Downfall

This movie is not for everyone. It is in German. It has subtitles. It is about Hitler's last few days. It is in black and white. It is based on accounts of those who survived. It is dark and without much humor. If you can get past all those things, it is very, very good.

Bruno Ganz reminds me of a late uncle of mine. The face, the voice, the hair, the way he carries himself brings brings back fond memories of my Uncle Buddy; my father's eldest brother. In this movie however, Bruno Ganz is almost unrecognizable. He plays Adolf so well it is almost disturbing. My uncle was nothing like Hitler despite his 20 plus years in working in California prisons as a welding instructor.

If you are a history buff, and enjoy fresh looks into old stories, this movie is a gem. Bringing to life this often-told story of how Hitler spent his last few hours has as many versions as there are storytellers. I'm no expert, but I have a feeling this one comes closer to reality than anything to date.

My interest in WWII started at a early age when I learned of my fathers involvement in North Africa and Italy. He fibbed about his age to go in the place of his older brother who stayed home to run the family farm. If you have seen the movie Tobruk, you've seen the story of my Dad's unit. That 1967 movie actually got my interest piqued in war movies. The fascination continues today. But, I'm getting off topic a bit.

"Downfall" or "Der Untergang" is a very surgical telling of a very unhappy story. It is instructional though for anyone who has to be a decision-maker. Any manager can learn some lessons here. Some things Hitler did were very smart, and some were very dumb.

Watch this movie with someone who will help you sort out the differences.