Helmer Wolfgang Staudte, who made Germany’s first post-WWII release (THE MURDERERS ARE AMONG US, see above), also made this compact road-to-German-fascism film. Brief vignettes detail the life of a ‘typical’ German couple and expose how political & moral apathy helped smooth the way for the rise of the Nazis. It’s a decent attempt at a tough subject, honorable for its modesty alone, and there’s a real emotional pay-off when the couple’s Nazi indoctrinated son returns home to ask forgiveness. But you can’t avoid the feeling that the film has one eye planted firmly on storming the international film festival circuit with its touching humanity.
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