I haven't had the opportunity to see this notorious film with English subtitles, and my German is less than fluent. Nevertheless, it's not difficult to see its effectiveness, hence danger, as propaganda.
I was expecting a lot of overt, outrageous political content. I'm told there is some in the dialogue, but I didn't catch it. Rather its strategy seems to be to avoid hectoring directly, and instead to project an idealized vision of a Germany guided by a paternal National Socialist party. Hence the message is conveyed through idyllic campground scenes, for example. This is the goal that young Quex is willing to defend.
One film "Quex" reminded me of somewhat was "Boys Town" (1938) with Mickey Rooney, but, if I really had to draw a comparison, surprisingly enough it would be to Frank Capra's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939). There is a scene of our enterprising Hitler Youths organizing themselves -- a little like Mickey and Judy putting on a show -- to turn out a propaganda newspaper in support of their political dreams and aspirations. Do you recall the scene in "Mr. Smith" where Jimmy Stewart's struggle -- Sein Kampf -- against a corrupt and antiquated political system is vindicated through a grassroots campaign organized by a bunch of boys with wagons and a cheap printing press? We know from the later "Why We Fight" series that Frank Capra was intimately familiar with his Nazi cinema. You are free to draw whatever conclusions you'd like.
I was expecting a lot of overt, outrageous political content. I'm told there is some in the dialogue, but I didn't catch it. Rather its strategy seems to be to avoid hectoring directly, and instead to project an idealized vision of a Germany guided by a paternal National Socialist party. Hence the message is conveyed through idyllic campground scenes, for example. This is the goal that young Quex is willing to defend.
One film "Quex" reminded me of somewhat was "Boys Town" (1938) with Mickey Rooney, but, if I really had to draw a comparison, surprisingly enough it would be to Frank Capra's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939). There is a scene of our enterprising Hitler Youths organizing themselves -- a little like Mickey and Judy putting on a show -- to turn out a propaganda newspaper in support of their political dreams and aspirations. Do you recall the scene in "Mr. Smith" where Jimmy Stewart's struggle -- Sein Kampf -- against a corrupt and antiquated political system is vindicated through a grassroots campaign organized by a bunch of boys with wagons and a cheap printing press? We know from the later "Why We Fight" series that Frank Capra was intimately familiar with his Nazi cinema. You are free to draw whatever conclusions you'd like.