Hitler's Reign of Terror
First American anti-Nazi film blending newsreel and reenactment.
Hitler's Reign of Terror is a 1934 anti-fascist independent film that attacked the activities of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. It is often credited as being the first-ever American anti-Nazi film. The film combines newsreel footage, documentary, and reenactment.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Michael Mindlin
- Producer
- Samuel Cummins; Joseph Seiden
- Writer
- Joseph Seiden
- Narrator
- Edwin C. Hill
- Cinematography
- Cornelius Vanderbilt IV
- Editing
- Sam Rosen
- Distributor
- Eureka Productions; Jewel Productions
- Released
- 1934, US
Facts from the source article.
Background
In early 1933 he departed for Paris and traveled around European capitals with two French cameramen, ending in Vienna to cover political demonstrations. Vanderbilt sought an interview with Adolf Hitler, but first asked the former Crown Prince of Germany why the Hohenzollerns were easier to see than Hitler. On March 5, 1933, the day the Nazi Party obtained a parliamentary majority in coalition with the DNVP, Vanderbilt secured his closest approach to an interview with Hitler.
Story
The story begins with a staged phone call between reporter Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr. in Germany and narrator Edwin C. Hill back in New York. Viewers see a torchlight parade in Berlin, where books by Jewish authors and political writers are set on fire. Vanderbilt meets Hill, then departs by plane. A staged interview between Vanderbilt and Adolf Hitler is shown. After footage from World War I, Hitler’s birthplace in Braunau am Inn, Austria, and the graves of his parents appear. Vanderbilt travels to Vienna to meet Chancellor Dollfuss and films Austrian Nazi riots breaking out during a parade. In a reenactment, his passport is stolen, and Nazis are shown mistreating Jewish people. Another reenactment has Vanderbilt interviewing Crown Prince Wilhelm, followed by more book burnings. Helen Keller speaks about her own books, which the Nazis burned. A staged conversation takes place between Vanderbilt, Kaiser Wilhelm II in Doorn, Holland, and Prince Louis Ferdinand. Anti-Nazi speeches from prominent Jewish and Gentile figures are presented, and Nazis are shown trying to change the Bible. In the final scene, Congressman Samuel Dickstein of New York and Hill address the audience directly, warning about the threat of Nazism.
Production
The 65-minute film combines footage Vanderbilt shot of Jewish refugees in Germany, previously compiled American newsreel footage, and reenactments of his conversations with officials in Europe. Vanderbilt struggled to find a major production company but partnered with producers Joseph Seiden and Samuel Cummins. He edited the film with Edwin Hill and hired Mike Mindlin, known for the adult film This Nude World (1933), as director.
Reception
Hitler's Reign of Terror debuted at the Mayfair Theatre on Broadway on April 30, 1934, achieving the theater's biggest opening day on record. The Production Code Administration was not yet operational, but the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America reviewed it. Rory Norr of the MPPDA reported that the film included only a few original reproductions of alleged interviews with the Kaiser, Hitler, and others, and that actors took those parts. He concluded that being a propaganda picture did not make it unsuitable for the screen, comparing it to a newspaper taking a side on a public question. The German reaction was unfavorable; at the German ambassador's request, a Department of Commerce review by George R. Canty found that the film served no good purpose. After that review, many American censors moved to avoid offending the Nazis. The New York State Censor Board banned the film throughout the state. In Chicago, after passing the Chicago Board of Censors, the Nazi consul convinced the city government to halt release until changes were made.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who directed Hitler's Reign of Terror?
Hitler's Reign of Terror was directed by Michael Mindlin.
Who distributed Hitler's Reign of Terror?
Hitler's Reign of Terror was distributed by Eureka Productions and Jewel Productions.
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