Die Nacht would make a long night indeed for most filmgoers, there is no story to speak of, just six hours of a monologue related to European history by Edith Clever, enhanced by excellent music by Richard Wagner, Johann Sebastian Bach, and other composers, quotes from philosophers like Nietzsche and Goethe, and random images that match the narration. In the prologue Clever speaks from the ruins of the Danish Embassy in Berlin, commenting on the thoughts of the Native American Chief Seattle, who saw his own tribe succumb to the ravages of white dominant society. As this look at Europe's recent past continues, Clever's artful and sonorous presentation keeps attention fixed on the moods and feelings and information that mix and mingle throughout The Night.
~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi