The Meaning of Hitler

Play trailer

2:04

The Meaning of Hitler

2021

1h 32m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

26 Reviews

42%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

THE MEANING OF HITLER is a provocative interrogation of our culture's fascination with Hitler and Nazism set against the backdrop of the current rise of white supremacy, the normalization of antisemitism and the weaponization of history itself. Shot in nine countries, the film traces Hitler's movements, his rise to power and the scenes of his crimes as historians and writers, including Deborah Lipstadt, Martin Amis, Sir Richard Evans, Saul Friedlander, Yehuda Bauer, and famed Nazi hunters Beate and Serge Klarsfeld, weigh in on the lasting impact of his virulent ideology. As fears of authoritarianism and fascism now abound, the film explores the myths and misconceptions of our understanding of the past, and the difficult process of coming to terms with it at a time in our history when it seems more urgent than ever.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

John Anderson

Wall Street Journal

08/13/2021

Particularly interesting and perhaps useful, however, is the film's view of Hitler in the movies and of totalitarianism as theater.

Go to Full Review

Roxana Hadadi

RogerEbert.com

08/13/2021

2.5/4

The Meaning of Hitler never quite reconciles its central concern of whether continuing to talk about Hitler is an inherently compromised pursuit.

Go to Full Review

Ben Kenigsberg

New York Times

08/12/2021

"The Meaning of Hitler" takes a multifaceted, often counterintuitive approach to examining the underpinnings of fascism.

Go to Full Review

Greg Carlson

Vague Visages

02/06/2024

In the end, The Meaning of Hitler lands somewhere between an exploration of Hitler as phenomenon and Hitler as person. Unfortunately, some of the movie's most intriguing scenes veer from their intended goal.

Go to Full Review

Ray Lobo

Battle Royale With Cheese

09/16/2021

Perhaps thinking about the meaning of Hitler is a crucial first step in identifying future authoritarians and warding off their seductions.

Go to Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

08/27/2021

B

A pointed look back at the creepy Nazi leader by the husband and wife team of Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

06/04/2022

The actually historical things where good but turned into a anti-trump propaganda hit peice

See more

01/06/2022

Omg, WHO finances such an unnecessary, pretentious, ridiculous piece? ANOTHER film to tell us that Hitler was a very, very, very bad guy. What a bore!

See more

dave d

11/27/2021

It's just not very entertaining. It's, in fact, quite a bore! It feels like this all could be explained by an average 5th grade student, but we have a movie that just is blah. Final Score: 3/10

See more

08/24/2021

Ridiculous, stupid and insane like everything today. This should never have been made

See more

08/18/2021

This movie does not say anything new or insightful about Hitler. There's a certain trendiness to the editing and visual style, but that just underscores the absence of purpose. It ends with the trite conclusion that the problem isn't Hitler, it's humanity.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Petra Epperlein

Director

Michael Tucker

Director

Matilda Tucker

Narrator

Michael Tucker

Writer

Petra Epperlein

Producer

Michael Tucker

Producer

David Baddiel: Jews Don't Count

100%

100%

David Baddiel: Jews Don't Count

Watchlist

So Unreal

90%

%

So Unreal

Watchlist

Television Event

88%

%

Television Event

Watchlist

Black Power: A British Story of Resistance

100%

%

Black Power: A British Story of Resistance

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Meaning of Hitler: Trailer 1

2:04

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

THE MEANING OF HITLER is a provocative interrogation of our culture's fascination with Hitler and Nazism set against the backdrop of the current rise of white supremacy, the normalization of antisemitism and the weaponization of history itself. Shot in nine countries, the film traces Hitler's movements, his rise to power and the scenes of his crimes as historians and writers, including Deborah Lipstadt, Martin Amis, Sir Richard Evans, Saul Friedlander, Yehuda Bauer, and famed Nazi hunters Beate and Serge Klarsfeld, weigh in on the lasting impact of his virulent ideology. As fears of authoritarianism and fascism now abound, the film explores the myths and misconceptions of our understanding of the past, and the difficult process of coming to terms with it at a time in our history when it seems more urgent than ever.

Director: Petra Epperlein, Michael Tucker
Producer: Petra Epperlein, Michael Tucker, Mike Lerner, Dana O'Keefe
Screenwriter: Michael Tucker
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Play/Action Pictures
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 13, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 13, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $12.8K
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

Most Popular at Home Now