Downfall
Traudl Junge, the final secretary for Adolf Hitler, tells of the Nazi dictator's final days in his Berlin bunker at the end of WWII.
Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel · Biography · Drama · History · 156 min · 2005
Trailer
Director
Oliver Hirschbiegel
Studio
Constantin Film{{cite web / last1=Elley / first1=Derek / title=Downfall / url=https://variety.com/2004/film/markets-festivals/downfall-2-1200531040/ / website=Variety / publisher=Penske Media Corporation / access-date=12 May 2018 / date=16 September 2004
Release
08 Apr 2005
Runtime
156 min
Genres
Biography, Drama, History
Full Plot
Charting the last 10 days of Hitler's life, from his 56th birthday on April 20th, 1945 to his suicide on April 30th, Downfall uses multiple characters to show the chaos of a country coming apart at the seams, from Hitler's henchman under the streets of Berlin, to the soldiers and civilians fighting and dying as the Soviet Army ravaged the city above. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2005.
Cast & Characters
Bruno Ganz
Traudl Junge
Alexandra Maria Lara
Joseph Goebbels
Ulrich Matthes
The real Traudl Junge appears in opening and the closing of the movie via footage from the documentary Im toten Winkel.
Magda Goebbels
Corinna Harfouch
Eva Braun
Juliane Köhler
Gerda Christian
Birgit Minichmayr
Peter Kranz
Donevan Gunia
Wilhelm Kranz
Karl Kranzkowski
Dorothee Kranz
Ulrike Krumbiegel
Hans Fritzsche
Michael Brandner
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $16.0M, Downfall has grossed $92.2M worldwide — about 5.8x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Did You Know that Bernd Eichinger wanted to make a film about Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party for twenty years before being discouraged by its enormity?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that historian Joachim Fest's book "Inside Hitler's Bunker: The Last Days of the Third Reich" inspired Bernd Eichinger to begin filmmaking?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that Traudl Junge's memoirs, "Until the Final Hour: Hitler's Last Secretary", were a key source for the film?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that Bruno Ganz studied four months to perfectly mimic Adolf Hitler's conversational voice and Austrian dialect?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
Downfall holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (398,149 votes), 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, 82/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.2/10 on IMDb (398,149 votes), 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, 82/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Downfall's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Downfall holds a 90% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Downfall's IMDb rating?+
Downfall has a 8.2/10 rating on IMDb from 398,149 votes.
What is Downfall's Metacritic score?+
Downfall has a Metascore of 82/100 on Metacritic.
Is Downfall good? What are critics saying?+
Downfall holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (398,149 votes), 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, 82/100 on Metacritic.
How long is Downfall?+
Downfall has a runtime of 156 min.
Who directed Downfall?+
Downfall was directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel.
Where can I watch Downfall?+
Downfall is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, BFI Player, BFI Player Amazon Channel, BFI Player Apple TV Channel, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channels, Rakuten TV, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
Reviewers praise the film's realistic portrayal of Hitler's final days in his bunker and Bruno Ganz's performance. Some reviewers appreciate the movie's down-to-earth approach to depicting historical events. The tone is generally positive, with some expressing shock and sadness at the actor's passing.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
**_Hitler’s end_** As the Red Army encroaches upon Berlin in late April, 1945, the final days of Hitler in his bunker (Bruno Ganz) are told from the perspective of his secretary, Traudl Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara). "Downfall” (2004) is not a conventional war movie due to its dow…
Wuchak · 7/10Though he might not much like the compliment, Bruno Ganz is superb as the Führer in this dramatisation of his last few days in Berlin. If you saw George Schaefer’s attempt at this, with Anthony Hopkins in the title role (1981) then you’ll already have the gist of what occurs, but…
CinemaSerf · 7/10
From the trailer's comments
This movie was so underrated.
@Coywolfie · 1519 likesThe actor who plays hitler literally feels like real hitler
@rome316ae3 · 228 likesr.i.p. bruno ganz.
@rupert-j8f · 268 likesI think the late Bruno Ganz's portrayal of Hitler in Downfall was one of the greatest performances in the history of cinematography...
@edmiller2933 · 549 likesThe Actor who played Hitler died. His name was Bruno Ganz (* 22. März 1941 in Zürich; † 16. Februar 2019 in Wädenswil) he was Swiss. RIP you where a great actor.👍
@LockOnNow · 579 likesR.I.P Bruno Ganz (March 22, 1941 – February 16, 2019), aged 77 You will be remembered as a legend
@LPJack02 · 125 likesHow i ended up watching this movie From parody to the original one then the trailer 😂
@D.P.617 · 293 likesI genuinely believe this is an important film to be watched.
@lloyddutchsmiley1147 · 279 likes
