Mephisto (1981)
Country: HUN
Technical: col 144m
Director: István Szabó
Cast: Klaus Maria Brandauer, Ildikó Bánsági, Krystyna Janda, Rolf Hoppe
Synopsis:
An actor of provincial theatre in Weimar Germany rides a wave of success all the way to the capital thanks to carefully cultivated friendships and a special relationship with the Nazi Prime Minister, but in so doing he must renounce or betray many who were part of his former life.
Review:
Based on a Mann novel in turn inspired by a real case, this multi-layered drama of role-playing and manipulation showcases a supercharged performance by Brandauer and a mesmerising one by Hoppe, as the true Mephisto of the piece. Szabo neatly skewers the dilemma faced by many an artist in Germany during the Thirties, and remains faithful to the hothouse atmosphere of sexual dalliance that lay behind Mann's original work. However, the dubbing leaves something to be desired and the meagre production resources are at times all too self-evident, with many exteriors cleverly devoid of people.
Country: HUN
Technical: col 144m
Director: István Szabó
Cast: Klaus Maria Brandauer, Ildikó Bánsági, Krystyna Janda, Rolf Hoppe
Synopsis:
An actor of provincial theatre in Weimar Germany rides a wave of success all the way to the capital thanks to carefully cultivated friendships and a special relationship with the Nazi Prime Minister, but in so doing he must renounce or betray many who were part of his former life.
Review:
Based on a Mann novel in turn inspired by a real case, this multi-layered drama of role-playing and manipulation showcases a supercharged performance by Brandauer and a mesmerising one by Hoppe, as the true Mephisto of the piece. Szabo neatly skewers the dilemma faced by many an artist in Germany during the Thirties, and remains faithful to the hothouse atmosphere of sexual dalliance that lay behind Mann's original work. However, the dubbing leaves something to be desired and the meagre production resources are at times all too self-evident, with many exteriors cleverly devoid of people.
Country: HUN
Technical: col 144m
Director: István Szabó
Cast: Klaus Maria Brandauer, Ildikó Bánsági, Krystyna Janda, Rolf Hoppe
Synopsis:
An actor of provincial theatre in Weimar Germany rides a wave of success all the way to the capital thanks to carefully cultivated friendships and a special relationship with the Nazi Prime Minister, but in so doing he must renounce or betray many who were part of his former life.
Review:
Based on a Mann novel in turn inspired by a real case, this multi-layered drama of role-playing and manipulation showcases a supercharged performance by Brandauer and a mesmerising one by Hoppe, as the true Mephisto of the piece. Szabo neatly skewers the dilemma faced by many an artist in Germany during the Thirties, and remains faithful to the hothouse atmosphere of sexual dalliance that lay behind Mann's original work. However, the dubbing leaves something to be desired and the meagre production resources are at times all too self-evident, with many exteriors cleverly devoid of people.