Most convincing 'Nazi' in films

[Gwar]

The Boys from Brazil 1978. Gregory Peck as Mengele..Gwar

[bsiwula1]

SPR2.jpg Hello to all I know we are speaking of featured actors in major films but for me it was a bit player in a pivotal scene that stands out. His name is Mac Steinmeier who portrayed the SS man who took part in the hand to hand combat scene with Nikki Katt's charcter Mellish; during the town defense scene near the end of the movie in saving private Ryan. A very chilling two minutes of film that changed the mood and overtone dramatically. I do however agree Finnes portrayal of Goeth is cinematically the best. What a true monster. Best regards to all, great topic Nick!

Sorry guys edit Adam Goldberg portrayed US soldier Mellish not Nicky Katt. Oops

[DougB]

I just watched Conspiracy tonight. A chilling movie. Actor who portrayed Klopf was very convincing as was the actor who played Muller.

[sandgroper]

Conspiracy is a very good movie, it sends shivers up your spine.

[KMMorris]

627636d1389510032-most-convincing-nazi-films-actor-blech.gif

Hans Christian Blech (Conrad in The Battle of the Bulge).

Hans Christian was in the The Bridge at Remagen as well, the photo you posted was was from that film.

[Scout]

I just chose a random pic of him from the web in order to put a 'face' on Blech.

[SHINDENKAI]

Oskar Werner (Decision Before Dawn) as Cpl. Karl Maurer aka "Happy".

Decision-Before-Dawn-30278_1.jpg

Taka

[HPL2008]

Götz Otto as otto günsche in the downfall

He also donned an SS uniform for a small part in Schindler's List... and for a big one in Iron Sky. His angular facial features and height (6' 6" / 1.98 m) sure make him look the part in such roles.

Two of my favourites - though I hesitate to tag them with the brand of being Nazis. Lets just say they both portray soldiers in WWII movies. Both were WWII veterans:

Hannes Messemer (The Great Escape*)

Hans Christian Blech (Conrad in The Battle of the Bulge).

Both of whom were Eastern Front soldiers during WWII.

Agreed. Conrad is by far my favorite character in Battle of the Bulge.

Off-topic remark: I really love Benjamin Frankel's beautiful music score for that movie, which cleverly incorparates the Panzerlied as a recurring theme in several of the orchestral pieces. (Although I do not dig the scene where it is actually sung on screen, with nothing but the refrain repeated over and over rather than the full lyrics. Bit lazy, that.)

[StefanM]

One of the aspects I find most interesting about this thread and the performers and performances mentioned (excluding the comedic references) is when the performances of the screenplay the actors deliver closely match our perceptions of what and who these "Nazi" characters were, or we expect them to be like based on our learned impressions, then the performance has resonance with us and convinces us that our perceptions of what these "Nazi" characters were in life is correct. However they only appear convincing "Nazis" to us as a result of synthesis our perception of " a Nazi" and the performance of "a Nazi" meshing perfectly. Such film portrayals are merely entertainments but often convince us, erroneously, that they reflect some kind of reality.

I am as equally a victim of this "reality distortion field" as the next person especially a film with a great screenplay and strong character actors. I thought Thomas Kretschmann's performance as "Eichmann" in the film of the same name was a masterful and understated portrayal that mirrored my own perception of Eichmann "the Nazi" and is, IMHO, the most convincing 'Nazi' in film.

[big ned]

Although BOTB, was a good film, I felt that Shaws portrayal of a typical "Nazi" was too Hollywood, and again Blech was a very worthwhile supporting actor which helped to keep the situation enjoyable, I understand that Hans Landa in Inglorious Bastards, hated the part and has refused to ever play another similar role, which I can fully understand, there are some roles which despite money, can give someone a bad reputation , I once attended a casting for a Crime watch type programme , all I was told was it was to play a criminal, this pimply little school kid of a second director told me I had the part without even saying anything, then told me I was to play a child molester because I looked like one,after nearly tearing this guys head off when he didn't want to come and see my puppies, I walked off the casting and refused to work for the agency again

I'm hardly suprised.....