Fascism is a political school of thought that prioritizes a hyper-authoritarian government and ultranationalism, spreading the lie that the people of one’s country are a superior group while everyone else is subhuman or inferior. It also places importance on the military might of a nation, the abolition of the electoral process, and allows dictators to bestow power to whomever they please, whenever they please, and for whatever reason. There are very few fascist states left in the world, but back in the early half of the 20th Century, it was a huge deal and was the primary ideology of the Nazis and their allies.
Obviously, it is an ideology that most would deem dangerous and extremely unethical, which is why there have beenso many films made decrying the backward mentality that is fascism. Not all of these movies take place in World War II either, but that’s okay because their messages are truly timeless and serve as a warning that fascism should never rise again.These are the best anti-fascist movies, coming from a wide array of genres and styles to all deliver the same crucial message.
10’V for Vendetta' (2005)
Directed by James McTeigue
To be fair,V for Vendettaisn’t just anti-fascist but anti-authoritarian in general, advocating for the individual freedoms of people to live as they please and standing against overly controlling or oppressive governments. It has since become an often-misused symbol for politics, with many sides claiming it belongs to them; alas, the movie actually belongs to anarchists. Indeed,V for Vendettaplaces a heavy emphasis on the total abolition of government and law as a whole, preferring to give power to individuals and let them decide things for themselves.
One of its main strong points is that fascism isn’t portrayed in the dystopian thriller as some distant thing butas an ideology that ordinary people can fall victim to, with the idea that evil often presents itself in the most mundane forms. Even though many may not agree withV for Vendetta’s glorification of anarchy and rebellion,its message of anti-totalitarianism and anti-fascism is still sure to resonate with many, which has allowed it to become a culturally iconic and highly symbolic movie.
V For Vendetta
9’American History X' (1998)
Directed by Tony Kaye
American History Xfollows the life of Derek (Edward Norton), a neo-Nazi in the present day who is sent to prison for the murder of two Black teenagers, which he committed in the name of his ideals and beliefs. Upon his relief from prison, he becomes a changed man and decides to rethink his life, political views, and actions so that his younger brother, who looks up to him, does not suffer the same fate.
The movie may not be set in an actual fascist dictatorship or at a time when it was as big as it once was. Still, it’s pretty open about its stance on the matter, portraying thatfascists ought to change their ways and reconsider things, if not for themselves, then for those who admire them.Of course, there is a lot of gruesome violence in this crime drama, which helps display the negative effects of Derek’s beliefs. After all, if he had never joined up with the neo-Nazis, it’s likely that none of this ever would have happened to him in the first place.
American History X
8’Inglourious Basterds' (2009)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Inglourious Basterdsis analternate history flickthat takes place during World War II, imagining a fictitious team of misfits who undertake a daring mission to assassinateAdolf Hitler, the dictator of Nazi Germany. Nazi officials, both real and fictional, are portrayed as the villains here, and not even the sympathetic kind. Rather, these villains are the unapologetically evil kind and garner no sympathy from the audience. The movie is about killing several of these Nazis—how much more blatantly anti-fascist can you get?
Even with its political message,Inglourious Basterdsis actually pretty fun, with some decent action and biting humor in which theNazis are always the butt of the joke. Not only does itshow Nazis being killed, but it also pokes fun andlaughs at them for their downfall and their messed-up worldview. While the movie was heavily inspired by other flicks, it still has thatQuentin Tarantinoflair and has a moral that will hopefully never fade or be lost to the sands of time.
Inglourious Basterds
7’Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom' (1975)
Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini
It’s sad to say it, but often, the best way for an anti-fascist film to make its point is to show atrocity in full force without holding anything back.Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodomis often mistaken as torture pornby some, as it is based on a similarly-named book by theMarquis de Sade, from whom the word “sadism” was derived. To others, though, there are a lot of political, anti-fascist undertones, transporting viewers to the fascist state of Italy during the Italian Civil War, during whichBenito Mussolini’s regime crumbled.
Salòis super controversial because it is so graphic, but honestly, it kind of needs to be to make its point. In fact, it’sso horrifyingly violent that it actually kind of borders on horror, becoming so emotionally distressing that it may be too much even for the most steadfast of viewers. Yet, because of its realism,its point becomes painfully clear: fascism is awful, tears nations apart at the seams, and the innocent people are the ones who suffer the most because of it. As such, it must never happen again.
Salò, Or The 120 Days Of Sodom
6’Cabaret' (1972)
Directed by Bob Fosse
Sure, the idea of fascism is grim, but who says tackling this important issue can’t be fun? EnterCabaret, a bright andthrilling musical filmbased on a Broadway show of the same name. Set in 1930s Berlin during the Nazi Party’s rise to power, a showgirl named Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli), who isn’t exactly shy about being sexually promiscuous, performs for her club amidst political tensions and the looming shadow of the evils to come.
Cabaretis most certainly a show for adults, but its message is for everyone,approaching the anti-fascist angle through parody, satire, and ironyrather than through violence, gore, or brutality. After all, Sally is a woman who really likes to have fun and let herself go, but with the Nazis on the rise, her ability to do so becomes smaller and smaller. The things that Sally enjoys and her openness about sex would be super taboo in a fascist society, and so her character is, in itself, a critique of fascism.
5’The Great Dictator' (1940)
Directed by Charlie Chaplin
To focus more on the lighter side,Charlie Chaplin’sThe Great Dictatoris a ridiculous dark comedy that stars its director as Adenoid Hynkel, very obviously meant to be a parody of Adolf Hitler, from the similar name right down to the toothbrush mustache and uncanny appearance. In Chaplin’s first sound film, he portrays this caricature of Hitler as a clumsy, bumbling oaf rather than an evil mastermind with genocidal intentions.
One doesn’t need to be a genius to see that Chaplin is very clearlymaking fun of Hitler and everything he represents.The Great Dictatoris pretty shameless about being a propaganda film, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. In fact,showing fascism as being a ridiculous, laugh-worthy conceptreally helps drive the message home, embodying the energy of parody in a way that is more true to life. This anti-fascist flick is one that should absolutely be watched if oneprefers comedy to violence or war in their movies.
The Great Dictator
4’Come and See' (1985)
Directed by Elem Klimov
Come and Seeis known for being one of the mostviscerally haunting and bleakest depictions of warever made. Set in the German Invasion of the Soviet Union in World War II,Come and Seefollows Flyora (Yuri Kravchenko), an adolescent who enlists with the Belarusian partisans to fight against the Third Reich. The things he sees haunt him, from Nazis executing villages full of innocent people in cold blood to the terrible treatment the survivors receive.
In the end, a traumatized Flyora finds a portrait of Adolf Hitler on the ground and shoots it multiple times with his rifle, which is pretty on the nose, to the point that there’s no question in anyone’s mind what directorElem Klimovis trying to say. Blocks of text at the end explain the evil of the Third Reich, giving statistics about hundreds, if not thousands, of villages burned down by the Nazis.Come and Seeis perhapsso scarring because it is so realand doesn’t pull any punches fromshowing what evil really looks like and what fascism does to families.
Come And See
3’The Pianist' (2002)
Directed by Roman Polansky
The Pianistis a biopic based on a memoir byWładysław Szpilman, a Polish piano player during World War II. Szpilman, expertly portrayed byAdrien Brody, also happened to be Jewish, so he was a target marked for extermination by the Nazis upon their invasion of Poland at the very start of the war. Szpilman was lucky enough to survive but witnessed horrors beyond imagination that no one, much less an innocent musician, should have to see.
The movie was so harrowing, in fact, that Adrien Brody felt it was his toughest role andfound the movie hard to rewatchdespite it being the role that landed him his very first Oscar.Like many anti-fascist movies, the key to the film’s message here is toshow the terrible things that one of the most prominent fascist countries, Nazi Germany, is capable of when their twisted ideology comes to be its primary worldview and how millions of lives can be cut short by this “us and them” mentality.
The Pianist
2’Schindler’s List' (1993)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Schindler’s Listis much likeThe Pianistin that it is a heartbreaking movie about the Holocaust, the systematic extermination of Jewish people administered by Nazi Germany. This biopic andwar movie, based on a novelbyThomas Keneally, is aboutOskar Schindler(Liam Neeson), a member of the Nazi party who becomes disillusioned with his country upon witnessing the atrocities that his colleagues aren’t just actively committing but enthusiastically supporting. Schindler, a business owner, takes it upon himself to secretly save the lives of as many Jewish people as he can by offering them work in his factory.
Not only does this movie not hold back when showing some of the most horrifying things that the Third Reich committed, but it also becomes an anti-fascist movie by showinghow a real fascist began to rethink his ideologyand reassess his views on the world for the better.Schindler’s Listis also directed bySteven Spielberg, who is Jewish himself andreportedly had family memberspersonally affected by the Holocaust. If anyone is qualified to deliver an anti-Nazi and anti-fascist message with his films, it’s him.
Schindler’s List
1’Casablanca' (1942)
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Casablancais commonly seen as one of the greatest films of all time, so it may shock the viewer to know that it was actually created as an anti-fascist war propaganda film. Set in the eponymous city of Casablanca, Morocco, the story follows Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), a nightclub owner who must navigate the Nazi occupation and the strict, oppressive rules set in place by them to help smuggle an old flame back to friendly territory.
With its timeless dialogue and endless supply of quotable moments,Casablancashows what life under Nazi occupation was like and uses a lot of not-so-subtle symbolisms resembling prison bars, emphasizing how trapped the characters are under the regime. Because it was definitely anti-Nazi and anti-fascist, the moviewasn’t released to German audiences until ten yearsafter its release.Casablancamakes it pretty clear what its stance on politics is, making itthe best and most iconic anti-fascist movieever made.
