Les enfants d'Hitler

Original title: Hitler's Children

1943
Approved
1h 22m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Bonita Granville in Les enfants d'Hitler (1943)

This lurid exposé of the Hitler Youth follows the woes of an American girl declared legally German by the Nazi government.This lurid exposé of the Hitler Youth follows the woes of an American girl declared legally German by the Nazi government.This lurid exposé of the Hitler Youth follows the woes of an American girl declared legally German by the Nazi government.

Directors
- Edward Dmytryk
- Irving Reis
Writers
- Emmet Lavery
- Gregor Ziemer
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

YOUR RATING

Directors
- Edward Dmytryk
- Irving Reis
Writers
- Emmet Lavery
- Gregor Ziemer
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Top cast54

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Tim Holt

Karl Bruner

Bonita Granville

Anna Müller

Kent Smith

Professor Nichols

Otto Kruger

Colonel Henkel

H.B. Warner

The Bishop

Lloyd Corrigan

Franz Erhart

Erford Gage

Dr. Schmidt

Hans Conried

Dr. Graf

Gavin Muir

Nazi Major

Nancy Gates

Brenda

Carla Boehm

Magda
(uncredited)

Egon Brecher

Mr. Müller
(uncredited)

Billy Brow

Boy
(uncredited)

Frances Brown

Bill Burrud

Prof. Nichols' Student
(uncredited)

Bruce Cameron

Storm Trooper
(uncredited)

Paula Corday

Young Matron
(uncredited)

Yvonne Cross

Bit
(uncredited)

Directors
- Edward Dmytryk
- Irving Reis
Writers
- Emmet Lavery
- Gregor Ziemer
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

User reviews33

Featured review

6/10

Love among the Nazis

This film must have been rather shocking at the time, as it revealed many Nazi practices which would have offended American morality:

They forced single women to have babies "for the Fuehrer"

They sterilized women who were undesirables, either because of their race or their ideas

They raided churches and preached the destruction of Christianity

They brainwashed young people and encouraged them to violence against their enemies

Of course, mixed in among the propaganda is a love story between a Hitler Youth member and an attractive German/American girl attending an American school in Germany (which is conveniently situated across from the humorously-named "Horst Wessel School"). Besides having solid lead players, this film also boasts a strong supporting cast including H. B. Warner, Hans Conried, and Erford Gage (who would soon be killed in action during WW2).

The quality of this film is higher than other similar propaganda movies of the time, and has some touching (although predictable) scenes of love and sacrifice. And the opening scene of a Hitler Youth rally may serve as a warning against what happens when a politician with a cult of personality tries to control the minds of young people.

LCShackley
Sep 4, 2009
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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Edward Dmytryk in his autobiography 'It's a Hell of a Life But Not a Bad Living', states: "A friend of mine, Irving Reis, had prepared and actually started shooting a film called 'Hitler's Children', an exploitation B. Irving was rather headstrong and somewhat touchy - a bad combination in Hollywood. After a few days, he got into a fight with producer Doc Golden [Robert Golden]. Getting his back up, he quit the film, expecting, so he told me later, to win a quick apology and a free hand. Instead, the studio said, 'As you wish,' and asked me to take over the direction. He gave me his blessing, asking only that his name be completely removed from the film's credits. The studio was willing and I went to work. I finished on schedule, cut and dubbed it, and turned it over to the distribution department. None of us at the studio was sure of what we had."

Goofs
Karl Bruner is wearing the four pips and strip on his uniform collar of an SS Obersturmbanfuhrer, or Lieutenant Colonel, when Colonel Henkel said he would be promoted to Captain (or Hauptsturmfuhrer) and should be wearing a collar tab with three pips (diagonally) and two stripes. Colonel Henkel's insignia is also incorrect. He is wearing the three oak leaves of a Brigadefuhrer (Brigadier General) when he should have only one leaf of a Standartanfuhrer (Colonel).

Quotes
The Bishop: [to the Nazi Major] No wonder you take away the breath of life so readily. The breath of death is already upon you.

Crazy credits
During opening credits, the camera zooms in on a German book burning, and the book on top of the pile is "Education for Death" by Gregor Ziemer. That was another book by the same author of the novel on which this film is based.

Alternate versions
There is an Italian DVD edition of this movie, distributed by DNA Srl. The movie was re-edited with the contribution of the film history scholar Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available in streaming on some platforms.