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Movie Info & Details
Release Year1961
Runtime1h 15m
LanguageEnglish
CertificationNR
GenresDocumentary, War
Votes1
DirectorPerry Wolff
WritersPerry Wolff
TypeFeature Film
Rating7.0 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsThe Smashing of the Reich
About The Smashing of the Reich
An unpublished documentary film proposed in restored version. 100 million meters of film viewing, film libraries inventoried 11 countries and 3 years of work were needed to bring these documents. This documentary evokes the destruction of the Nazi war machine with a particular emphasis on air power. The most significant events are recounted as the Normandy landings, the battle of Paris, the last German offensive with the historical siege of Bastogne and the landing on the island of Elba. Also shown are the bombing of German industrial centers, and the liberation of concentration camps.
Directed by Perry Wolff, The Smashing of the Reich leans on a strong ensemble — Adolf Hitler, Jim Stephens, Charles de Gaulle — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 1961.
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