When the film opens, we see
Herold running toward us from a distance, weaving about in an attempt to avoid
the bullets aimed at him from soldiers in a truck that follows him. Adding to
the insanity is the presence of another soldier in the truck blowing a bugle as
if this were some kind of hunting party, some kind of celebration (which is twisted, to be
sure, and something that is revisited with greater force later in the film). It’s
an intense opening, particularly when Herold gets to the woods and hides, the
others so close. The camera stays with him so that, like Herold, we do not know
if the soldiers have spotted him, if he is going to be killed in the next
moment. But he survives and soon comes across an abandoned vehicle, and inside
finds a uniform, which he quickly dons in order to get warm. Moments later, as
he juggles some fruit he found in the truck, he sings to himself, “This is too good to be true, like a miracle.”
And of course that is exactly our worry too.
When Freytag (Milan Peschel), a
lone soldier, arrives and, seeing Herold’s uniform, salutes him, Herold gets
the idea that this uniform might provide more than just warmth. As nervous as
he is, Herold takes some joy in his performance, in fooling others. It’s not
just for survival’s sake that he pretends to be an officer, but he derives some
pleasure in it as well, which is wonderful. It’s also a relief for us, for
it gives us a little respite from the tension and terror. Plus, it makes us
like the character even more. What is interesting, however, is that when they
reach an inn, Herold clearly expects his uniform will command the respect of
those present, but it has the opposite effect, which gives him pause. After
all, this is the end of the war, so he is going to find different reactions to
his uniform, which makes things even more harrowing. The uniform can get him
out of danger, and can also put him in danger.
He soon begins to amass he own
unit. It is interesting that we really know nothing of the man’s background. We
are on his side without really knowing anything about him, other than he
deserted the German army. But when he gets to a German prison camp, pretending
to have orders from the Fuhrer himself, and is joined by a man eager to rid the
camp of prisoners, things become even more twisted. And at a certain point we
can no longer remain on Herold’s side, for he really takes his assumed position
to heart. It’s interesting that Freytag, the first soldier who joins him, ends
up being the moral center of this picture, the one we really feel for. And even
he fails us. And that makes us wonder how we ourselves would do in this kind of
situation, for there is no character who will let us off the hook.
Toward the end of the film,
there is a celebration, where women sing, “Such
a miracle comes only once and not twice,” reminding us of the beginning
when Herold first found the uniform and sang about it being a miracle. And
indeed, even though this later scene is the only other one to find him actually
happy, we are aware that the end must be near. For his happiness here comes
upon the heels of so much death. This is a powerful film. And with a sick sort
of nationalism once again on the rise, this film is even more frightening than
it might otherwise be. Be sure to watch the closing credit sequence, for in it
Herold and his strange band arrive to attack us in the present, a sort of
delightful touch.
Special Features
The Blu-ray contains a
commentary track by the film’s director, Robert Schwentke. The commentary is
done in English, and is quite good, providing a lot of historical context,
particularly with regards to German perspectives. He mentions that the film is
based almost entirely on the actual court file. He also talks about conventions
of German films that address the subject of World War II.
The special features also
include An Evening With Robert Schwentke,
which is footage from a Q&A with the director that took place in Chicago.
He talks about the real story of Herold, about the end credits sequence, and
about the film’s music and cinematography. Some of what he says here covers the
same ground as the commentary track. This feature is approximately thirty-two
minutes. There are also interviews with cast members Max Hubacher, Milan
Peschel, and Frederick Lau, as well as producer Frieder Schlaich. These total
approximately twenty-seven minutes.
From Storyboard To Screen: The Escape shows the progression of the
opening sequence from the original storyboards to the final scene, and includes
production photos of the tree where Herold hides as well as behind-the-scenes
footage of the sequence being shot. This is approximately twenty-nine minutes.
The special features include a
deleted scene that takes place at the prison camp, beginning with Hansen
burning files. It is sort of an extension of the scene with Herold getting his
pants tailored. There is also a music video, using footage from the film, as
well as the movie’s trailer.
The Captain was directed by Robert Schwentke, and was released on
Blu-ray on January 8, 2019 through Music Box Films. It is presented in its
original German, with optional English subtitles.
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