The Ufa (Universum Film AG), Germany’s preeminent commercial studio during the years that spanned the two World Wars, played a central role in the history of German film. In this documentary, Erwin Leiser offers a critical examination of the German film industry from a modern perspective. The first section of this three-part series explores the period from the establishment of the Ufa in 1917 through the Weimar years, utilizing a number of clips from successful films of the time, including Bombs on Monte Carlo and The Blue Angel. The second section, which covers the period from 1932 to 1945, reviews Nazi policies and productions. The final segment describes the years after 1945 and the collapse of the Third Reich, when the East German Defa took over the Ufa studios and personnel.