The Atlantic Magazine in Audio From Hollywood to Hitler
May 7, 2025
A deep dive into the ethical dilemmas faced by filmmaker G.W. Pabst during the Nazi era sparks crucial discussions about complicity and moral compromise. The exploration reveals the struggles artists underwent in oppressive circumstances, grappling with their victimhood and role in a dark chapter of history. It raises probing questions about the ethics of storytelling and the price of artistic expression when intertwined with totalitarian regimes. Delve into the complex legacy of historical figures and the choices that still resonate today.
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Complexity of Moral Compromise
- Daniel Kelman is fascinated by the "gray zone" between victim and perpetrator during the Nazi era.
- He sees complicity as a gradual erosion rather than a single leap across a moral line.
Pabst's Nazi Collaboration Mystery
- G.W. Pabst fled Germany in 1933 but shockingly returned in 1939 to direct Nazi-supervised films.
- His motivations remain mysterious, highlighting the complexity of artistic complicity under dictatorship.
Incremental Moral Erosion
- Kelman portrays Pabst’s moral compromise as incremental and defensible at each step but ultimately unacceptable.
- He uses cinematic techniques to explore Pabst’s perspective and the ambiguity of his choices.
