Wonderful, Horrible Life of L.

Leni Riefenstahl was born in Berlin, Germany in 1902. She started off her career as a dancer, and later as an actress in silent films. She gained attention acting in mountain-adventure-type films. The ever ambitious Riefenstahl then moved into directing. When Hitler came to power, unlike many other people, Riefenstahl decided to stay in Germany and "cosy up" to Hitler and the Nazis. Although she was never a Nazi party member herself, her work was hardly apolitical as she would like us to believe.

Riefenstahl made the infamous documentary/propaganda film "Triumph of the Will". This film was a record of the Nazi Nuremberg rallies of 1934. Thanks to Riefenstahl's stunning direction and camera angles, Riefenstahl managed to transform a regime of murderous fascists into benign saviors of Depression ravaged Germany. To date, this film is considered to be the greatest propaganda film ever made, its techniques having influenced countless other films. Riefenstahl followed her work with "Olympia", another stunning film, this time a record of the 1936 Berlin Olympics. This film depicted the German athletes as a superior Aryan race which Riefenstahl compares to the ancient Greeks.

After World War II, Riefenstahl found herself blacklisted by the West German government and condemned by the world. Despite loudly complaining that she was no Nazi pawn, Riefenstahl found herself, until recently, unable to direct another film. Undaunted, she took up photography. She also took up waterdiving where she photographs underwater marine life.

I found it fascinating and quite disturbing to listen to her account of her work for Hitler under the Third Reich. When it comes to accusations of complicity with the Nazis, her response seems to be deny, deny, deny. She claims that she knew about the Nazis' treatment of the Jews, but stayed in Germany to fight anti-semitism (which she never did). She claims that because her films have no anti-semitism in them, they are not propoganda. To me, this sounds like a pretty weak protest considering her films that glorify Nazis. Riefenstahl also claims that she was not pro-Nazi because she was not a Nazi party member. Another weak excuse. I notice too that although Riefenstahl claims to be sorry that she made her films, she then immediatly demands to know what it is she has done. The very fact that she cannot answer that question is disturbing.

I found it interesting how she responds when the director, Ray Muller, catches her in a lie. She claims she was not close to Hitler and Goebbels. Then, when Ray Muller presents her with evidence to the contrary (Goebbels' diary), she goes beserk. Riefenstahl also denies using Gypsies from a local concentration camp in one of her films. This despite the fact that the evidence is indisputable. I'll be very interested in seeing how this lawsuit turns out.

I was also fascinated to see how she behaves when she thinks she is off-camera. In one scene, she practically takes over directing in one shot of her in the mountains in order to assure quality. In another scene, she criticizes her colleague for not holding the camera steady while filming underwater. Riefenstahl displays a great deal of passion and, (dare I say it?), ruthlessness towards her craft.

Muller doesn't forget to include her post-war career as a photographer in Africa. In this field she also excels, taking pictures of an isolated African community during a dancing ritual. Her photographs are eerily similar to some of the shots in her films. Her work in underwater photography is dazzling. I'd be very interested in seeing her new film, "Underwater Impressions" to see how that holds up with the rest of her work.

Riefenstahl is undeniably a very talented artist and filmmaker. Her place in history is secure. However, her role during the Third Reich will haunt her to her grave. Those hoping to see a glorified account of Riefenstahl's life will be disappointed, but those expecting to see a detailed unbiased look at Riefenstahl could do no better than to watch this film.