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Triumph of the Will

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Triumph of the Will

1935

1h 50m

Documentary

History

Drama

War

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

25 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl's controversial masterwork is an artful work of propaganda showcasing German chancellor and Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler at the 1934 Nuremberg Rally. Edited from over 60 hours' worth of raw footage shot over the course of the rally's four days, the film is visually remarkable in the way it captures the event's enormous scale. Riefenstahl's portentous filming from low angles (to make the small-framed Hitler look imposing and majestic) is often copied and parodied.

Critics Consensus

Triumph of the Will is impossible to separate from its repugnant political context -- and impossible to deny as a powerfully made piece of cinematic propaganda.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

That Triumph of the Will is a great propaganda film, there is no doubt, and various surveys have named it so. But I doubt that anyone not already a Nazi could be swayed by it.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 17, 2016

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David Parkinson

Empire Magazine

Making a supreme effort to put aside the socio-ethical considerations this is, in purely cinematic terms, incredible filmmaking.

Rated: 5/5

Feb 17, 2016

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Nazis or no, two hours of marching and speechifying is pretty damn dull; maybe this is what they mean by "the banality of evil."

Feb 17, 2016

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

As a document of the allure of demonic power, it must be seen and shuddered at.

Nov 23, 2022

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

I don't know if it is a major work of documentary cinema, but of course, Riefenstahl frames it with a formal virtuosity that manages to captivate me for its compositional care, despite the reprehensible propaganda diatribes. Full review in Spanish

Rated: 7/10

Apr 22, 2022

Full Review

David Keyes

Cinemaphile.org

The movie is the embodiment of an evil and destructive philosophy, but it must remain accessible for both new filmmakers and students of history, especially if it inspires them to contemplate the moral limits of their respective fields.

Mar 14, 2016

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I love S

This is so awful! It is absolutely vile and twisted

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/16/25

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Bubble B

Balls and cheeks!!!!!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/29/25

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Sachin E

I showed this to my cat yesterday. Today he left home to invade Pawland.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

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Leaburn O

Important historical document that makes you wonder how on earth a nation can collectively turn into sheep, following a bizarre and frankly boring cult leader. I had to fast forward through much of the pageantry and marching because this is one deathly dull film, so I'm not recommending unless you have an interest in seeing just how weird Germans were back in the day. Thankfully, they all seem to have sobered up now. Watched it on YouTube.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/19/24

Full Review

Deke P

Great Nazi propaganda film. My 2 1/2 Rt star rating is cuz I agree with most that it was great and stirring, so that would have been 5 stars, but hate Nazis so that would be Zero stars, so compromise at 2 1/2. But it way more than 'passed the time'. I saw it when it was shown at college. I wonder it colleges still allow it today?

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/05/23

Full Review

John R

This was really boring. Even if I was a Nazi, I still might find this movie boring. Long parades, lots of speeches and some close ups of the Aryan youth of the day. Not very inspiring. I'm totally willing to admit that I just don't get what made this work.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

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Leni Riefenstahl

Director

Adolf Hitler

Actor

Max Amann

Actor

Martin Bormann

Actor

Walter Buch

Actor

Walter Darré

Actor

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Synopsis

Filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl's controversial masterwork is an artful work of propaganda showcasing German chancellor and Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler at the 1934 Nuremberg Rally. Edited from over 60 hours' worth of raw footage shot over the course of the rally's four days, the film is visually remarkable in the way it captures the event's enormous scale. Riefenstahl's portentous filming from low angles (to make the small-framed Hitler look imposing and majestic) is often copied and parodied.

Director: Leni Riefenstahl
Producer: Leni Riefenstahl
Screenwriter: Leni Riefenstahl, Eberhard Taubert
Genre: Documentary, History, Drama, War
Original Language: German
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 4, 2012
Runtime: 1h 50m