Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, this alternate-history war film – one of his most critically acclaimed and enduring cinematic masterpieces – is set in German-occupied France during World War II and follows the operations of ‘The Basterds’, a rogue unit of Jewish-American soldiers led by the fiercely eccentric First Lieutenant Aldo “The Apache” Raine (Brad Pitt).
Operating behind enemy lines, their sole mission is to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by brutally killing and scalping Nazis. Tennessee-born Raine demands “one hundred Nazi scalps” from each of his men.
Meanwhile, Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) – a young French-Jewish woman who escapes the massacre of her family by the SS – assumes a new identity as a Parisian cinema owner.
When her theatre is selected to host the high-profile premiere of Nation’s Pride, a Nazi propaganda film produced by Hitler’s #2 man, Joseph Goebbels (Sylvester Groth), she plans to burn the building down with the entire Nazi elite trapped inside.
The story weaves together two parallel, converging assassination plots against the Nazi high command.
Austrian-born Christoph Waltz co-stars as SS Colonel Hans Landa (pictured above). Nicknamed “The Jew Hunter,” Landa is a ruthlessly brilliant yet charming, engaging, multilingual villain.
Landa’s cold-blooded cabin monologue to French dairy farmer La Pedite (Denis Ménochet), whom he suspects of sheltering Jews, is a sinister mix of slippery charm, high intellect and outright villainy. As is he.
Waltz’s performance earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and launched his Hollywood career.
There are standout performances from Michael Fassbender as British Lieutenant Archie Hicox, Diane Kruger as German film star and double agent Bridget von Hammersmark, and Eli Roth as the baseball-bat-wielding Sgt. Donny “The Bear Jew” Donowitz.
The title is deliberately misspelt as a nod to Enzo G. Castellari’s 1978 Italian war movie The Inglorious Bastards.
Lt. Aldo “The Apache” Raine
Brad Pitt Shosanna Dreyfus
Mélanie Laurent Col. Hans Landa
Christoph Waltz Sgt. Donny “Bear Jew” Donowitz
Eli Roth Lt. Archie Hicox
Michael Fassbender Bridget von Hammersmark
Diane Kruger Fredrick Zoller
Daniel Brühl Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz
Til Schweiger Cpl. Wilhelm Wicki
Gedeon Burkhard Marcel
Jacky Ido Pfc. Smithson Utivich
B.J. Novak Pfc. Omar Ulmer
Omar Doom Major Hellstrom
August Diehl Perrier LaPadite
Denis Ménochet Joseph Goebbels
Sylvester Groth Adolf Hitler
Martin Wuttke General Ed Fenech
Mike Myers Francesca Mondino
Julie Dreyfus Sgt. Rachtman
Richard Sammel Master Sgt. Wilhelm/Pola Negri
Alexander Fehling Winston Churchill
Rod Taylor Pvt. Butz/Walter Frazer
Sönke Möhring Pfc. Hirschberg
Samm Levine Pfc. Andy Kagan
Paul Rust Pfc. Michael Zimmerman
Michael Bacall Eric
Christian Berkel Mathilda
Anne-Sophie Franck Charlotte LaPadite
Léa Seydoux Julie LaPadite
Tina Rodriguez Suzanne LaPadite
Lena Friedrich Cpt. Wolfgang
Ludger Pistor Babette
Jana Pallaske Herrman #1
Wolfgang Lindner Herrman #3
Michael Kranz General Schonherr
Rainer Bock Sebastian Hülk
Benno Kraehahn Gaspar
Buddy Joe Hooker Pfc. Simon Sakowitz
Carlos Fidel Kliest Voice
Christian Brückner Emil Jannings
Hilmar Eichhorn Jakob Dreyfus
Patrick Elias Miriam Dreyfus
Eva Löbau Bob Dreyfus
Salvadore Brandt Amos Dreyfus
Jasper Linnewedel
Director
Quentin Tarantino
Video
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Meanwhile, Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) – a young French-Jewish woman who escapes the massacre of her family by the SS – assumes a new identity as a Parisian cinema owner.
Landa’s cold-blooded cabin monologue to French dairy farmer La Pedite (Denis Ménochet), whom he suspects of sheltering Jews, is a sinister mix of slippery charm, high intellect and outright villainy. As is he.
