German Movies
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Many motion pictures reflect the struggles of Germany’s past including World War II, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the Holocaust. Three German films that portray the past in different manners of style and theme are Die Bruecke, Goodbye, Lenin!, and Mein Fļhrer. These films were lighthearted, heart wrenching, and unintentionally comedic.
Die Bruecke (The Bridge) is an old black and white movie that was filmed in 1959, it follows several teenage boys as they join World War II in support of the Nazi Party. The film becomes emotional as the boys step forward and follow orders as other soldiers flee in fear of the Americans. Not only do the boys show their bravery, but it results in death and unacknowledged courage. The boys fail in their mission to protect the bridge, lose their lives and sanity as they witness the deaths of their friends. This film is the only film of the three that produces little comedy and a great deal of emotion and seriousness.
Mein FДјhrer was meant to be a film that portrayed the life of Adolf Hitler in a serious manner. However, the plan back fired and the film became a comedy that produced little sympathy for Hitler. The most famous scene of Adolf taking a bubble bath while playing with a toy battle ship can easily produce a chuckle. This film seems to aim at viewing the life of Hitler as a tragedy and produces little concern or sympathy for the millions he murdered. The movie cannot be taken seriously as Hitler climbs into bed with a married Jewish couple, and when his dog salutes him personally as he enters the room. On a positive note, the last scene in the film is a great mix of real historical footage and that of the film.
In contrast to both Mein FДјhrer, and Die Bruecke, Goodbye Lenin! was neither a serious film or one that took an unintentional turn. The film portrays the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 in a lighthearted manner. Christiane, a mother of two children and a significant member of the German Democratic Republic, elapses into a comma on her way to an award