Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage (2005)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Marc Rothemund

Writer:

Fred Breinersdorfer (writer)

Release Date:

24 February 2005 (Germany)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

In 1943, one young woman stood up to the Nazis, her courage made her a legend, this is her story . . .

Plot:

A dramatization of the final days of Sophie Scholl, one of the most famous members of the German World War II anti-Nazi resistance movement, The White Rose.

Plot Keywords:

Gallow | Staircase | Bias Trial | Risk | Political

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 15 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Julia Jentsch	...	Sophie Magdalena Scholl
Gerald Alexander Held	...	Robert Mohr (as Alexander Held)
Fabian Hinrichs	...	Hans Scholl
Johanna Gastdorf	...	Else Gebel
André Hennicke	...	Richter Dr. Roland Freisler
Florian Stetter	...	Christoph Probst
Maximilian Brückner	...	Willi Graf
Johannes Suhm	...	Alexander Schmorell
Lilli Jung	...	Gisela Schertling
Klaus Händl	...	Lohner
Petra Kelling	...	Magdalena Scholl
Jörg Hube	...	Robert Scholl
Franz Staber	...	Werner Scholl
Maria Hofstätter	...	Wärterin
Wolfgang Pregler	...	Jakob Schmid

Also Known As:

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (UK) (original subtitled version) (USA)

Runtime:

120 min | Argentina:117 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-11 | Sweden:7 | Hong Kong:IIA | Singapore:PG | UK:PG | Brazil:16 | Australia:M | Malaysia:U | South Korea:15 | Peru:14 | Germany:12 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich)

Filming Locations:

Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Broth Film

Trivia:

Some scenes were filmed at the University of Munich, the original location where Sophie and Hans Scholl had been arrested. The square in front of the university's main building is called "Geschwister-Scholl-Platz".

Goofs:

Factual errors: While being locked up in a Munich Gestapo prison cell the night from February 20 to 21 1943, Sophie Scholl and her cell-mate Else witness an allied air raid with flashlight, howling sirens and bursting bombs. In reality no bombs fell on Munich the time between the British attacks of December 22, 1942, and March 8, 1943.

Quotes:

Christoph Probst: It wasn't in vain.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage' (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Sugar

A finely accurate, touching story

As this is more of a history film, I will write this review based on the historical aspect of the film and not so much about the acting. However it goes without saying that the acting and handling of the camera was nothing less than superlative! By watching the film you really have the impression of being there at that time.

This film details the last six days of the primary members of a resistance group called the White Rose. The White Rose was an organization of students, mainly around Munich, during the years 1942-1943, though there were fringe elements that eluded capture by the authorities that survived until the end of the war. Many of those survivors contribute to this story.

There are two other films about the group. The main one was a film called "The White Rose". It can be found described here in IMDb. It recounts the complete story of the group. The other was Fünf Letzte Tage (The five last days), which deals with Sophie's last five days. Both of these movies were released in 1982 and the same actress (Lena Stolze) plays Sophie Scholl.

This current film is an amalgamation of the two films with some expansion to the story. More information since the original two films, released in 1982, was subsequently available.

I have studied the story of this group at some length and find the historical aspects of this film track very well with a few notable exceptions. First, at one point when Sophie learns that Christoph Probst was also implicated (she and Hans tried to take all the blame to avoid others from being drawn in) historical accounts say she was shaken to her core and she screams. In the movie however it hardly phases her, she only screams later after the meeting with her parents. I suppose this was done to increase the theatrical value by the placement.

The other is that Police Commissioner Mohr is painted slightly darker than in real life. According to Else Gebel he came back from the prison "white as chalk". She asks if they will die and he only nods shaken from the experience. Else asks how she took it. He replies that she was very brave." He then said, "Keep her in your thoughts in the next half an hour. By that time she will reach the end of her suffering.".

However despite this I thought it was a fantastic film, and probable to date the best one on the subject. There have been a recent wave of films coming from the Bavaria Film Studios, "Der Untergang", "Napola" and this film, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the end of the war. It has been suggested in some circles that this is an attempt to whitewash, I disagree. Until 1994 when I made a visit to Tuebingen and saw some graffiti, I never heard of the White Rose (I am an American). In fact I didn't even know there WAS a German resistance. So I think this about time that this is also given it's place in history along side of the other aspects. In every age there is always a resistance element -- even in our own day. So why should this be such a surprise?

I hope that those who see this film enjoy it as I have. I give it nine stars!