The Miracle Of Bern Details

Spot on!

'The Miracle of Bern' is one of the greatest box-office hits in German cinema history. It tells several stories at once: how the 1954 World Cup is won against all odds; how some semblance of national self-confidence is restored after the disastrous Hitler years; and how football helps to overcome the estrangement between a boy and his father, who has just returned from years of imprisonment in Russia. Given that most post-war German cinema either tried to destroy the nationalist myth-making of the pre-1945 years or didn't mention the war at all, 'Miracle's' portrayal of the 1954 victory points to a generational change both in German cinema and in German society at large. Highly recommended viewing for anyone who wants to get beyond the 'two world wars and one world cup' stereotypes.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Deutchland uber alles

Now the world cup is upon us (writing in Jun 06) It was a good chance to watch a football movie. The story is good but dramatisations of this sort usually fall flat due to the inability to give football good dramatisation. The story is of the germans heroic if not lucky victory in the 1954 world cup. The germans were not considered any real pedigree and having been the whipping boys of the hungarians in the group stages faced them in the final. We have side stories which are very cheesy and the football is ok overall though you sometimes feel like you are watching the old harry enfield sketch about old fashioned footballers playing really slow. We see nothing really of the likes of Puksas et al. the stars of the world cup when the hungarians were the undisputed kings of football. The extras are good with coloured footage of previous world cups. Watch it if you want a dramatisation of football from one of the most heroic comebacks of all time just don't expect to be amazed. I am now waiting for the same to be done about the england team of 66 and if you can imagine that you will have a good idea as to the quality of the movie.