of the
Nazism.
The Downfall shows the Führer's last 10
days in the bunker under the III Reich's
Chancellery, from celebration of his birthday on
20 April 1945 till his suicidal death on 30
April 1945. When bombs and shells already fall
on Berlin, and the Red Army fights hard for
every house and every block, Adolf Hitler issues
the last orders and directives, signs documents,
makes his farewell to the staff, and prepares
himself to pass away. Prematurely aged, but
defiant to the bitter end, he does not complain
about the fate.
The perception of the Downfall is very difficult
due to three reasons.
First, it is because the audience sympathizes
with the main character (a brilliant creation of
the famous German actor Bruno Ganz).
Second, it is because the main character
presents his simple truths in easy to understand
manner, and makes the audience to relate to
them.
The Downfall broke up with existing in Germany,
and perhaps all over the world, taboo to portray
Hitler in an acceptable way. So far he has
always been portrayed simultaneously as a
monster and caricature, a possessed maniac and a
paranoid buffoon. In the Downfall everything is
different. And not because the monster hugs
children and pets his dog. That would be too
trivial. Hitler's way of expressing his truths
is psychologically rational. As a politician he
had openly presented his political programme in
the book Mein Kampf. The German people had
elected him for their leader in free, democratic
and fair election. As a statesman Hitler put his
policy into practice without retreating a bit
from it. Yes, he made mistakes; yes, the war
could have been won if he had not invaded the
Soviet Union, but concentrated on the conquest
of the West. And now, looking from his bunker,
he understands that further resistance is
futile. The war is lost and one needs to relate
to the defeat, and he cannot relate in another
way but to swallow the bullet. A regular drama
of a popular hero from an ancient tragedy! And
no wonder that the audience succumbs to the
simple psychological mechanism and associates
with Hitler, not as a historic figure at all,
but as a movie hero, who has found himself in a
helpless situation.
Is there any nation, which, having such a
leader, with his aspirations and achievements,
would not follow him? There is none! And cut the
crap about the Teutonic spirit. What is a
difference between us nowadays and the Germans
of the 1930's? That we are replete, clothed and
shod, and have a fast Internet access?
Nevertheless, we have a certain experience,
which helps us to look at Hirschbiegel's film in
new light. Is it not us, who bombed Belgrade
like the Nazis did in Coventry? Is it not us,
who persecutes Iraqi partisans like the Nazis
did to the Byelorussian partisans? And Göbbels
is damn right when he says in one of the scenes
of the film: Nobody forced them to do anything,
they elected us freely, so may they not complain
that now their throats will be slit. This is the
fate and they have chosen it by themselves. This
is the strongest scene of the film and it
corresponds very nicely with the famous saying
of Thomas Mann that Hitler lives in each of us.
And the smaller is the fry, the stronger does it
flex its muscles.
And here comes the "third":
Hirschbiegel's film cannot help to notice
parallels with another famous and controversial
film of our times - Mel Gibson's The Passion of
the Christ.
The Downfall is a film about the last days of
Adolf Hitler, the Passion is a film about the
last days of Jesus Christ. Common features of
both main characters are also noticeable. Both
genuinely believe they have a mission to fulfil.
Both come to chosen people. But neither the
people chosen by God, nor the chosen by Hitler
have coped with their role; they could not bear
the weight of the spirit and genius of their
messiahs. Gibson's God becomes Man; Hirschbiegel
gives human features to the one, who is
perceived as either a demigod or devil
incarnate.
Gibson's Jesus and Hirschbiegel's Hitler pass
away full of belief in their mission; they both
fear death, but they both know they have to die.
To die so the seed will germinate again. Jesus
says: O my Father, if it be possible, let this
cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will,
but as thou wilt. Hitler says: The fate must
fulfil. In the Passion Satan tempts Jesus in the
desert; in the Downfall the staff tempts Hitler
in the bunker - to go, to fly, to escape...
Neither one not the other succumbs to the
temptation.
There is a scene in the Downfall, where Hitler,
before he treats himself to the rat poison, is
having a supper with the few that last by his
side. It is like the Last Supper, just without
the Apostles. They did stand by their Führer
while he was at the peak of his power, but now
saving their asses is more important to them -
just like St.Peter, who drew his sword and
denied Christ before the cock crowed. Hitler's
apostles and Christ's Apostles are alike: among
them are heroes and cowards, rebels and dimwits.
Only women stayed for Hitler's last supper -
just like once only women stayed with Christ
crucified. Those, who stayed with Hitler to the
last were: Eva Braun, who loved him as a man,
Magda Göbbels, who admired him as a
politician and the bearer of a great idea, and
Traudl Junge, who just remained loyal to the
employer and the man.
In both cases - of the Downfall and the Passion
- main characters die, and that makes us upset
and indignant. We didn't spend two and half an
hour just to miss a happy end, damn it!
Nevertheless, the success of the Downfall has
already happened. I think it is a good material
for an Oscar; sadly enough only in one category
- foreign films. Just think about it - a
bankrupt conqueror of the world commits suicide
only to resurrect 60 years later from his bunker
and conquer the world as a movie hero. Oh, there
will be a lot of ink spilled on paper and a lot
of bytes spent in personal computers to convince
us that, yeah, the Downfall has its artistic
merits but it is unsuitable as a source of
historical knowledge. Like back in good old
times it will be rated as unsuitable for
children under 18. And that is all right, or
else we will bring up a new generation of
fascists. But one must not pretend that Hitler
was a monster all right or shut up. After all we
cannot see his soul. And without that, as Jesus
Christ taught, we are not entitled to claim that
his soul is forever condemned. That is known
only to the Almighty. |
italiano
