In order to understand and appreciate "Hitler's SS: Portrait in Evil" I should probably explain the context for this made for TV movie. Back in the years before the Nazis took control of Germany, the devoted followers of the party often joined the SA, also known as the 'Brown Shirts' because of their uniforms. These were the enforcers of the party....crazed Nazis who were not averse from using violence or even killing to further their cause. They helped Hitler and the Nazis rise to power by 1933 and were organized thugs. In its prime the SA was huge....and loyal to the gay leader of the organization, Ernst Röhm. But Hitler felt Röhm posed a threat to his power and ordered the smaller but more ruthless SS to depose Röhm and the rest of the leaders of the SA. Certainly the SS was evil (as well as being the architects and foot soldiers who instituted the 'final solution'), but the SA wasn't exactly a group of boy scouts....they were vicious thugs...just not as well organized or quite as ruthless as the SS.
When the story begins, you see that two brothers gravitate towards joining the SA (John Shea) and SS (Bill Nighy). Now Karl (Shea) didn't make a lot of sense...he was not a violent or vicious person yet he joined the SA...but Helmut (Nighy) was a better fit with the SS as he craved power and money. Ultimately, you KNOW that their being on different sides in the struggle for power will ultimately lead to problems....but what exactly you'll have to see for yourself.
This story is not one about the 'good brother and bad brother'. It's not a struggle over good and evil...it's a struggle for power. This is a subject you rarely hear about in films or even documentaries..and it does represent an amazing period in German history.
So is it worth watching? Well, it is well made and quite interesting...and makes an interesting accompaniment if you first watch the mini series "Holocaust" or a documentary about the Nazis circa 1932-1934. The acting and costumes are quite good as well. My only major is that the film makes the SA look a lot nicer than they were...and it's hard to imagine a nice guy like Karl even fitting in with these degenerates. A minor complaint is that the film might have benefited from some editing, as it does drag a bit in spots and the latter portion seemed a bit episodic.
When the story begins, you see that two brothers gravitate towards joining the SA (John Shea) and SS (Bill Nighy). Now Karl (Shea) didn't make a lot of sense...he was not a violent or vicious person yet he joined the SA...but Helmut (Nighy) was a better fit with the SS as he craved power and money. Ultimately, you KNOW that their being on different sides in the struggle for power will ultimately lead to problems....but what exactly you'll have to see for yourself.
This story is not one about the 'good brother and bad brother'. It's not a struggle over good and evil...it's a struggle for power. This is a subject you rarely hear about in films or even documentaries..and it does represent an amazing period in German history.
So is it worth watching? Well, it is well made and quite interesting...and makes an interesting accompaniment if you first watch the mini series "Holocaust" or a documentary about the Nazis circa 1932-1934. The acting and costumes are quite good as well. My only major is that the film makes the SA look a lot nicer than they were...and it's hard to imagine a nice guy like Karl even fitting in with these degenerates. A minor complaint is that the film might have benefited from some editing, as it does drag a bit in spots and the latter portion seemed a bit episodic.