Post by drystyx on Mar 18, 2018 15:58:23 GMT
I've probably brought this classic up before, but it never ceases to amaze me.
So much is in this film that it boggles the mind.
First and foremost, as this is the story of the enemy, the Nazi machine, the six soldiers behind enemy lines are the enemy, and each of the six has a different character and personality that shows how the Nazi war machine used and viewed its cogs. It's seen by some of the modernists who want to hide their own neo Nazi agenda as being "propaganda", but in fact, it's just pure truth.
It's truth mostly because it's made in 1941, when people are face to face with the evil Nazi demon, and all it included. It's seen as propaganda by the modern "theist hater" because of its true depiction which was in the face of humanity at the time.
The turn around of six Axis soldiers behind the lines shows a celebration in their eyes of their own evil in order to get out, as opposed to six Allied soldiers using wits. When Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan are behind the lines as Allied soldiers captured by the Germans, Reagan plays the con artist sort who turns his interrogation into a chance to act like a rat, only to knock out the German officer and put on his uniform to get the other Americans out. He uses a "fair play" gimmick.
The Germans behind the lines use only evil as accorded to their characters.
The first German, the leader, is an atheist using the platform of Nazi ideology to create the master race. He's given an iota of humanity as he allows a dying man a glass of water. When the dying man asks for his rosary, he asks "what good is that to him?" He does so out of simple compliance with his materialistic atheist character. Today, the materialism demon controls so many fools in the world, that they refuse to acknowledge this was historically true, and the main cog in Hitler's machine. Like most pagans (as Hitler professed to be), paganism was a tool to call some men and women gods, goddesses, demi gods and goddesses, and others as cannon fodder. Today's neo Nazi agenda Hollywood has people so brainwashed, even in Moslem countries, that they are totally inept or unwilling to correctly identify the labels. They're total pawns to neo Nazi demon controlled maniacs like Eastwood, Raimi, Coppola, and Bruce Campbell, that they're totally blind to reality. This first German character defines their own ideology too much for them to accept this film, but he was the reality of the Nazi demon.
The second German is the heroic German, the good one. He wants to be a good soldier, but like the hero of PLATOON, he rebels against the atrocities, though he lets them happen, because he's fighting for Germany, and he too late realizes the demon is not the Allies. He saves the lives of his companions, and proves to be their best man and soldier, yet his reward is what the Nazi demon dictates for true honor and courage, not what he deserves. His final scenes in the commune are perhaps the greatest film scenes in history. Yes, there were Germans like him, and often they were dealt with as he was.
The third German is the aristocrat, who prides himself on material gain. He is more of a fool than a villain, but he is prey to the Nazi demon, and falsely thinks he is in control. He's not.
The fourth German is a total brute, a vicious monster, the bully. He finds in the Nazi demon a chance to display his bullying with great reward. This makes him the easiest to hate in the Eskimo village they first encounter.
The fifth German is a career soldier. He is not so much consumed by the Nazi demon as he is just an obedient servant. He sees himself as loyal. The clue to his character is sublime. He begins strong, but after the Germans are forced to abandon their uniforms and wear civilian clothes, he loses his strength and his drive. This obedient German soldier is capable of doing evil under orders, without thought. He probably isn't evil himself, but like the aristocrat, more of a fool.
The sixth German is the opportunist. It's interesting that as the third who is more of a fool than a truly evil person, that half the German soldiers are misguided fools. The key to his character is when he and the leader, the last two of the Germans, shower in the Canadian wilderness camp, he uses the hot water gladly to shower, and gives the leader a rolling eye look when the leader refuses to abase himself with hot water, showering with cold water instead, to show some degree of superiority. It is after this that this soldier realizes the leader is insane, and goes off on his own.
So much is told with this story. It is one of the greatest war classics ever, and truly a 10/10.
