The Captain (2017)

Drama, History, War

Director: Robert Schwentke
Writer: Robert Schwentke
Starring: Frederick Lau, Max Hubacher, Milan Peschel, Bernd Hölscher

"Follow the Leader."

Based on the arresting true story of the Executioner of Emsland, The Captain follows a German army deserter, Willi Herold, after he finds an abandoned Nazi captain's uniform in the final weeks of World War II. Emboldened by the authority the uniform grants him, he amasses a band of stragglers who cede to his command despite the suspicions of some. Citing direct orders from the Führer himself, he soon takes command of a camp holding German soldiers accused of desertion and begins to dispense harsh justice. Increasingly intoxicated by the unquestioned authority, this enigmatic imposter soon discovers that many people will blindly follow the leader, whomever that happens to be. Simultaneously a historical docudrama and sociological examination with undertones of the absurd, Der Hauptmann presents fascism as something of a game to be played by those most gullible and unscrupulous.

Plot summary from IMDb: In the last moments of World War II, a young German soldier fighting for survival finds a Nazi captain's uniform. Impersonating an officer, the man quickly takes on the monstrous identity of the perpetrators he is trying to escape from.

Awards: N/A
Runtime: 118 min
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