Anthony Hopkins in 'The Bunker' (1981)

preview_player
Показать описание
In 1945, American correspondent James O'Donnell (James Naughton) is gaining entry to the Führerbunker by bribing a Soviet sentry with a packet of cigarettes.

The film then tells the story of the occupants of the bunker between January and May 1945 as an extended flashback. A number of historical events and the reactions of the bunker's residents are presented, including the encirclement of Berlin, Hitler's (Sir Anthony Hopkins) last meeting with Albert Speer (Richard Jordan) and the attempts by Speer to sabotage Hitler's scorched earth policy, Speer's abortive plan to kill Hitler in the bunker, Hitler's dismissal of Heinz Guderian, Hitler's firing of Heinrich Himmler and Hermann Goering, the failure of German forces to lift the siege, the murder of the Joseph Goebbel's (Cliff Gorman) children, Hitler's wedding to Eva Braun (Susan Blakely), and the suicides of Hitler, Braun and Joseph and Magda Goebbels (Piper Laurie).

The film ends as groups of survivors are leaving the bunker complex of the Reich Chancellery. The final scene depicts the bunker's mechanic and final occupant, Hentschel, listening to a radio announcement that Hitler has died fighting. He throws a set of papers at the radio in disgust and the scene dissolves to a series of still images with voiceover explaining the fate of the remaining survivors. The last still image is of Hitler giving a speech during his rise to power, with O'Donnel's VoiceOver: "It was Thomas Hardy who said 'While much is too strange to be believed, nothing is too strange to have happened." The still then comes to life briefly, depicting Hitler giving a political speech. The scene dissolves into the final still image of the ruined bunker as the credits roll.

A 1981 American made-for-television historical war film directed by George Schaefer, produced by Time-Life Productions, written by John Gay, based on James P. O'Donnell's book "The Bunker" (1975), cinematography by Jean-Louis Picavet, starring Anthony Hopkins, Richard Jordan, Cliff Gorman, James Naughton, Michel Lonsdale, Piper Laurie, and Susan Blakely. An American-French co-production.

In a short scene at the beginning of the film, a younger O'Donnell is played by actor James Naughton. O'Donnell himself provided brief voice-over narrations at the beginning and end of the film. Actors Michael Sheard (Himmler) and Tony Steedman (Jodl) reprised their characters from the British television film "The Death of Adolf Hitler" (1973).

After viewing the dailies, one of the producers complained that Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Adolf Hitler was too sympathetic. Hopkins replied that his portrayal was based on the premise that ultimately even Hitler was also human, and that's what's so horrific about him. In addition to the historical research, Anthony Hopkins styled Adolf Hitler after his paternal grandmother. His grandfather was a tyrant, of whom Hopkins was scared as a child. Reporters on the set said the sense of realism was so intense that at one point, when Anthony Hopkins entered the room to prepare for the next scene, actors portraying SS German soldiers snapped to attention whenever Hopkins came onto the set, even if he wasn't in character.

Anthony Hopkins won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for his portrayal of Adolf Hitler at the 33rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1981) Piper Laurie was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special, and René Magnol, Robert L. Harman, William McCaughey, and Howard S. Wollman were nominated for Outstanding Film Sound Mixing.

The actors' interpretations of the events differ in ways from the traditional accounts. During the final meeting between Hitler and Albert Speer, Hopkins adopts a sarcastic tone and gestures (including mock applause) that suggest Hitler was already aware of Speer's betrayal, even though he uses the exact words recounted by the witnesses. This became a controversial scene due to a perception in some circles that the resemblance to Jesus Christ's legendary foreseeing of Judas's betrayal was intentional. These accusations were consistently denied, as were reports regarding a rumored on-set romance between Piper Laurie (Magda Goebbels) and Cliff Gorman (Joseph Goebbels).

The film shifts the point-of-view character regularly, and characters who are not known to have left their experiences on record often tell the story. Dr. Werner Haase is used in this manner, even though he was never interviewed (having died in late 1950). Likewise, two scenes are written from the viewpoint of Hitler's cook, Constanze Manziarly, and in one scene, Manziarly actually has a flashback, remembering happier days. However, Manziarly disappeared while escaping from the bunker, so neither O'Donnell nor any other person was able to interview her or get her viewpoint.

The ending is also influenced by O'Donnell's book and its focus on the bunker itself, ending just as the main surviving characters are leaving the bunker.
Рекомендации по теме
Комментарии
Автор

Speer was a genius. The fact that he was able to convince the judges at Nuremberg of a degree of innocence - sufficient to avoid the death penalty - was absolutely amazing.

rosamariaarriaga
Автор

After a while I was thinking "... the music sounds like The Terminator" and sure enough, Brad Fiedel is the composer for this movie, three years before "I'll be baack".

goranekstrom
Автор

Bruno Ganz portrayal of Hitler was memorizing, having the accent certainly helped. Anthony Hopkins acting was outstanding. Downfall movie was my favorite, story very authentic. Many thanks YouTube for showing so many great shows !! Greetings from Melbourne. 🤠💯👍

patriciaholtkamp
Автор

I'm 59 yrs old and I consider myself a strong WWII aficionado, yet this is the first time I've seen this movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it. A ballsy/brilliant decision to have the German's speaking in english! The dialogue still felt real, with not one moment negatively portrayed. Bravo to the actors, the director as well as the entire production.

JohnThrogmorton
Автор

The incident with Guderian was much more dynamic. Guderian turned purple with rage when Hitler tried blaming the troops and with a heart condition it was feared he'd have a massive heart attack. The ones that dished it back to Hitler like Manstein, Guderian, and Rundstedt for example Hitler would actually give a grudging respect to and relieve-but under the pretenses of 'health reasons' when they drew the line and made too much sense.

tomservo
Автор

The pressure and depression in that bunker must have been tangible.

keithrose
Автор

Anthony Hopkins made the most convincing Hitler for the time the movie was made in 1981.

Cavallaro
Автор

Anthony hopkins really does do an amazing job at playing this role. I'm almost convinced i'm looking at hitler. I have seen actual footage of hitler doing public speaking, and he must have researched a lot of footage from the world war in order to play this role.

liatmarmur
Автор

Thanks for sharing this Donald, Anthony Hopkins is one of my Godfather in acting and I was searching for some early days of his work, love from India...

dreamsdocometrue
Автор

Three historical mistakes I found in this movie:

1. The Americans bombed during the day and the British at night contrary to what Speer said to the officer.

2. Fegelein was not hanged but shot.

3. It was Hitler's left hand that trembled not his right hand.

zorgman
Автор

A true masterpiece of film making, acting, and all other aspects. Bravo. Encore.
Watching from the North East of England. Excellent upload.

hipbsquareguitar
Автор

“You know, with Hitler, the more I learn about that guy, the more I don’t care for him.”
-Norm Macdonald

jamessoltis
Автор

Blondie did not deserve to be killed. She was a good girl.

CPDheadstomp
Автор

Anthony Hopkins is one of the top ten actors of all time.

vincentbugalia
Автор

Anthony Hopkins won a very well deserved Emmy Award.for this

TimKozlowski-bptg
Автор

Watched this on TV. Again in History Class in high school. Excellent

josephloehr
Автор

Anthony Hopkins is going to go down and be bigger than Hitler for many many years and is such a great actor and this is a sad story yet I’m glad it didn’t go the other way

lukehorning
Автор

Thanks for posting 👍on a side note to you tube is it really necessary to put a Samaritans link under the video 🙄🙄🙄

retroadventurer
Автор

As a WWII history nut with a bad memory (old age) is there any truth to his behavior (approx. 47:00) in this movie? I mean I did read that when he threw tantrums in meetings he would chew the carpet but to want all of Germany to die too is something I hadn't ever heard.

thcharacter
Автор

It's mind boggling to think of mothers slaughtering their own children like that.
They carried them, raised them, cherished them...and then murdered them.
Many of Jim Jones' female followers did the same.
Cults twist people's minds in the worst possible way.

TheAngryAstronaut
join shbcf.ru