Donald Duck in 'Der Fueherer's Face'

1. How are the Germans (and Japanese) portrayed in the opening sequence? How is irony created? The Germans are portrayed as arragant jokers. Their posture, stances and general body language is relaxed and undisciplined. They're also singing! These traits of someone you'd expect to be drunk, not a Nazi all of which is ironic. Another level of irony is the song they're singing displays the opposite to how they're acting. 
2. How is propaganda and the effect of propaganda portrayed with the introduction of Donald Duck? Propaganda is is used to portray Donald Duck by him showing ubiquitous Nazi symbols. 
3. How is irony continued into the breakfast scene? Irony is shown by the soldiers saying how good Germany is and how wealthy they are when Donald Duck only has one coffee bean for breakfast. 
4. How is Naxi Germany portrayed in the opening shot at 3:30? Nazi Germany is portrayed by dark and sinister effects. For example the background is dark red and the angle shot is low and it's a very long shot too which adds to the aggression and power of Nazi Germany. The buildings are also displayed with low lighting and the buildings are unnaturally straight and still.
5. What is ironic about the song lyrics regarding work and what is happening in the scene? The irony is that the workers are singing praise songs to Hitler. Even the worker's bell is going off and is personified as it says 'Hail Hitler.' Irony is of course the workers hate Hitler. Another is that the lyrics are 'we never will be slaves' when Donald is being worked as a slave. 
6. What does the conveyor belt portray regarding the lifestyle of Germans? The conveyor belt comes out and it's unfinished RPG bullets on the belt. This portrays a murdering side to the Germans as their workers are making RPG bullets for them and that there's only work for the Nazis and that they like it, making them more military and disciplined. 
7. Why do you think that there aren't actually any people that force Donald to work? We only see the ends of bayonets and a speaker. I think that this is because it has a humurous affect as the bayonets are being personified. It also puts more attention on Donald
8. What is ironic about the vacation? The irony is that it's a vacation no Jew gets when working in a concentration camp, belittling how bad the camps actually are/were. It's also ironic because it's not a vacation at all.
9. In the dream sequence, how are the Germans portrayed? Why? The Germans are portrayed as loud and noisy bayonets, bullets, whistles, etc. This is because the Nazis always had guns at hand, were loud and noisy and shot many people. 
10. What do the pajamas when we see Donald in his bed tell us? They pajamas tell us Donald Duck is an American who loves his country and that his 'dream' was a 'nightmare.' It also gives a patriotic view of Donald. 
11. What is the Statue of Liberty used to convey? The statue of Liberty is used as an icon of the USA as Donald Duck kisses it and says 'i love you America' to it; it conveys Donald Duck's love for the USA to us. 
12. How is Hilter portrayed at the end of the film? What is it about his face that is important? Hitler is portrayed as a small and angry little man in a way as only his head is shown, not his loud whistles or big gun or anything like that; he is belittled. The importance of his face is that it's smashed at the end, which represents the end of his reign. 
13. Why is this a representation of propaganda? Why is it actually ironic considering the way the Nazi's are portrayed? ...
14. Who are the villains, victims, and heroes? The villains are the Nazis as they take Donald Duck away from his home. The Victim is Donald Duck as he is taken away from his home and the hero is America as they defeat the Nazis. 
15. How are the portrayed? The German's are portrayed as loud drunks or as bayonets and loudspeakers in other scenes; Donald is portrayed as a Duck and the Americas are portrayed by the Statue of Liberty.
16. What can you conclude about how these characters are portrayed knowing that this was produced in 1943 USA? (write a short essay including a discussion of the director's use of film techniques.)

What I conclude about how these characters are portrayed and knowing that this was produced in the USA in 1943 is that how the story-line flowed was one-sided, bias, made to belittle the Nazis and make Americas win look better. This video was used as a bit of a victory lap and reminder of what was for the Americans. 

As the Nazis are portrayed by weapons, speakers and drunks, it's fair to say that the video is bias and doesn't show and of the uniform, discipline, etc. of the Nazis. This portrayal is completely contrary to what the Nazis actually and is used as an ironic representation of what the Nazis actually were. 

The representation of Hitler is also one to challenge his authority. Instead of him being portrayed as a dominant, strong leader who was head strong and influential, he is portrayed by a small, eerily shaped head that was smashed in the end. The blood that spurts out of the head forms 'the end' on the screen to signify both the end of the clip and the end of Hitler. 

The representation of the Americans are shown as the heroes of the victims. For example when Donald Duck is 'rescued' from his dream, he's wearing American pajamas and kisses the Statue of Liberty, elevating the Americans participation and affect on the war as well as making them heroes. 

To Conclude, a lot what the Germans were was 'forgotten' in this video and they are portrayed quite ironically: drunk, undisciplined and soldiers who have little influence in anything, let alone a huge war whereas the Americans are represented by an unquestionable 'force' as though they win, they don't even appear in the video.