The Hitler Gang

A film historical curiosity: THE HITLER GANG tells the story of the rise of Adolf Hitler and how he seized power in 1933, but dresses up its historical narrative in the garb of a genuine gangster film—and thus probably get closer to the heart of the matter than any “accurate” description of the events. From the very beginning, Hitler is portrayed as a paranoid outsider who—as he convinces himself—is wasting away in a military hospital after a poison gas attack at the end of the First World War, and can no longer find his way in civilian life. It is Ernst Röhm who discovers and encourages his talent for oratory—and brings him to the forefront of a new political movement. The number of future super villains in his surrounding only grows each time he speaks, however... Over a period of 20 years, Robert Watson slipped into the role of Hitler a total of 10 times. Otherwise, it was mainly exiles who played the roles of the same thugs who had led to their being expelled from their home country in the first place. This even caused discomfort in Hollywood at the time because they actually earned higher salaries than their American counterparts in so doing. Helene Thimig plays Hitler’s half-sister, who introduced him to his fleeting spouse: his niece Geli Raubal. (Florian Widegger)

In the presence of Michael Heltau.

John Farrow: TARZAN ESCAPES (1936), WAKE ISLAND (1942), CALIFORNIA (1947), NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES (1948), WHERE DANGER LIVES (1950), HIS KIND OF WOMAN (1951), HONDO (1953), THE SEA CHASE (1955), BACK FROM ETERNITY (1956)