MEPHISTO Movie Review

An egomaniacal, ambitious German actor (Klaus Maria Brandauer) sides with the Nazis to further his career. Hungary's István Szabó directed a trilogy of films starring the gifted Brandauer, all of which explored different aspects of selling one's soul for personal gain throughout German history. Szabó makes no bones about this story being a modern reworking of the Faust legend, and though he's unambiguous about his protagonist's guilt, the film remains fascinating throughout as a well-sculpted portrait of the cost of rationalization when carried to its logical end. Brandauer is a wonder; his energy level is staggering, but he never lets his sheer whirlwind force substitute for expressiveness. Academy Award Winner, Best Foreign Language Film.

NEXT STOP … Colonel Redl, Hanussen, Faust (1926)

1981 144m/C HU Klaus Maria Brandauer, Krystyna Janda, Ildiko Bansagi, Karin Boyd, Rolf Hoppe, Christine Harbort, Gyorgy Cserhalmi, Christiane Graskoff, Peter Andorai, Ildiko Kishonti; D: Istvan Szabo; C: Lajos Koltai. Academy Awards ‘81: Best Foreign Film. VHS REP, SWC, GLV