THE STORY – In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner’s vengeful plans for the same.
THE CAST – Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger, Mélanie Laurent, August Diehl, Julie Dreyfus, Sylvester Groth, Jacky Ido, Denis Ménochet, Mike Myers, Rod Taylor, Martin Wuttke & B.J. Novak
THE TEAM – Quentin Tarantino (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 153 Minutes
By 2009, Tarantino was a powerhouse filmmaker whose influence in the industry immediately unfolded before his eyes. He was a household name that even the average Joe moviegoer would be familiar with, as well as a name that many in Hollywood wished to work with. While all the films he directed were met with a favorable reception, none reached the level of success “Pulp Fiction” did, both critically and financially. After getting out of the “Grindhouse” playground where he spent the last few years with Robert Rodriguez, Tarantino set his sights on a World War II film that finally was able to score his first collaboration with actor Brad Pitt. The rest we know is history as “Inglourious Basterds” cemented itself into not only an important project in Tarantino’s filmography but also into the mythmaking of his presence in contemporary American filmmaking as a whole.
“Once Upon a Time in Nazi-Occupied France… “
From the first chapter, it is clear Tarantino is operating on another level as “Inglourious Basterds” leisurely takes its time focusing on an interrogation of a French farmer in Nazi-occupied France. The farmer is greeted by an impromptu visit by Colonel Hans Landa of the SS (played by Christoph Waltz), or “The Jew Hunter,” as many proclaim him, is put in an unfortunate position, one that he cannot refuse. Landa is seen exchanging pleasantries, drinking glasses of milk, and conversing in both French and English, subtly displaying his intellectual prowess. These “pleasantries” are soon dispelled as the masterfully vile interrogator morphs the conversation into a confession, forcing this simple farmer to reveal the location of the Jewish family he is sheltering. Woodchips and dust propel through the air as the nazis slaughter this sheltered Jewish family. However, a young girl named Shoshanna escapes setting forward a series of events that will forever intertwine these two parties and (rightfully) fuel hate towards the Nazis that could only be paid off in blood.
Throughout the film’s five chapters, Tarantino crafts his most meticulously charted story since “Pulp Fiction.” His screenplay is filled with an extensive array of characters, all with differing motivations and nations in which they serve. There’s the thorn in Hitler’s ass that is the nazi-scalping band of Jewish-American soldiers led by Lt. Aldo Raine (played by Pitt), an adult Shosanna (played by Mélanie Laurent) whose theater she owns becomes the breeding ground for her impromptu plan for revenge, and Landa who refined skills in detective work only aims to serve more than the Third Reich. It’s a testament to how strong of a writer Tarantino is that he’s able to maintain a steady efficiency of this revolving door of characters, each of who are brilliantly brought to life by this terrific ensemble. Still to this day, the argument can be made that “Inglourious Basterds” remains Tarantino’s best screenplay as Tarantino is bolstered by the effortless balance of his playful dialogue that every actor wishes they could perform verbatim, and the reliability in the structuring of this plot that allows each of these individual storylines to intersect in what is one of the best final acts of any film in his career. Tarantino’s knack for creating characters that feel so lived in makes it so that most of the characters in this film feel worthy enough to have a film built around the narrative that specifically pertains to them.
Tarantino’s direction in “Inglourious Basterds” also may have been the best up until this point as well (sorry to offend any “Jackie Brown” loyalist with those fighting words). Despite the constant weaving of narratives, there’s a feeling that Tarantino’s relaxed “We Love Making Movies!” energy is more than present in this project, possibly due to his decade’s worth of experience making films. His directorial flourishes are as present as ever, from the idiosyncratic needle drops to the over-the-top stylized violence. What else can be said about scenes, such as the bar setpiece, that hasn’t been said in the decade-plus since the film was released? It’s a masterclass of tension, being handwringed through passive-aggressive displays of espionage, drunken beer games, and of course, the shit that never goes to plan. All of which culminated in a blood-spraying shootout that has forever been ingrained in the minds of audiences. It’s evident Tarantino is having a ball while serving a story with more on its mind.
The beauty of a Tarantino film is that audiences will always get to see a fantastic band of performers, but man, “Inglourious Basterds” is just a murderer’s row of talent. Tarantino’s comedic sensibilities lend themselves for an actor like Pitt to make the most of his character’s egregiously thick southern accent, which leads to hilarious moments like Aldo, the most red-blooded American character in the film, and some of his men to be word vomiting the worst Italian one’s ears can hear. Most of the cast consists of a brilliant spectrum of European actors who come in and out of the mix, such as Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger, Laurent, and others. Of course, to this day, we can’t stop thinking about Waltz’s Oscar-winning turn as Colonel Hans Landa, a role that feels like it was destined to be his. It’s truly an impressive feat to make an antagonist so putrid yet also as devilishly charming and conniving. It’s a testament to Waltz’s pure magnetism as an actor, having to manage all of Landa’s layered characterization, all while also speaking many languages. There’s a reason why many would consider his work here to be one of the best performances in film to come out of the twenty-first century. It’s also telling that Waltz’s career sans Tarantino has been so baffling to see unfold, and why, out of every actor Tarantino has worked with, he is the one who was made to bring his words to life.
In the current state of filmmaking in the industry, rewatching “Inglourious Basterds” all these years later cements its emphasis on the power of film as a medium. The importance of film is not only as a lane for artistic expression, but the influence it could have on those around us is a theme more than evident in the film. The storyline of Daniel Brühl’s Private Fredrick Zoller’s life story as a sniper is used as the basis for the Third Reich’s propaganda minister; Joseph Goebbels’ newest film, “Nation’s Pride” is a key aspect that brings all these various parties together. Tarantino’s knowledge of cinema history molds these characters and the world around them. Whether it’s characters loosely based on real-life figures or fictional depictions as Tarantino does with German actor and nazi sympathizer Emil Jannings. Hell, Fassbender’s character, Lieutenant Archie Hicox, has a civilian job as a film critic. His understanding of German cinema is key to his character’s involvement in the operation. To many of these characters, film is everything, a sentiment Tarantino shares. Luckily, Tarantino’s antipathy towards depicting history as it unfolded leads to a reality that, at least in his mind, is way cooler. This need to steer the imaginative ship of historical hypotheticals leads us to an all but beautifully satisfying display of Hitler, Goebbels, the rest of the pillars of The Third Reich, and a slew of nazi sympathizers getting bombarded with bullets.
Maybe this is just how Tarantino’s highly energetic mind always worked. Still, it feels like this divergence from the world we live in has altered Tarantino creatively and emotionally. Who is to say that if he had never charted down this imaginative path, audiences would have gotten a film where a freed slave in pre-civil war America blissfully guns down the white slave owners who’ve wronged him? It would be hard to imagine in pre-2010s Hollywood where films anchored by predominantly black casts are built around trauma or slavery. It certainly wouldn’t have led to “Once Upon A Time In…Hollywood,” where Tarantino’s refusal to have one of the most consequential moments of American culture play out led to having his fictional movie star and buddy stunt double brutally murder members of the Manson family. It is a film born out of an earned sentimentality that wasn’t present in his work till now. It’s also what will prevent him from picking his self-proclaimed final film for years to come. Without “Inglourious Basterds,” another Academy Award doesn’t come his way, and his films become mainstays amongst the Academy. Another generation wouldn’t be as familiar with his work, where Tarantino would be stamped as the default film bro director of choice. “Inglourious Basterds” showed that even though it’s somewhat erratic, it’s fun to see the world through his eyes at least.
