some writers describe the film as a "microcosm" displaying a "weakness of the world that permitted the rise of hitler." kramer does not disagree, and wrote, "even though we never mention him [hitler] in the picture, his ascendancy is an ever-present factor. most of the passengers on the ship are germans, returning to their fatherland at a time when millions of other germans are looking for ways to escape." in a scene noted by spoto, a nazi passenger is "barking inanities" about how germans should purify their race, to which a german-jewish passenger responds, "there are nearly a million jews in germany. what are they going to do — kill us all?"