incentive

Question.

Americans in particular seem to be pretty into making movies that take place during the Second World War, quite possibly because it was the last serious war the country actively participated in for which they're entitled to feel proud and aren't on the receiving end of a lot of criticism about interfering in another country's business for no reason. Not all of these movies require an actor to portray Adolf Hitler--a lot of them get away with recycling old file footage and news reels--and even the ones that do don't always even show the actor's face.

But sometimes I wonder: how do casting directors entice people to willingly play the part of one of the twentieth century's most universally loathed baddies? I've never paid much attention to the inner workings of the film industry, but are the actors portraying Hitler even often credited by name? Do people have any apprehensions about playing Hitler in a movie? Is there extra money involved if they can find someone willing to do it, or is the desire for stardom so intense that people are willing to be recorded for posterity as one of the most evil genocidal villains of all time?

Can't help but wonder, you know?