Greatest Film Scenes
and Moments



Triumph of the Will (1935)

 



Written by Tim Dirks

Title Screen
Movie Title/Year and Scene Descriptions
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Triumph of the Will (1935, Germ.) (aka Triumph Des Willens)

In Leni Riefenstahl's influential yet infamous propagandistic documentary film that glorified Hitler and his regime over a four day period in Nuremberg, Germany in 1934:

  • the remarkable ethereal and visual imagery of the god-like descent of Hitler's plane from the clouds as he arrived over the city of Nuremberg (with the sight of the plane's dark shadow moving over buildings and the landscape, and the long lines of marching men below appearing ant-like) - and then his Messiah-like, savior-figure emergence from the airplane with a demure smile
  • Hitler's triumphant motorcade review of the cheering, adoring and worshipping throngs of celebrity-followers, many of whom (almost in mass hysteria) raised their arms with the 'Heil Fuhrer' Hitler salute to honor their idolized, omnipotent leader
  • the next morning's emphasis on German youth activities in a camp where the boys were shaving, washing, wrestling, etc.
  • Hitler's stirring and inspiring address during a daytime Youth Rally concentrating on Germany's youth, regarding them as the country's future (as the camera circled around him), and in militaristic terms describing how they must sacrifice themselves: "My German youth. After a year, I can greet you here again. You are here today in this place a cross section of what is around us in the whole of Germany. And we know that you German boys and girls are taking on everything we hope for from Germany. We want to be one people. And you, my youth, are to be this people. We want to see no more class divisions. You must not let this grow up amongst you. We want to see one Reich one day. And you must train for it. We want our people to be obedient. And you must practice obedience. We want our people to love peace, but also to be brave. And you must be peace-loving...And so you must be peace-loving and courageous at the same time. We want our people to remain strong. It will be hard and you must steel yourselves for it in your youth. You must learn to suffer privation without crumbling once. And whatever we create today, whatever we do, we will die, but Germany will live on in you. And when there is nothing left of us, then you must hold in your fists the flags that we hoisted out of nothing. And I know this cannot be otherwise. Because you are the flesh of our flesh, and the blood of our blood. And in your young heads burns the same spirit that rules us. You cannot be other than united with us. And when the great columns of our movement march triumphantly through Germany today, I know you will join the columns. And we know - before us Germany lies, in us Germany burns, and behind us Germany follows."
  • the impressive sequence of Hitler flanked by Heinrich Himmler and Viktor Lutze as they walked through military throngs of thousands of at-attention Storm Troopers and SS troops, on their way to lay a wreath at a WWI memorial site
  • the spectacular and massive night rally of low-ranking political party officials, where Hitler delivered another long and climactic outdoors speech in which he declared that the Party and State were one, rousing the crowd to cheer, applaud, and show enthusiasm: "...We cannot be disloyal to what has given us sense and purpose. Nothing will come from nothing if it is not grounded on a greater order. This order was not given to us by an earthly superior. It was given to us by God who created our people. This is our vow tonight. Every hour, every day, think only of Germany, the people, the Reich, the German nation and the German people. Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!"
  • the closing indoor ceremony and Hitler's spirited speech at a podium to the 1934 Nazi Party Congress' rally/convention held for his political party, with his final rousing words, expressing how the Nationalist Socialist party (and his leadership) would dominate: "...the idea and the movement are the expression of our people and a symbol of the eternal. Long live the National Socialist movement! Long live Germany!"; Hess followed with a few final exclamations: "The Party is Hitler! But Hitler is Germany as Germany is Hitler! Hitler, Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!" and the assembly sang Horst Wesel Lied as the film was about to end
  • the final image of a swastika banner fluttering - super-imposed on a silhouetted column of marching soldiers moving forward
Swastika Banner Fluttering
Column of Marching Soldiers



Hitler's Arrival by Plane and Heroic Entrance


The Exalted Leader Hitler

Marching Through StormTroopers



Hitler's Night-time Address to the Masses

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