“So Many Actors Have Failed”: Historian Lauds Controversial Take On Hitler In 19-Year-Old WW2 Movie

A war historian praises Downfall for its controversial take on Hitler and explains why so many other actors have failed in the role. Released in 2004, the German-language film takes place during World War II’s Battle of Berlin with the Nazis on the brink of defeat and depicts the final days of Adolf Hitler (played by Bruno Ganz). Downfall is controversial due to how it humanizes Hitler despite his indefensible actions and ideology. The film also inspired the popular parody videos known as “Hitler Finds Out About…” or “Hitler Reacts To…” which use anachronistic subtitles.