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Inglourious Basterds (2009) More at IMDbPro »

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Inglourious Basterds can be found here.

No. Inglourious Basterds was shot from a script by director Quentin Tarantino.

No, although the title of the film was inspired by The Inglorious Bastards (Quel maledetto treno blindato) (1978). While Tarantino is a huge fan of this macaroni combat classic, his Inglourious Basterds has evolved from being a similar men-on-a-mission war film to something very different.

Tarantino commented on "The Late Show" that Inglourious Basterds is the "Tarantino way of spelling it," but he hasn't commented on where the idea for the misspelling arose, nor is he likely to. "I'm never going to explain that," Tarantino was quoted at the Cannes Film Festival (Source: here). Three theories have been offered by viewers. (1) Basterd may be derived from the word Baster, a word derived from Dutch bastaard (bastard). The original Basters were mainly persons of mixed descent between the Cape Colony Dutch and indigenous African women who at one time would have been absorbed in the white community. In the movie, the Basterds are American/Jewish, and their plan was very similar...to be "civilians absorbed" in France, walking among the Nazis. (2) The misspelling may connote that Lt Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), who grew up in a family of backwoods bootleggers and moonshiners, has had little in the way of schooling. The words are briefly shown in their misspelled form on his rifle. (3) Tarantino misspelled the title on the cover of the script, which then leaked onto the internet before production began. Rather than admit his mistake, Tarantino chose to maintain the spelling. More on this theory here.

In the scene where the Basterds are in the forest interrogating their Nazi prisoners, one prisoner refuses to give up the Nazi position and basically asks for death. When Raine calls for Donowicz to "execute" the prisoner, Donowicz exits a cave and walks into plain view. When Donowicz is standing at the cave entrance, you can see Raine's shotgun and the words "inglourious basterds" carved into it.

Inglourious Basterds is about a group of Jewish-American soldiers plotting the assassination of Nazis while, in another storyline, Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent), a French-Jewish cinema owner who narrowly escaped the massacre of her family and who is now being forced to host a propaganda film attended by several high-ranking Nazi officers, including Adolf Hitler (Martin Wuttke), is also plotting their assassination. The two separate storylines come together at the end of the movie.

Technically, yes. Their mission was to create havoc and fear among the ranks of the Nazis, by killing and mutilating Nazis. However, a good portion of the men they killed weren't Nazis, but were German soldiers and not necessarily members of the Nazi Party, Gestapo or SS. But during the time of war, any German soldier who was fighting for Adolf Hitler and that country was considered a Nazi by the Allies.

No, this film is entirely fictional. In reality, the generally accepted cause of Hitler's death on 30 April 1945 is suicide by gunshot and cyanide poisoning. Although Britain employed Jewish commandos in a group called X-Troop, those fighters committed none of the acts shown in this film.

While Tarantino has made it pretty clear that in his film's world, Hitler was gunned down in the movie theater and didn't meet his real life fate, thus helping to end the war, fans have nevertheless put forth a theory that perhaps it was a double that was killed in the theater, or perhaps the actual Hitler was killed but a double "assumed the throne" and continued until committing suicide in the bunker in 1945. However, this would not account for the other members of Hitler's inner circle who were killed in the theater, such as Goering and Goebbels. It would be a little too convenient for them to have doubles, as well.

It is never explained in the movie, as it was Tarantino's intention to leave it unknown. Several theories have come up about it, one such being that it resulted from his punishment for being a bootlegger in the Southern United States. There is a rumor that Tarantino said in an interview that Raine was lynched by the KKK for defending African Americans in the South. It is also been suggested that someone slit or tried to slit his throat but didn't go as deeply as intended or that Aldo fought them off quickly enough, although the scar does not look like that caused by a knife, and the screenplay refers to it as a 'rope burn'.

Though not explicitly stated in the movie, it is strongly implied in the film that he is not. He mentions that he is part Apache and that he was born and raised in Maynardville, Tennessee, suggesting he is the Hillbilly type (not many Jewish Hillbillies). He was in charge of leading the actual Jewish-American soldiers into enemy territory but he himself was likely not Jewish. In all likelihood, he received/asked for command of the Basterds purely so he could have a crack at the Nazis.

Powdered snuff, which is a type of tobacco that you can inhale through your nose.

Landa (a man who was somewhat of a sociopath) probably admired her will for survival, or he simply didn't want to shoot her in the back (mentioned in the script, but left out of the movie). Alternatively, he might have deemed the distance between them to be too great for an accurate shot. Also, as he was "The Jew Hunter," he could have let her escape in order to track her down at a later time, for his amusement. Furthermore, in the 'Cannes Cut' he informs his soldiers that she will freeze to death in the coming winter.

It is unknown whether or not Landa knows her true identity. It would almost seem so in his manner (e.g. glass of milk, the question he forgets), but it is left ambiguous. He may have known but, seeing as how he was already planning to betray Hitler for his own gain, he may not have felt it necessary to capture and/or kill her anymore. While Landa ordered milk in the cafe, he ordered it for Shosanna. He ordered coffee for himself; the milk may simply have been a way to patronize Shosanna, as she is quite young to be running a theater. Landa could have forgotten about Shosanna after three years and never sees her face until they meet in the restaurant (though there is the possibility that he never saw her face in the first place), making their second meeting a scene of intentional, unwarranted uneasiness. The movie does not reveal what holes, if any, might have existed in Shosanna's cover story, so we don't know how deeply Landa looked into her background or how deeply he would have to have looked to see through her story.

Sgt Donny Donowitz (Eli Roth) and Pfc Omar Ulmer (Omar Doom) wanted to make sure they were the ones who killed Hitler and his staff. They may have also realized that all the exits were blocked and they couldn't get to their bombs in time, so they decided to go out in a blaze of glory, taking as many Nazis with them before they all died. Also, it's possible that they got so caught up in the moment and were so focused on the killing that they forgot about the bombs.

The Basterds, although cruel and brutal, still had their honesty. Not only that, but they were given orders by a higher authority. Raine was heard saying that what Landa was going to do would make up for the atrocities he has committed. "Death and nature illuminate, elevate. Love ventures under, the rest all never," a quote for karma diem, implying something in which Raine highly believes, i.e. giving the Nazis/German soldiers what they deserve. Thus, it is not surprising when Raine and company decide to follow orders and not break their word/honor by taking Landa's life. On the other hand, you could also say that Raine wanted to brand Landa a Nazi, a memento he would have to shamefully carry on his forehead for the rest of his life, a stark contrast to the war hero who caused Hitler's reign to end Landa was planning to bestow upon himself.

By the end of the film, Landa could see that in the situation where Hitler was inevitably going to die, and hence the Nazis were not going to win the war, he made the decision to betray Hitler. He goes to Raine to seek out a way to make him look like a hero. Landa traded Raine's life to hopefully be a permanent part of the history books, as the man who killed Hitler and ended the war singlehandedly. So, simply put, Landa didn't care which side he was on, as long as it was the winning side. As long as he came out of the war a hero, he was satisfied.

The first soldier to be branded wasn't shown in its entirety, although Aldo was only going deep enough to leave a visible scar. For Col. Landa, Aldo felt he deserved a little more than the usual, considering the atrocities he committed. He also wanted to make sure anyone who met Landa would see the 'brand' and recognize him for what he was. Consequently, Aldo dug his knife so deeply into Landa's forehead that it was basically carved into the skull, which is why Landa was in such agony. Aldo also seemed to do it a bit slower in order to maximize Landa's agony. This is why Aldo states that he believes that it is his "masterpiece."

It's worth noting that many of the songs listed here are anachronistic, i.e., they were released or recorded after the events in the film. Tarantino and his music director, Mary Ramos, obviously included them for dramatic effect as opposed to historical accuracy.

The Green Leaves Of Summer, composed by Dimitri Tiomkin & Paul Francis Webster and arranged & performed by Nick Perito, from The Alamo: The opening credits.

Dopo La Condanna (After The Verdict), by Ennio Morricone, from La resa dei conti: The arrival of the Nazis at the LaPadite farm.

L'incontro Con La Figlia, by Ennio Morricone, from Il ritorno di Ringo: The assassination of Shosanna's family and her subsequent escape.

White Lightning (Main Theme), by Charles Bernstein, from White Lightning: Pvt. Butz's introduction and Basterds aftermath / Lt. Aldo carving a swastika into Butz / Introduction of Shosanna and the theater in 1944.

Il Mercenario (Ripresa), by Ennio Morricone, from Il mercenario: Aftermath of the Basterds attack / Sgt. Rachtman approaches and salutes Lt. Aldo.

Slaughter (Main Theme), by Billy Preston, from Slaughter: Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz's theme.

Algeri: 1 November 1954, by Ennio Morricone & Gillo Pontecorvo, from La battaglia di Algeri: The Basterds springing Stiglitz from jail.

La Resa (The Surrender), by Ennio Morricone, from La resa dei conti: Sgt. Donowitz's introduction.

Un Dollaro Bucato (Main Theme) (One Silver Dollar), by Gianni Ferrio, from Un dollaro bucato: Bistro music during Shosanna's and Zoller's conversation.

Hound Chase (Intro), by Charles Bernstein: Major Hellstrom informs Shosanna that she must come with him.

The Saloon, by Riz Ortolani, from Al di là della legge: Piano music at Maxim's during Shosanna's lunch with Goebbels, Francesca, Zoller and Hellstrom.

Bath Attack, by Charles Bernstein, from The Entity: Shosanna sees Col. Landa again for the first time since he killed her family.

Claire's First Appearance, by Jacques Loussier: Shosanna decides to burn the theatre down on the night of the premiere of Stolz der Nation.

The Fight, by Jacques Loussier: Stiglitz sharpens his knife in front of Lt. Hicox.

Davon Geht Die Welt Nicht Unter, composed by Bruno Balz & Michael Jary and performed by Zarah Leander, from Die große Liebe: The first song playing in La Louisiane (while the first card game is going on).

The Man with the Big Sombrero, composed by Phil Boutelje & Foster Carling and performed by The Michael Andrew Orchestra, from Hi Diddle Diddle: The second song playing in La Louisiane (while Bridget is attempting to inform the Basterds of the recent changes in Operation Kino).

Ich Wollt Ich Wär Ein Huhn, composed by Hans Fritz Beckmann & Peter Kreuder and performed by Lilian Harvey, Willy Fritsch & Paul Kemp, from Glückskinder: The third song playing in La Louisiane (while Sgt. Wilhelm interrupts the conversation to talk to Bridget).

Dark of the Sun (Main Theme), by Jacques Loussier, from The Mercenaries: Lt. Aldo and Bridget start coming up with Plan B for Operation Kino.

Cat People (Putting Out The Fire), composed by David Bowie & Giorgio Moroder and performed by David Bowie, from Cat People: Shosanna's preparation montage for her revenge.

Mistico e Severo (Mystic and Severe), by Ennio Morricone, from Da uomo a uomo: Col. Landa studies the lobby and finds Bridget and the Basterds.

The Devil's Rumble, composed by Davie Allan & Mike Curb and performed by Davie Allan & The Arrows, from Devil's Angels: Sgt. Donowitz and PFC Ulmer study the opera boxes and take their seats among the Nazi officers.

What'd I Say, composed by Ray Charles and performed by Rare Earth: Sgt. Donowitz and PFC Ulmer study the area outside Hitler's opera box.

Zulus, composed by Elmer Bernstein and performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, from Zulu Dawn: Marcel bars the doors and takes his place behind the screen with the nitrate film prints.

Tiger Tank, by Lalo Schifrin, from Kelly's Heroes: Zoller leaves the opera box to see Shosanna / Shosanna switches reels.

Un Amico, by Ennio Morricone, from Revolver: Shosanna ruefully watches Stolz der Nation.

Eastern Condors (Main Theme), by Ting Yat Chung, from Dung fong tuk ying: Sgt. Donowitz and PFC Omar kill Hitler's guards.

Rabbia e Tarantella, by Ennio Morricone, from Allonsanfàn: Lt. Aldo carves his masterpiece / The closing credits.

In December 1944, the final German offensive began, but ended in January with a stalemate. In mid-January 1945, the Soviets began their invasion of Poland. In April of 1945, the Allies sucessfully pushed forward into Italy and Western Germany, and the Soviets took Berlin later that month. On April 30th, 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide.

Yes. For example...

-We see a victim's attackers from their point of view (similar to the trunk shot).

-Tarantino continues to display his foot fetish when Landa holds Bridget's foot.

-During a long conversation, the camera will circle around the table. The same technique is used in Reservoir Dogs and Death Proof.

-Julie Dreyfus portrays a translator in this film. She plays a similar role in Kill Bill Vol. 1.

-A character says a line in verse (Landa tells Raine and Utvich "You get all four, you win the war.") An example of this in another Tarantino film is in Pulp Fiction is when Paul tell Vincent, "My name's Paul, and this shit's between y'all."

-Samuel L Jackson participates in his 4th Tarantino film as The Narrator. Harvey Keitel makes his 3rd as the Commander that Raine and Landa talk to over radio.

-In the bar scene, Michael Fassbender, Til Schweiger, and August Diehl are involved in a Mexican standoff, much like the endings of Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction.

-In the opening scene, Landa drinks his entire glass of milk in one gulp before massacring an entire group of people. This is similar to an early scene in Pulp Fiction where Jules drinks an entire cup of Sprite in one gulp before he commits a massacre.

-The scene between Aldo and Wilhelm after the shootout is similar to one between The Bride and an assassin in Kill Bill Vol 2.

-Just after F. Zoller has shot Shoshanna, there is a shot, straight on, of him holding the gun on her, hesitating, moving it up and down. In Reservoir Dogs, Mr. Orange performs the same action, in a similar shot.

-The only black man in this film (a Frenchman) is named "Marcel." Marcellus was the name of the African-American crime boss in Pulp Fiction.

-Sgt. Donny Donowitz shares a last name with Lee Donowitz, who was a film producer character in the Tarantino-written film True Romance, and Tarantino has confirmed that the two are father and son. Also, in True Romance, the character Lee Donowitz produced a war film called Comin' Home in a Body Bag.

Yes. Tarantino keeps his tradition of giving himself a small role in his films. In fact, he appears twice. First, he appears as one of the scalped German bodies when the Basterds are introduced, and later appears as a soldier in "Nation's Pride," the movie being shown at the theater at the end. Nation's Pride was directed by Eli Roth, who appears as Donnie.

Probably the best person to recommend movies that inspired Inglourious Basterds is director Quentin Tarantino himself. In an interview with the Associated Press, Tarantino picks five of his favorite "story-oriented" versions of WWII. The five include (1) The Great Escape (1963) about a mass escape of Allied POWs from a Nazi prison camp, (2) The Dirty Dozen (1967) in which 12 convicted murderers lead a mass assassination mission of German officers, (3) Five Graves to Cairo (1943) in which a British officer seeks to penetrate the secrets of the "Desert Fox" (German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel), (4) Tonight We Raid Calais (1943) in which a British intelligence officer plots to destroy a Nazi munitions plant in France, and (5) Action in Arabia (1944) featuring a reporter in the Middle East who becomes caught up in the Allied-Nazi struggle for the sympathies of the Arab world. If you enjoyed Inglourious Basterds, you may wish to see other films by Quentin Tarantino, e.g., Reservoir Dogs (1994), True Romance (1993) (scripted by Tarantino but directed by Tony Scott), Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), and Death Proof (2007).