Il colonnello Redl

At the 1986 OSCAR awards, the Austrian actor Klaus Maria BRANDAUER had his big evening: he was nominated for his supporting role in OUT OF AFRICA and COLONEL REDL (with him in the title role) was in the OSCAR for best foreign language film. Both trophies went into other hands, but that in no way diminishes the importance of COLONEL REDL.

Ostensibly, it's about a spy story in the already ailing imperial-royal Danube monarchy of Austria-Hungary ("Kakania"). But the real subject is Colonel Redl as a typical Kakanian who suppresses his own feelings, crouches upwards and kicks downwards. A star role for Klaus MAria BRANDAUER, who filmed MEPHISTO (OSCAR-winning) and HANUSSEN in the 1980s with director Istvan SZABO. Gudrun LANDGREBE (THE FLAMBED WOMAN) and Jan NIKLAS (GOLDEN GLOBE for ANASTASIA (mini-series)) shine as a relaxed, fluffy sibling pair. Although Colonel Redl is courting Baroness Katalin, he secretly likes her attractive brother Kristof. Yes, such a Kakanian subject had a hard time! Hans Christian BLECH and Armin MUELLER-STAHL (OSCAR nomination for SHINE) can be seen in other roles as heir to the throne Franz Ferdinand.

The film is worth seeing, but also old-fashioned in the best sense. Even when I first watched it in the 1980s, it seemed a bit out of time, but that fits well with the plot. Even back then it was like a homage to good German-language films from the 1950s, albeit with more explicit sex scenes! The film SPIONAGE by Franz ANTEL, released in 1955 and also starring GOLDEN GLOBE winner Oskar WERNER, deals with the same story.

The film, which was awarded the GOLDEN GLOBE and the BAFTA, attracted 251,646 visitors (source: InsideKino) to West German cinemas in 1985.

I really enjoyed this film! They are so fantastic in describing how Austria-Hungary went from high to low in a short period of time. As a matter of fact when I move around territories which used to be part of Austria-Hungary that country was more successful country then are the countries that exist on its territory save may be Austria today.

The plot is great, shots of fantastic vistas of the former Empire and acting is excellent, especially EMB.

If you are history student of Austria-Hungary period this is a definitely film for you.

If you are from Austria or Hungary or other countries that inherited territories of the former Monarchy, you have to see this film, it is a part of your history.

"Colonel Redl" (German, 1984): Starring Klaus Marie Brandauer, directed by Istvan Szabo. This is the second film of a trilogy. (The first, "Mephisto", the third, "Hanussen" I do not own, but will try to find for rental.) Here we are in Germany again, but before WWI. A young man decides that the only way to raise himself from his peasant roots is to enter the aristocratic military world – and is willing to do anything to get in, stay in, and advance in. This he does, but there's always The Price. He slowly loses those things and people which held any meaning or joy for him. He finds himself an amateur in a world that is completely Darwinian, and long-practiced in the art of manipulation. Like "Mephisto", the ladder climber seems to reach spectacular heights, only to be tossed down when it most serves those who were never out of control. These films of Szabo start light, start fluffy, and slowly change into foreboding, evil, hopeless stories with NO optimism towards the human spirit, organized groups of humans, or Time being a teacher. They are very insightful essays on these subjects.

The second of director Istvan Szabo's collaborations with actor Klaus Maria Brandauer (I have also watched the first, MEPHISTO [1981, but not the third, HANUSSEN [1988]) is a well-mounted and stately production, typically meticulous and thought-provoking, highlighting the actor's towering leading performance. Once again examining the country's history at the time of a major upheaval (the eve of WWI) and with Brandauer - very ably inhabiting every facet of his complex role - giving another subtle, compelling portrayal of misjudged pride and the shameful exposure (thankfully, the homosexual angle of the plot is barely stressed) at the hands of the regime he had devoted his life to serving.

Unlike most people who know both films (there aren't many!), I've always preferred this 1985 film to Klaus Maria Brandauer's - and director István Szabó's Oscar winning 'Mephisto', from 1981.

'Mephisto' won an Oscar, for Foreign language film and as such, István Szabó remains Hungary's only ever Academy Award recipient. The two films have similarities, with Brandauer giving superbly nuanced yet powerful performances and both as high ranking Military Officers, German in Mephisto and Austro-Hungarian in this.

Colonel Redl is a made up character that is drawn from historical records and the story that ensues is based on John Osborne's play 'A Patriot for Me' and we follow Redl as boy, all the way through to his high-ranking officer just before the onset of the Great War. It's a compelling study of the decaying Empire that so dominated turn-of-the- century Europe and the bubbling resentments and labelling of ethnic groups within that start to make us feel us uncomfortable as the recognisable Monster that was to become becomes apparent.

It is Brandauer's calm and chilly persona that is both compelling and slightly disturbing. In Mephisto, in comparison, he is far more dramatic, even over-the-top, though the critics might say otherwise. As Redl coolly bulldozes his way through the ranks, craftily getting on the right side of everyone he needs to, his feelings toward a younger officer let slip and after the affair, his decimation from power is calculatingly abrupt and shocking, revealing a paranoid State.

There is excellent support from Armin Mueller-Stahl, recognisable from many English speaking films, usually as a German SS officer, as the doomed but supremely powerful and influential Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

The period detail is perfect as is the cinematography, looking radiantly splendid in the great halls and ballrooms, beautifully evocative in the snowy wastelands and suitably grim in the film's darker moments.

As I said, Colonel Redl certainly deserves to be as known as Mephisto - and of course, both far more than just specialist films for Art House lovers, that they seem to be casually categorised as.

My DVD was a Korean release that, once the subtitles were changed to English (from the default Korean) played like just like a 'normal' one.