Mephisto (1981)

69% of critics liked it
(16 reviews)
85% of users liked it
(2,694 ratings)

Based on Klaus Mann's novel, Mephisto details the rise of a Faustian character who figuratively sells his soul in exchange for greatness. Hendrik Hofgen (Klaus Maria Brandauer, offering an electric performance) is the star of a state-funded theater department who tires of his job. Like his friends,… More Based on Klaus Mann's novel, Mephisto details the rise of a Faustian character who figuratively sells his soul in exchange for greatness. Hendrik Hofgen (Klaus Maria Brandauer, offering an electric performance) is the star of a state-funded theater department who tires of his job. Like his friends, he pays lip service to socialist ideals fashionable for artists of his time -- that is, until the Nazis rise to power. He then sees an opportunity to achieve his objective of fame: he will perform propaganda plays and thereby use the Nazis as a vehicle to spread his name across the country -- only too late does he realize his mistake. This well-adapted version of the book featured the first teaming of Brandauer with director Istvan Szabo; they would later reunite to make Colonel Redl and Hanussen. Brandauer first gained attention in the U.S. after the film's release and would be cast as the villain in Never Say Never Again as a result. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 20 min.
Directed By: István Szabó
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Sep 29, 1981 Wide
On DVD: Jun 26, 2001
Studio: HBO Video

Critic Reviews

Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine
Few have dared what Brandauer accomplishes: showing us a good actor responding to the same neurotic drive for the center of the stage, the immortalizing role. His is a great performance, nothing less.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
A disappointingly thin, conventional film.
Variety Staff, Variety
Hungaro pic shows extraordinary period flair for the Germany of the 1920s and '30s, balanced acting by a multinational cast, and exemplary direction.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The actor is played by Klaus Maria Brandauer in one of the greatest movie performances I've ever seen.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
Mephisto seems somewhat remote, without all the urgency of which Mr. Szabo has shown himself capable.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
An inspired update of the Faust legend featuring a tour de force performance by Klaus Maria Brandauer.
David Parkinson, Empire Magazine
Difficult subject, but well pulled off. Too long though.
, Time Out
A superbly modulated, fruitfully ambivalent central performance by Brandauer carries the emotional and intellectual weight of the political dilemma.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Winner of the 1981 foreign lingo Oscar, Szabu's modern Faustian take is rather conventional in story and ideas, but it has strong emotional pull due to Brandauer's bravura performance.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Mephisto is a powerful parable about fame as a disease of the spirit.
Ben Reynolds, Film4
Slow-burning and bleak, this detailed study of deception and self-justification is brought to life by the virtuoso performance of Klaus Maria Brandauer and the perfectly restrained direction of Istvan Szabó.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Overbearing.
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
A very good film with an intriguing and disturbing message.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

vieras e

What would you do? The first hour or so was momentarily almost dreadfully dull, but luckily things became more interesting towards the end as he really started to contemplate his doings.
cody f

Oscar winning film about a actor who sells his soul to advance as a actor and a citizen in the Nazi Germany.Klaus Maria Brandauer is great as a down and out actor who changes his beliefs to advance as Germany's greatest actor.The movie is a take on Faust and as the film continues… More
Oscar winning film about a actor who sells his soul to advance as a actor and a citizen in the Nazi Germany.Klaus Maria Brandauer is great as a down and out actor who changes his beliefs to advance as Germany's greatest actor.The movie is a take on Faust and as the film continues Klaus goes from the devil to Faust himself. I loved the idea and it is executed perfectly. The only problem is the film has a sudden ending that really doesn't have much resolve. The movie is over 2 hours and they could trim about 20 minutes and add more of a ending.
Emily B

A fantastic performance by Klaus Maria Brandauer. <a href="http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q156/bozley04/?action=view&current=mephisto1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q156/bozley04/mephisto1.jpg"… More
A fantastic performance by Klaus Maria Brandauer. <a href="http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q156/bozley04/?action=view&current=mephisto1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q156/bozley04/mephisto1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Cast

            Klaus Maria Brandauer as Hendrik

            Krystyna Janda as Barbara

            Ildikó Bánsági as Nicoletta von Niebuhr

            Karin Boyd as Juliette Martens

            Rolf Hoppe as General

            Christine Harbort as Lotte Lindenthal

            Peter Andorai as Otto Ulrichs

            Irén Bordán
            
            György Cserhalmi as Hans Miklas

            Jozsef Csor as Joachim

            Istvan Komlos
            
            Geza Kovacs
            
            Tamas Major as Oskar H. Kroge

            Hédi Temessy
            
            Terry Torday
            
            Karoly Ujlaky as Sebastian

            Agnes Banfalvy
            
            Gyorgy Banffy
            
            Vilmos Kun
            
            Judit Hernadi
            
            Ildikó Kishonti as Dora Martin

            Christian Grashoff as Cesar von Muck

            Zdzislaw Mrozewski
            
            Teri Tordai
            
            David Robinson as Davidson
See full cast