Mephisto (1981)

Director:

István Szabó

Writers:

Péter Dobai (writer)
Klaus Mann (novel)

Release Date:

22 March 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

A German stage actor finds unexpected success and mixed blessings in the popularity of his performance...

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Actor | Faustian | Historical | Theatre

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 9 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Klaus Maria Brandauer	...	Hendrik Hoefgen
Krystyna Janda	...	Barbara Bruckner
Ildikó Bánsági	...	Nicoletta von Niebuhr
Rolf Hoppe	...	Tábornagy
György Cserhalmi	...	Hans Miklas
Péter Andorai	...	Otto Ulrichs
Karin Boyd	...	Juliette Martens
Christine Harbort	...	Lotte Lindenthal
Tamás Major	...	Oskar Kroge, színigazgató
Ildikó Kishonti	...	Dora Martin, primadonna
Mária Bisztrai	...	Motzné, tragika
Sándor Lukács	...	Rolf Bonetti, bonviván
Ágnes Bánfalvy		(as Bánfalvi Ágnes)
Judit Hernádi	...	Rachel Mohrenwitz, drámai szende
Vilmos Kun	...	Ügyelõ

Runtime:

144 min | Spain:126 min

Country:

West Germany | Hungary | Austria

Language:

English | Hungarian | German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | New Zealand:R13 | Sweden:11 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Hessischer Rundfunk (HR)

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [István Szabó]A guest wearing a tuxedo on the theater reception party near the end of the film, complaining about the unnecessary expenses of the luxurious party.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Contrary to what is depicted in the film, Hitler was not named chancellor of Germany after the Nazis won a majority in the Reichstag. He was appointed chancellor in January 1933 without proper parliamentary confirmation, and the Nazi Party did not won an absolute majority of votes in the next election (March 1933).

Quotes:

Hendrik Hoefgen: Am I not the most dreadful villain you have seen?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: (#5.1)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

Im Grunewald

What is an actor but a hollow vessel?

I originally saw this film in theaters when it came out, and enjoyed it greatly. A few years later, I saw a dubbed version and was very disappointed. Hoefgen's voice had been dubbed by someone who injected an arch and sarcastic tone, whereas in the original German version, his voice sounded so simple and innocent. (And, of course, the Mephisto sequences lost a great deal in translation).

To be brief, the contrast between Hoefgen's ready protestations of innocence, and the evil that he is supporting are meant to make us ask how we can judge the quality of a man's actions. If we cannot rely on our impression of his honesty, then we must use the consequences of the actions as our yardstick.

It may not be coincidence that this study of an actor's facile slide into fascism came out early in the Reagan administration. Reagan professed his astonishment over Iran-Contra, protestations that were laughable, as he had all but announced what his government was doing. His act wore thin, but not before it reduced the American presidency to a joke; how else can one explain the reelection of Bush II, all hat and no brains, to a job for which he has proved himself incompetent on a daily basis?