WHO DO WE SEE IN THE PROTAGONIST OF THE CAPTAIN (2017)?

Abstract

The Captain (Der Hauptmann), directed by Robert Schwentke, was the German director's first film with a German crew and in his native language since 2003. It was screened in German cinemas in March 2018 and met with a mixed response from the press. In this article I analyse the film, with the main emphasis being on the question of identification with the film and its protagonist. I employ a number of concepts from psychoanalytic film theory to argue that The Captain has the potential to compel its audience to ask questions about human nature, for example, whether war is the only prerequisite for an individual to transform from an ‘ordinary’ person into a villain. Another question is how the audience might react to the presence of motifs which are symbolic representations of Holocaust victims. The use of such images underlines the ruthlessness of the main character of the film and strengthens the contrast between his physical appearance and his hideous crimes.