The first third of the movie is one of those World War One Flying Aces epics in which German pilots -- for this is a German movie -- go up and knock down English planes and observation balloons. Some don't return, but it's all good fun, with elegant dinner service, candle light, and cognac. One captured English pilot goes to wash his hands, gives his word of honor that he won't try to escape, and proceeds to do so. Paul Hartmann, in charge of the squadron, doesn't mind; as he later says, he would have done the same thing.
After the War, of course, the situation changes. The opprobrious peace terms mean that Germany has no army, no air force, and Hartmann can't earn a living, even as a liquor salesman, let alone a pilot. Eventually he is thrown in prison for defending his old Fokker, and he becomes completely disenchanted and radicalized. In the end, we get a brief coda in which the Nazi banners are unfurled, the army and a universal draft are restored, and Hartman is put in charge of the Von Richtofen Squadron. Happy Ending!
I've looked at a bunch of films from this era, searching for overt propaganda. I've found many movies that toe the party line, but are mostly just story movies about people living their lives. This long-winded movie (it times in at over two hours) is propaganda, pure and simple.
German movies in this era are in rather short supply. We are told they're all propaganda, and so there is no need to look at them, so we never get a chance to look at them. I'm still convinced that the majority of German movies were commercial affairs, intended to compete in a world-wide market for movies. It's good to see the other sort. This may have been nominated for the Mussolini Cup at the Venice Film festival, but I doubt it played much outside of the Axis.
After the War, of course, the situation changes. The opprobrious peace terms mean that Germany has no army, no air force, and Hartmann can't earn a living, even as a liquor salesman, let alone a pilot. Eventually he is thrown in prison for defending his old Fokker, and he becomes completely disenchanted and radicalized. In the end, we get a brief coda in which the Nazi banners are unfurled, the army and a universal draft are restored, and Hartman is put in charge of the Von Richtofen Squadron. Happy Ending!
I've looked at a bunch of films from this era, searching for overt propaganda. I've found many movies that toe the party line, but are mostly just story movies about people living their lives. This long-winded movie (it times in at over two hours) is propaganda, pure and simple.
German movies in this era are in rather short supply. We are told they're all propaganda, and so there is no need to look at them, so we never get a chance to look at them. I'm still convinced that the majority of German movies were commercial affairs, intended to compete in a world-wide market for movies. It's good to see the other sort. This may have been nominated for the Mussolini Cup at the Venice Film festival, but I doubt it played much outside of the Axis.
