Written by: Svejk
The Nazi Party has been filmed and chronicled since its creation and since the defeat of fascism in the Second World War; the Nazis have been portrayed in many different films and remain today a subject of criticism. The Nazis instigated a program of genocide against the Jews, Slavs and many other groups such as gypsies and homosexuals as well as removing, imprisoning and executing German opposition to their policies. Since the defeat of the Nazis, Western cinema, upholding the rights of the individual and freedom of speech, has used Nazism as its adversary.
The following four scenes from films all show the Nazis in a different way:
ÒTRIUMPH DES WILLENSÓ - This monochrome film was made for the Nuremburg rally in 1934, while the Nazis were in power. It is a German film directed by the very talented Leni Riefenstahl. It glorifies Hitler, the new Germany and the Nazi policies by use of symbolism and imagery, cinematography, association and propaganda so as to convince the German public that Adolf Hitler was worthy of their leadership. It does this by only showing the happy people in the crowd and the well-disciplined Wehrmacht but not the groups of people deemed to be in opposition with Hitler and the Nazi Party. When this film came out, five years before the war, Germany and Britain were on fairly peaceful terms. In fact, in the film you can see the representatives from Britain sitting watching Hitler inspire his people. Some people in Britain at this time liked Hitler and thought that some of his policies had a point to them.
The filmÕs title refers to the German philosopher Nietzsche and his book called ÔThe Will to PowerÕ, which explains that living things are not just driven by the need to stay alive, but by the need to use power, to dominate others, and to make them weaker. This subtle information reveals much about HitlerÕs goals for the German ÔVolkÕ.
The film starts with a few words introducing the film. It begins ÒOn September 5th 1934, 20 years after the outbreak of the World War, 16 years after the beginning of our suffering, 19 months after the beginning of the German renaissance, Adolf Hitler flew again to Nuremberg to review the columns of his faithful followersÓ. This introduction explains a great deal about HitlerÕs views. The third sentence Ò16 yearsÉÓ (talking about the Treaty of Versailles in which Germany was forced to give up much of their resources and resulted in population displacement) portrays the feelings of many Germans who thought they were very hard done by, as well as Hitler, but also the feelings of many members of other countries who disagreed with the treaty. The wording also reveals subtle hints. Hitler wanted to appeal to the population by using the word ÔweÕ to make the audience feel the same emotions and therefore empathize with him. The phrase Òcolumns of faithful followersÓ is an open piece of propaganda, which suggests to the reader that Hitler is already powerful and with his ÔarmyÕ of support he will rule Germany. This opening scene was not actually written by Riefenstahl but by Walter Ruttmann, the specialist propaganda film director.
After this, the camera fades into a scene high above the clouds with HitlerÕs plane flying over NuremburgÕs medieval buildings to the tune of "Die Meistersinger von NŸrnberg" by Richard Wagner. This is a very joyous, melodious piece of music that illustrates the grandeur and tradition of the buildings and also how they were German-built. Wagner was also German so the music is quite fitting with the theme. The music then slowly and chillingly turns from classical Wagner into the Horst Wessel Song, the Nazi Party Anthem.
As in all films, the camera angles used are very important as they convey the directorÕs message. In ÒTriumph des WillensÓ close up shots are used to show peopleÕs facial expressions and in some cases, emphasize them. This technique is used when Hitler steps off his plane at Nuremburg airport and there is a close up of his face showing a big smile and also of him talking to a young mother and her child. This display of sincerity and generosity is bound to convince any German of the time to vote for Hitler. Panning is another feature that is used in the film to illustrate the vastness of the crowd.
Leni Riefenstahl uses camera angles effectively to show how happy the German people are at having a new fŸhrer (leader) to lead them to greatness. In "Triumph des Willens", over-the-shoulder shots are used to display a particular personÕs point of view. An example of this is when Hitler is travelling to Nuremburg by car and lining the streets are cheering people. Riefenstahl uses this type of shot to show that all Hitler can see is very many happy and loyal ÒsubjectsÓ, supporting his cause. In "Triumph des Willens" this angle is effective because it shows to the audience that everyone is willing to back Hitler. Over-the-shoulder shots can also be used in a negative way to show dislike towards a particular character.
ÒCABARETÓ Ð This scene from the colour film, directed by Bob Fosse in 1972, parodies pre-Second World War Germany. It is set in 1931 before "Triumph des Willens" was filmed and is about a dancer in Berlin just before Hitler becomes Chancellor.
The main scene in this film is when Max, a German, and Brian, an Englishman, two of the main characters, are drinking in a country biergarten together and an Aryan boy stands up and starts singing. He sings ÒTomorrow Belongs To MeÓ, a song illustrating the goals of Hitler and Nazism. In the song there is a line, Òthe morning will come when the world is mineÉÓ this refers to HitlerÕs promises to the German people about making Germany the best country in the world.
While the boy is singing, the camera shows a close-up of his face. As in "Triumph des Willens" it is used to exaggerate facial emotions. The boy is singing powerfully and has a very proud expression on his face. The camera then pans down to reveal a brown uniform and a swastika armband, a motif very relevant to Hitler and the Nazis. The revealing of the swastika changes the situation and immediately after it is revealed the crowd in the biergarten slowly begin to stand up and also sing proudly. There are then close-ups of the faces looking stern but patriotic. This is very similar cinematography to "Triumph des Willens"; another similarity is that there is one main person (the Hitler Youth/Hitler) and a crowd of faithful followers (ordinary people). There are also different viewpoints of people in the biergarten; the overwhelming majority of Nazi followers ("Triumph des Willens" viewpoint), Max and BrianÕs indifferent viewpoint, who are interested to see how the song will unfold and finally, there is the viewpoint of an old Jewish man, who does not sing, but remains in his chair looking distraught and angry, hopelessly outnumbered in his stance.
The pseudo-traditional German folk song (composed by John Kander and Fred Ebb for the film) continues, more and more instruments join in and the tempo picks up. Naturally this has an effect on our two characters who leave soon after and return to their car. By which time, the music has reached a massive crescendo. Max turns to Brian and says, ÒYou think you can control them?Ó This refers to BrianÕs earlier point about Nazism blowing over in a few months and how fanatic the country folk are towards Hitler.
Fosse wanted to parody the Nazis by making all the Germans fiercely patriotic and by playing DevilÕs Advocate, he makes the film look like it pledges support to the Nazis in such a way that it does not seem realistic.
ÒSCHINDLERÕS LISTÓ Ð Directed by Steven Spielburg (1993). There is a scene from the film which is about the liquidation of the Jews in the Krakow (Poland) ghetto during the Second World War and the comparison of two menÕs lives on that fateful day. One man is a Wehrmacht Commander, Goeth (Ralph Fiennes); the other is a factory owner using slave labour, Schindler (Liam Neeson).
The cinematography is similar to "Triumph des Willens" in that it uses long shots to view the neatly arranged rows of soldiers; close-ups to reveal their passive, ready-for-action expressions; non-diagetic music (music played as a soundtrack over the film) and that it is in black and white. It was made in black and white to give that authentic feel of World War Two movies, as colour had not yet been invented.
It starts with both men shaving. This portrays equality between the two Ð they are both human. That is as far as the similarity goes. Goeth then dons a Wehrmacht outfit and Schindler goes out riding with a girlfriend. Outside the barracks there is a long, high-angle shot of Goeth addressing his men. In this shot you can see Goeth surrounded by power (his orderly soldiers). The speech is in English for the audience to understand but the German soldiers talk in German, to add confusion to the scene and to make them seem different as they are speaking in a different language. The Polish people speak English with an accent because Spielburg wants us, the audience, to empathise with them and side against the Nazis.
Goeth leads his soldiers into Krakow where they proceed to evict the Jewish inhabitants. The camera changes from over-the-shoulder shots following soldiers as they enter buildings, to long shots showing mass confusion, helped by movement of people into empty space. The camera also shows the clash between the humanity of the soldiers and the orders they have been given. When they are evicting the Jewish men, they are vicious feral monsters, but when evicting mothers and babies, they turn sweetly to the baby and ask the name of the child.
Meanwhile Schindler is watching the horror unfold from the top of a hill via an over-the-shoulder long-shot pan of the city. Seeing this makes him want to change his ways and help the Polish Jews.
Spielburg wanted to portray the horrors of the Holocaust through this film but we have to be aware of slight exaggeration because Spielburg will have an element of bias towards the Polish Jews, being Jewish himself and also siding with the ÔwinnersÕ of the war.
ÒTHE LION KINGÓ Ð This scene from the Disney animated film directed in 1994 by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff refers explicitly to "Triumph des Willens" and Hitler. The scene starts with Scar, the evil lion, in a chasm telling his hyena subordinates how he will usurp the throne from his brother, Mufasa which is a theme from ShakespeareÕs ÒHamletÓ.
He then sings a song ÒBe PreparedÓ and the hyenas sit up and listen. The colour changes through different monochromes starting with different shades of yellow but then changes to red, blue and green. This is similar to the monochrome of "Triumph des Willens". Halfway through the song, Scar jumps onto a jutting out piece of rock and the camera angle switches to a low angle looking up at Scar. With ScarÕs black mange, this is a strong reference to HitlerÕs black hair and moustache. The hyenas then proceed to goosestep past Scar in strict rank and file, referring to the Sturmabteilung (Storm Troopers) on the parade ground at Nuremburg. All this imitates RiefenstahlÕs cinematography and with a powerful tune in the background, it is bound to remind the viewers of "Triumph des Willens" or ÒHamletÓ. In the song Scar sings the following line ÒYou will never be hungry againÓ, this is a reference to HitlerÕs speech at Nuremburg where he promises to give ÔLebensraumÕ (living space).
This film has to contain a majority perspective and bias so that is why Scar is the villain. If the film were made 60 years earlier under Hitler, perhaps Scar with a strong and obedient Simba by his side, would lead the pride against the impure hyenas and conquer the Serengeti.
CONCLUSION Ð Out of the four films I have reviewed, all have shown the Nazis in a different light, from positive to negative. However, there is one clear division. "Triumph des Willens" is the Ôodd one outÕ because it shows Hitler and the Nazis in a good light as it was made before the war and therefore does not have hindsight and it was German rather than American. One has to look at this film with a neutral perspective, as the cinematography used in the film is still one of the best ever, even if it is Nazi propaganda. Hindsight also plays a major role in war films. No one wants to see Band of Brothers Ð The German Perspective, following the German forces in France and how a single American paratrooper division defeats them. The reason behind this is that nobody backs a loser and why "Triumph des Willens" is almost forgotten and only remembered for its Nazi inclinations instead of its brilliant cinematography.
The other three films either poke fun at or portray the Nazis as heartless villains. Most of the German soldiers were ordinary people like you or me and would not have enjoyed exterminating Jews but it makes very good cinema because there is a definite villain that the viewer can dislike from every angle. Nazis are abhorred in common society and if one made a pro-Nazi film today, one would be heavily criticised. If Hitler had won, this would be the opposite, but in most cases the winner dictates history.
Overall, due to my in-depth analysis of all four films, I conclude that ÒSchindlerÕs ListÓ portrays the Nazi goals most accurately. Although there is slight exaggeration of the barbarity of the Sturmabteilung, it was in Nazi policy to exterminate Jews.