Movies About Nazis

From Steven Spielberg, starring Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Caroline Goodall
Rated R

Schindler’s List is a 1993 American epic historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Zaillian. It is based on the novel Schindler’s Ark by Thomas Keneally. The film follows Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees from the Holocaust by employing them in his factories during World War II. It stars Liam Neeson as Schindler, Ralph Fiennes as SS officer Amon Göth, and Ben Kingsley as Schindler’s Jewish accountant Itzhak Stern. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning a nomination for the Palme d'Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, and a record seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score. It was also a box office success, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1994 and the highest-grossing foreign-language film in the United States. In addition, the film was chosen by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films of all time.

From Roman Polanski, starring Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Emilia Fox
Rated R

The Pianist is a 2002 biographical drama film directed by Roman Polanski and written by Ronald Harwood. The film follows the story of Władysław Szpilman (played by Adrien Brody), a Jewish pianist, who survived the Holocaust during World War II by hiding in the ruins of Warsaw, Poland. After being separated from his family in the Warsaw Ghetto, Szpilman struggles to survive and is eventually saved by a German officer. Throughout the film, Szpilman remains resilient and is able to retain his will to live despite his suffering. The film ends with Szpilman's performance of a piece by Chopin, symbolizing his reclaiming of his identity and his hope for a better future. The Pianist won three Academy Awards in 2003, including Best Actor for Adrien Brody, Best Director for Roman Polanski, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Ronald Harwood. The film has been praised for its realism, accuracy, and emotional power.

From Stanley Kramer, starring Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich
Rated Approved

Judgment at Nuremberg is a 1961 American courtroom drama film about the Nazi war crimes trials of four German judges. Directed by Stanley Kramer, it stars Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Maximilian Schell, Werner Klemperer, Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, and Montgomery Clift. The film tells the story of an American judge, Dan Haywood (Tracy), sent to the German city of Nuremberg to preside over a war crimes trial of four German judges, Ernst Janning (Schell), Wilhelm Trask (Widmark), Ivo von Klemperer (Klemperer), and Hans Rolfe (Lancaster). Haywood's rulings ultimately lead to a guilty verdict for three of the accused. The film also addresses issues of collective guilt, the power of the Nazi regime, and the responsibility of the individual in the face of oppressive political forces. The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won two awards (Best Actor for Maximilian Schell, Best Writing for Abby Mann). It was also selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

From Oliver Hirschbiegel, starring Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara, Ulrich Matthes, Juliane Köhler
Rated R

Downfall is a 2004 German war drama film directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, depicting the final days of Adolf Hitler's reign of Nazi Germany in April–May 1945. The film is based on several historical accounts of the period, including Traudl Junge's memoir,Until the Final Hour. The film follows Hitler's inner circle as they attempt to maintain their loyalty to him and the regime, despite their awareness of the reality of Germany's impending defeat in World War II. Hitler's deteriorating health, paranoia, and delusional state of mind cause tension and conflict among his staff, and eventually leads to his suicide in his bunker beneath the Reich Chancellery. Despite its focus on Hitler, the film also provides a powerful insight into the human cost of war, from the perspective of the individuals involved. It has received widespread critical acclaim, and has been praised for its cinematography, performances, and historical accuracy.

From Marc Rothemund, starring Julia Jentsch, Fabian Hinrichs, Alexander Held, Johanna Gastdorf
Rated Not Rated

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (2005) is a biographical drama directed by Marc Rothemund and starring Julia Jentsch as Sophie Scholl. The film looks at the last six days of Sophie Scholl's life during World War II, as she is arrested and interrogated by the Gestapo for her involvement in the White Rose, a student resistance movement. The film follows Sophie as she is put through a rigorous interrogation process, but never wavers in her ideals and beliefs. Throughout her ordeal, Sophie's courage and strength are inspiring to both her family and her interrogators, and her willingness to sacrifice her own safety to speak out against the Nazi regime is a testament to her bravery. The film ends with Sophie being found guilty of treason and executed, but her legacy and spirit live on.

From Bryan Singer, starring Tom Cruise, Bill Nighy, Carice van Houten, Kenneth Branagh
Rated PG-13

From Menno Meyjes, starring John Cusack, Noah Taylor, Leelee Sobieski, Molly Parker
Rated R