Swastika

Home movies of Hitler with Goering & Goebbels & Eva & the gang (much of it at der Berghof, much shot by Eva), a bit of Bormann, Himmler, & Speer as well, interspersed with plenty of domestic documentary footage, predominantly from 1933 to 1939.

Eva exhibitionistically posing in a swimsuit whilst hanging from a lakeshore tree branch; Adolf lovingly petting a German shepherd, & elsewhere observing that a recreational-boar-hunting "Göring should go into the forest with a spear." A squadron of planes flying in perfect swastika formation, Neville Chamberlain's declarations of triumphant diplomacy, even Jesse Owens praising his hosts' treatment at the 12th Olympics.

These were gay, heady times in the Third Reich, and the camera was there to capture it. Fairly fascinating to hear Adolf talk in a calm, conversational tone without spewing venom, and even more refreshing to endure no predictably prejudising Allied-oriented narration, even when things inexorably but slowly begin to take a darker turn in the last third of the film, and der Juden problem begins to emerge (to which a recently fled Einstein vaguely makes a public response).

Quite enlightening to just slowly take it in and in a measured manner comprehend for yourself what you're seeing; thank you, Mr. Mora, for that liberty. Released in the year 1973 (apparently causing something of a riot at its Cannes premiere), was banned im Deutschland for the next 36 for fear that seeing the human side of Hitler would de-demonize him. (The director followed up this effort with his first feature film, Mad Dog Morgan with Dennis Hopper.)

Among the special features (in the Australian version of the DVD, at least), the Leni Riefenstahl attack piece has received both praise and excoriation.

This feature length documentary will knock your socks off ... if you're ever lucky enough to see it. If you have ever wondered how Hitler and his thugs wooed the Germans? Philippe Mora has assembled an incredible body of film footage here and let the material tell the story ... there is no narration, something Philippe does particularly well (see his next doco, BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME). He was even able to find Eva Braun's home movies of Hitler, mostly taken at Obersalzburg, and with the help of German lipreaders, bring them to life. Students of history will find it particularly enlightening. It is also horrifying. Most people didn't think Hitler was at all bad. Famous reporter Dick Brinkly singing the praises of Hitler in the mid 30s must be embarrassing. See it if you can. Pray it comes out on DVD one day.

Philippe Mora was the person who as a 19 year old film student discovered the now well known personal films of Eva Braun (that would make a fine film in itself). This fascinating color film footage is incorporated into this un narrated documentary along with a wide assortment of original Nazi newsreels and propaganda films to present life in Nazi Germany from 1933-45 as seen through the propaganda filmmakers (and Eva's) camera lens. A wonderful classical music score accompanies. This film is quite rare and is generally unavailable. I believe it was nominated for an award (or won an award). Nevertheless,if you get a chance to see it, buy it, etc, do it. It is the best documentary film on Nazi Germany of it's kind with much never before seen original footage.

Nothing really new here for students of history. But for casual observers of world events who are not students of history, it may raise a few eyebrows. Lots of good footage and the Mora does a great job of not including unnecessary narration (the footage is painfully explicit on what happened (if not why it happened). Of course, the Versailles Treaty is not mentioned in detail; a major cause for the rise of Hitler because Germany was burdened with great war reparation debt from that treaty. This mightily led to Hitler's rise. Lesson? Reforming a country that loses a war is better than strangling it to a slow death. Nice home movie footage as well which tries to humanize Hitler. Good luck with that idea.

Seeing this doc without a word from anyone, l'd realized a bit awkward, how l love documentaries, this one was an too unusual, all those old footages from the Third Reich in every places, endless speechs by the Fuher, all those political meetings, whatever happens l'll see it until to the end, and it arrives in worst ways, all those death bodies buried by tractors, all cities bombed and were quite often destroyed almost entirely, all those people trying running away from the soldiers or by buildings collapsed by fire, well l'd though poor german people who were compelled to believe in a such mad men, who ruled by force, all those barbarism ends up in a true massacre of sixty millions people in all Europe, Africa and Asia, that is serves as example forever, sorry for the last song mocking for german people, fully unnecessary, this war nobody won!!!

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First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5