This is a debut from director and writer Vanessa Lapa; and she has taken for her subject one of the architects of the horrors of WWII – Heinrich Himmler. Using diary entries that were found when the Allies reached his house in 1945 as well as letters from those concerned she builds up a disturbing picture of the man who is often put down as a 'chicken farmer' . *The Following has a couple of plot reveals if that is the right phrase.* He helped Hitler achieve his nightmare and facilitated 'the Final Solution'. We also get to see how his children loved him and the devotion he inspired in his personal life – to prove his German efficiency he actually numbered his love letters. His views are far right from the very start and he relished what he managed to do with the Schutzstaffel (the SS) and the killing machine it became.
There is use of archive footage throughout and some of this is quite disturbing – including scenes of execution. The film often juxtaposes the 'we love you daddy' letters with on screen displays of atrocities that he ordered to be carried out and has much more of an impact because of it. This is smiles- heils and lies and is a compelling and disturbing watch; for those that are interested in our history – even a dark episode like this – then there is a lot here to recommend viewing.
There is use of archive footage throughout and some of this is quite disturbing – including scenes of execution. The film often juxtaposes the 'we love you daddy' letters with on screen displays of atrocities that he ordered to be carried out and has much more of an impact because of it. This is smiles- heils and lies and is a compelling and disturbing watch; for those that are interested in our history – even a dark episode like this – then there is a lot here to recommend viewing.