Executive Meddling: Bizarrely, the film owes its artistic legacy to an attempt at executive interference that was foiled by Adolf Hitler himself. Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels wanted to rush the film into cinemas as soon as possible after the 1936 Olympic Games ended to capitalise on its propaganda potential and tried to cut its budget accordingly. Leni Riefenstahl appealed to Hitler directly, and he overruled Goebbels and ensured that she had the time and money to make the film she (and he) wanted.
