HITLER’S MADMAN

US, 1943, 85 minutes, Black-and-white.
Patricia Morrison, John Carradine, Alan Curtis, Ralph Morgan.
Directed by Douglas Sirk.

Hitler’s Madman is the story of the assassination of Hitler’s Protector in Czechoslovakia, Reinhard Heydrich, cruel in his administration of the country after its invasion and occupation. The same story appears in Fritz Lang’s Hangman Also Die. There was a short film, a documentary at this period, made by the celebrated Humphrey Jennings. And in 1975, Lewis Gilbert directed a more elaborate and crafted film, Operation Daybreak.

This film was directed by Douglas Sirk, who came to the United States from Germany in the late 1930s. He had a successful career, moving to small budget films and Universal in the 1950s and then making his celebrated romantic melodramas including All That Heaven Allows and The Magnificent Obsession in the 1950s.

This is clearly a propaganda film, capitalising on audience revulsion at the massacre in Lidice. A Czech national is parachuted into urge locals to participate in resistance and sabotage. The leading businessmen of the town (Ralph Morgan) opts for quiet acceptance, quoting the parish priest, but when the priest is brutally killed by Heydrich (John Carrdine) during a procession, he changes his mind, praying in the church for a sign. This comes with the wife of the media, disillusioned with nuts is on the death of her sons, telling him when Heydrich was to drive through the area the next morning. The group ambush Heydrich and he is wounded, later dying. Himmler arrives from Berlin and orders the destruction of Lidice, the massacre of the men and women and children going to a concentration camp.

1. The film reflecting events of the war on the continent of Europe, in Czechoslovakia? The film emerging in the year following the events of June 10, 1942 and the destruction of the town of Lidice, the massacre of the men and the internment in concentration camps of the women and children?

2. The director, his German background, moving to Hollywood in the 1930s, his career, his perspectives?

3. Audience knowledge of the events at the time, in retrospect? The Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia, the occupation, Heydrich as the protector, his treatment of the people, their subservience? Nazi authorities in each town? Nazi propaganda and the taking and execution of hostages?

4. The atmosphere of Czechoslovakia, the studio sets, the American performers?

5. Karel and his being parachuted into the area, his return home, the various men parachuted into different parts of the country to urge resistance? Karel and his return to the town, is going to the cave, meeting the hermit, getting him to round up the citizens of the town for a meeting? His meeting Jarmilla, their love? His going to the house, meeting her mother, her concern?

6. The meeting, the urging of resistance, the men wary, Jan and his preferring no action? His daughter and her enthusiasm?

7. The media, the Nazi appointee, his pomposity, loyalty to the Fuhrer, his wife being less enthusiastic? His promising to phone Prague to get the hostage release and his not doing it? Anticipating his sons visiting, the news of their deaths? The effect on his wife? Her disillusionment with Nazism? Going to the church, meeting young, giving him the information about Heydrich’s driving through the village?

8. The authorities in Prague, Heydrich and his arrogance? The local authorities, the decision about taking Bartok as a hostage, the arrest, his wife’s plea, its being disregarded, his being brought home in the coffin?

9. The invitation to sabotage, its happening, the effect?

10. Karel and his love for Jarmilla, his returning, the news about Heydrich and his car, young and his change of heart, the group ambushing Heydrich, the shootings, Karel and Jarmilla and they getting away, the pursuit, Jarmilla being killed?

11. Heydrich, his arrogance, driving through the town, the procession, his driving speedily through, the confrontation with the priest, the discussion, shooting him? The reaction of the people?

12. Heydrich, not immediately dying, Himmler coming to see him, Heydrich wanting to live, not interested in idiology, Himmler and his manner, arrogance, phoning Hitler, flattering Hitler about Heydrich’s last words about him? Himmler and his ordering the destruction and massacre at Lidice?

13. Jan, his prestige in the town, the other men in the shops, the mines? His being disillusioned after the procession and the priest’s death in the? Praying in the church, wanting a sign, the man’s wife and the information, taking it is a sign? His ultimately being arrested?

14. The authorities arriving in the town, the decision about Lidice rather than the other town where there was a munitions factory? The assembling of the men, the segregating of the women and children? The visuals of the massacring of the men?

15. The film in retrospect, dramatising a significant event in World War II, and the impact of the film in its time, Hollywood and its concerns for defeating Hitler?