Downfall

Original title: Der Untergang

2004
15
2h 36m

IMDb RATING

8.2/10

383K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,085

Docudrama Political Drama Tragedy Biography Drama History War

Traudl Junge, the final secretary for Adolf Hitler, tells of the Nazi dictator's final days in his Berlin bunker at the end of WWII.Traudl Junge, the final secretary for Adolf Hitler, tells of the Nazi dictator's final days in his Berlin bunker at the end of WWII.Traudl Junge, the final secretary for Adolf Hitler, tells of the Nazi dictator's final days in his Berlin bunker at the end of WWII.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.2/10

383K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,085

See production info at IMDbPro

Top rated movie #125

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 22 wins & 34 nominations total

Photos309

+ 303

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Most of the outdoor city scenes for the movie were filmed in Saint Petersburg, Russia. This was for two reasons: one, the architecture of the city has many Germanic aspects, and two, there are plenty of streets with little or no modern advertisements and other commercial aspects.

Goofs
In the film, Hermann Fegelein is shown as being arrested, dragged outside and summarily shot. In fact, Fegelein was arrested and kept in a cell for at least three days in the Führerbunker before Hitler ordered him stripped of rank and to be subjected to court martial, during which he was so drunk he vomited and urinated on the floor. It was only after the court martial that he was shot.

Quotes
Adolf Hitler: That was an order! Steiner's assault was an order! Who do you think you are to dare disobey an order I give? So this is what it has come to! The military has been lying to me. Everybody has been lying to me, even the SS! Our generals are just a bunch of contemptible, disloyal cowards.
General der Infanterie Wilhelm Burgdorf: I can't permit you to insult the soldiers.
Adolf Hitler: They are cowards, traitors and failures!
General der Infanterie Wilhelm Burgdorf: My fuhrer, this is outrageous!
Adolf Hitler: Our generals are the scum of the German people! Not a shred of honour! They call themselves generals. Years at military academy just to learn how to hold a knife and fork! For years, the military has hindered my plans! They've put every kind of obstacle in my way! What I should have done... was liquidate all the high-ranking officers, as Stalin did!

Crazy credits
After the final credits there is a statement by the real Traudl Jung about her feelings of guilt and responsibility. In the British Cinema release, this is moved to before the credits.

Alternate versions
Extended version includes 22 minutes of additional footage.

Connections
Edited from Im toten Winkel - Hitlers Sekretärin (2002)

Soundtracks
When I Am Laid In Earth
from "Dido and Aeneas"
Composed by Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
Arranged by Horst Liebenau and Stephan Zacharias

User reviews723

Review

Featured review

The Best WWII movie ever.

'Der Untergang' is probably the only WW2 movie I've ever seen, which only deals with facts and is utterly deprived of any form of commercialism whatsoever. Bruno Ganz is truly excellent in his role as Adolf Hitler, a tired man who sees his "Reich" fall, but cannot accept it. Overall (type)casting is very good; all the actors chosen to portray a famous/notorious character look a lot like the real deal, especially Goebbels. Although I'm not a fan of long war movies, these 2,5 hours passed very quickly due to excellent acting, great sets, FX and storyline. Somehow, every scene is dripping with underlying tension that never really explodes; a kind of unsettling unbelieved grips you when you see seemingly ordinary people commit astonishing atrocities and sins towards mankind, just for their faith and loyalty to one man, Hitler, who himself walks the edge of reason.

Great movie : 10/10 without a doubt.