Joseph Goebbels Movies

Joseph Goebbels has often been cited as the man who did the most to help Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party rise to power; he was the architect of the party's propaganda machine and helped to craft the public image of Hitler as he became one of the most hated and feared leaders of his time, and masterminded the greatest crime of the 20th Century. However, while Hitler's life outside of politics has long been a subject of interest, less is known about Goebbels, and The Goebbels Experiment is a documentary which draws upon Goebbels' own journals and rare archival to craft a portrait of his private side, including his passion for the Nazi cause, his devotion to Hitler, his battle with depression, his dramatic mood swings, and his severe contempt for anyone who did not live up to his standards. Kenneth Branagh narrates the English language version of the film. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Triumph of the Will (Triumph des Willens) is a filmed record of the 1934 Nazi Party Convention, in Nuremberg. No, it is more than just a record: it is an exultation of Adolf Hitler, who from the moment his plane descends from Valhalla-like clouds is visually characterized as a God on Earth. The "Jewish question" is disposed of with a few fleeting closeups; filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl prefers to concentrate on cheering crowds, precision marching, military bands, and Hitler's climactic speech, all orchestrated, choreographed and illuminated on a scale that makes Griffith and DeMille look like poverty-row directors. It has been alleged that the climactic rally, "spontaneous" Sieg-Heils and all, was pre-planned according to Riefenstahl's specifications, the better to take full advantage of its cinematic potential. Allegedly, propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels resented the presence and intrusion of a woman director, but finally had to admit that her images, achieved through the use of 30 cameras and 120 assistants, were worth a thousand speeches. Possibly the most powerful propaganda film ever made, Triumph of the Will is also, in retrospect, one of the most horrifying. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide