Are these Hollywood portrayals of some of history’s most brutal dictators accurate? War historian, NATO Advisor and presenter of History Hit’s Warfare podcast James Rogers is here to tell us.
You can listen to the Warfare podcast here: podfollow.com/the-world-wars/...
James begins with a review of 'Stalin' (1992), a tense and thought-provoking portrayal of the infamous dictator of the USSR, filmed in the Kremlin itself. James discusses the film's authenticity, and the psychological toll of war.
He moves on to another satirical film featuring the Communist leader - 'The Death of Stalin’' (2017) starring Sir Michael Palin and Steve Buscemi.
Next, James analyses the depiction of Adolf Hitler in both the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Valkyrie' (2008), starring Tom Cruise, and ‘Downfall’ (2004) in which Bruno Ganz offers perhaps the most accurate portrayal of the Nazi dictator.
The focus then shifts to the military rule of Idi Amin, who served as the third Ugandan president. In ‘Last King of Scotland’ (2006), we see a Scottish doctor, played by James McAvoy, on a mission finding himself developing a close bond with the Ugandan dictator. James reviews the accuracy of Forest Whittaker’s oscar-winning performance depicting Amin’s bipolar personality, straying from a friendly and approachable man, to a brutal and power-hungry warlord.
Lastly, James reviews ‘The Devil’s Double’ (2011), a film focusing on the life of Saddam Hussein, Iraqi politician and revolutionary who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 1979 to 2003 and led the nation into the First Gulf War (1990-91) after invading Kuwait.
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00:00 Introduction
00:35 Stalin (1992)
03:36 The Death of Stalin (2017)
06:34 Valkyrie (2008)
10:38 Downfall (2004)
13:57 The Last King of Scotland (2006)
17:45 The Devil's Double (2011)