HITLER: THE LAST TEN DAYS

UK/Italy, 1973, 104 minutes, Colour.
Alec Guinness, Simon Ward, Doris Kunstmnn, Adolfo Celi, Diane Cilento, Eric Porter, Gabriele Ferzetti, Barbara Jefford, Joss Ackland, John Bennett, Martin Kingsland.
Directed by Ennio de Concini.

Hitler: The Last Ten Days is an interesting film for audiences, thirty years after his heyday. Some critics, very sensitive to the effect he had in his times and to those who still hold bitter memories of his destructive power, have attacked the whole idea of the film and seen it as a lessening of horror of the man and what he did. They fear the film humanises him too much.

Yet the film seems to humanise Hitler only to convince us that he was a real person; but in a world of his own making, mad, isolated and blameable on others when it went wrong. The ten days in the bunker are contrasted with what was happening outside. Hitler's words contrasting with actual events - starvation, bombings, misery etc. In fact. Hitler is not treated sympathetically in this film.

For those who wonder how such calamities can befall the world, the film may offer some clues, as it tries to reconstruct the collapse of a nightmarishly ambitious dream. Perhaps such a project on film can never succeed. This is an interesting try. Alec Guinness mixes fanaticism and low-key obsession in his interpretation of Hitler. The select Italian and British cast give good support. A film to open up discussion on some of the worst realities of our times.

1. What were your ideas about the attitudes towards Hitler before you saw this film? Why?

2. Did ideas or attitudes change because of this film? How? Why?

3. What was the attitude of screenplay and director towards Hitler? Some critics have said it was too sympathetic.

4. Comment on the use of colour for the Fuhrer's world in the bunker and the sepia and white for the real world outside. Why was this used? What effect?

5. Comment on the use of documentary footage mixed with the fictional material.

6. How objective did the film seem to be - documentary, the testimony of Professor Hugh Trevor-Roper? and others that the screenplay corresponded to fact? What, therefore, was the basic message of the film?

7. Has Alec Guinness convincing as Hitler? How?

8. What was the impact of limiting the action to the last ten days, in diary form and with the continual noting of how far the Russians were from Berlin and the bunker?

9. Did you understand Hitler in his last days? Did he explain himself, his ambitions and ideals, his failure? (Note the map during the credits). - his origins, why he rose to power over Hindenburg, the mass loyalty to him, his attitude towards Britain and to the U.S.?

10. How insane was he? Which sequences illustrated this best? His strategy, appointments, failure to accept the truth, sending boys to defend Berlin, his explanation to Eva Braun about Germany's failure in his eyes and knowing he would lose - explaining away failure; he was never wrong?

11. Were the human touches too soft for presenting such a tyrant? (Some critics who remember the war fear that younger generations will think of him as possibly loveable). Why did he attract people? How did he hold them? Does the film illustrate this - especially the two pilots? The loyalty of Magda Goebbels, Eva Braun?

12. How was Hitler shown as human - e.g. his birthday, meals, songs, the children, resting etc?

13. How did the other characters throw light on Hitler and the whole Nazi situation?

14. Eva Braun - in herself; why was she Hitler's mistress, her role in the bunker, the marriage -with all its formalities and irony?

15. How did Hitler see his death? Why did he have to die? The irony of everyone smoking after Hitler shot himself?

16. What is the value of making a film like this in the 70s and for a 70s audience?