MovieChat Forums > Inside the Third Reich (1982) Discussion > Jacobi's Portrayal of Hitler

Jacobi's Portrayal of Hitler

posted 21 years ago by Petronius Arbiter II
18 replies | jump to latest

Anybody else out there think the incredibly skillful Derek Jacobi has given the world our best dramatic portrayal of Hitler to date? As in, on the surface, he doesn't much seem to be the maniacal monster we know him to be underneath. He is far more bourgeouis, less truly radical-minded, less intelligent, and more capable of exuding a sort of oily charm, than most people, including Hitler himself, believed him to be-- the kind of man who makes *beep* jokes and then is ever so pleased with himself when others laugh, never perceiving that they're laughing at this obvious breach of taste in large part because he can have them killed if they don't. Jacobi's Hitler is probably very, very close to the way the Fuehrer actually was.

[–] Petronius Arbiter II 21 years ago

In case you're wondering, the auto-censored word in the first posting is what in America is commonly referred to as "the N word," a word widely used by the Ku Klux Klan and their ilk. That's the problem with auto-censoring: you can't use a word the computer doesn't like even though you're doing so in a context that makes clear that you don't ordinarily approve of the use of the word.

[–] 21 years ago

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[–] the_eagle 20 years ago

Derek Jacobi's portrayal of Hitler is a good one. A few honourable mentions are

1. Anthony Hopkins - The Bunker
2. Alec Guiness - Hitler: The Last Ten Days
3. Robert Carlyle - Hitler: The Rise Of Evil
4. Steven Berkoff - War & Remembrance

[–] whipit7 20 years ago

Ive seen all of those except the last one *actually, I probably have seen it but years and years ago* and I thought they all did great jobs, I'd have to give the nod to Hopkins though.

[–] Petronius Arbiter II 20 years ago

I thought Hopkins did a great job but the characterization itself, as written and directed, was unimaginative and overly conventional. This is not necessarily Hopkins' fault, of course; it is on the shoulders of the producer(s), director, and screenwriters that most of the weight of responsibility for the quality of a movie rests.

[–] bombad_jedi 19 years ago

It's funny how no one ever mentions Bruno Ganz's stellar performance of hitler in "Der Untergang".

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Seb-15 19 years ago

I really like Derek Jacobi as Hitler. Actually an interesting portrayal of Hitler as a younger man is in Max (if anyone watches it...) Its very intrigueing how they seem to show his need to impress, his impatience, his obsessiveness. And to some extent his manic side. though possibly not historically accurate, its a very good portrayal.

As for Derek Jacobi, he does portray a very real Hitler. I've yet to see Der Untergang but bet its the best portrayal yet. I look forward to seeing it soon!

"You cant drown, you're immortal!"
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[–] realmusicman 15 years ago

I thought Jacobi did a great job as Hitler and for the longest time he was my favourite actor to play the role.

But after "Der Untergang," Bruno Ganz now gets my vote with Jacobi a close second.

[–] andy123127 13 years ago

I agree 100%. Although I'm actually right in the middle of watching this movie as I'm writing this I was compelled to hit pause and come over here to see what other people thought of Jacobis portrayal of Adolf Hitler.
Through him we get a far more nuanced and believable portrayal of what the man was really like, as someone else mentioned on here most portrayals of Hitler are tainted with anti-fascist propaganda widely peddled by the victors after WW2.
The "War and Remebrance" series was horribly defaced by the actor playing that ridiculously caricaturized Hitler... seemed to me like a Stalinists wet dream.

With that said, I'd definetly give Bruno Ganz the 1st place as well.... if there ever was to be a remake of this movie there could be no other choice for someone portraying Hitler than this superb actor.... did he receive an Oscar for his performance btw? He richly deserved it... great movie!

[–] little_peyton 18 years ago

I agree wholeheartedly with IlluSionS667. Hitler is usually portrayed and a raving lunatic, and Jacobi does a fine job but it's still rather an incomplete performance. Hitler was reknowned for his personal charm and magnetism, and any serious historian knows that this element of his personality was one of the key reasons he became so powerful.

IMHO, it is doubtful we will ever see a performance that truly encapsulates Hitler himself. No one will dare portray him as human for fear of the political backlash. So it goes...

[–] pro_aris_et_focis 11 years ago

Bruno Ganz IS Hitler. It ill be a long time before we see anyone nail an odd character like Dolf Hitler as well as Ganz did in Der Untergang.

I can't believe there are pople who actually enjoyed Anthony Hopkins potrayal of Hitler! While I love Hopkins for all of his stellar performances, Adolf Hitler is not one of them. When he tries to do the Hiter rambling all he does is lose his breath and his face turns red! It's hard to undersand when you hav no breath to say your lines! After a few times of suffering thru this I found myself fast forwarding thru those type of scenes I cold not bare to watch it! Hitler did not stutter so I don't know where Hopkins got the stuttering thing, either. I couldn't believe when I found out Hopkins actual ly won an award fo this performance. If you want to see Hitler as close as anactor can possibly come then watch Bruno Ganz in Der Untergang.

[–] KrazeeforKittiez 8 years ago

Posters kept bringing this up so I had to try and find it on you tube. The first time I found it...it had been deleted due to copyright infringement, etc. but I finally found it (also called Downfall) and will have to watch as soon as I get a chance.
http://twomovies.us/full_movie/24/363163/1/

If you watch this, don't download anything and just confirm that you are a human being.

I had the chance to work with Michael Jackson who was as brilliant as they come.
Tommy Mottola

[–] KrazeeforKittiez 8 years ago

Bruno Ganz's stellar performance of hitler in "Der Untergang" is the best one I have seen. However, Jacobi's performance of Hitler is guided in large part by how Speer perceived him and I think the audience is privy to Hitler in private life more than is usually shown.

It was the first time I had seen Hitler in the early stages of his "career" and Speer gave us his view on that period of time, assuming it had some accuracy.

I had the chance to work with Michael Jackson who was as brilliant as they come.
Tommy Mottola

[–] little_peyton 18 years ago

I would have to add Noah Taylor's portrayal of young Hitler in the film "Max" to the honorable mentions list above. Very nice work in that film.

[–] Edward_de_Vere 12 years ago

Jacobi certainly had Hitler's gestures and mannerisms down. Apart from Bruno Gans' German language performance in Untergang, Jacobi's is probably the best portrayal of Hitler by any actor that I've seen.

Unfortunately, the rest of the film and cast just doesn't measure up, either due to being miscast (Ian Holm, normally a first-rate actor, really was out of place as Goebbels), outright poor acting, or historical distortions/inaccuracies.

[–] MercurialAquarian 12 years ago

Derek Jacobi's portrayal of the up-and-coming Adolf Hitler, during those early, lean years of the NDSP, continues to captivate me. I find great interest in the human condition and with those who would use particular rhetoric and behaviors to exploit it for self gain, privilege, and power. Jacobi expertly delivers the upstart's address at the community center (the same one that greatly influenced the young Speer) with escalating passion and zeal for the fascist crusade, eerily demonstrating how such a sinister man can be viewed as the next best hope for a financially, politically, and emotionally crushed nation during a time of unrest and uncertainty.

[–] chrissso 8 years ago

Sounds like most agree Jacobi is only second to Ganz ... but let me add Robert Carlyle in Hitler: The Rise Of Evil.