Mephisto
Mephisto is a 1981 political drama film co-written and directed by István Szabó, and based on the novel of the same title by Klaus Mann. It stars Klaus Maria Brandauer as a German stage actor (modeled on Gustaf Gründgens) who finds unexpected success and mixed blessings in the popularity of his performance in a Faustian play as the Nazis take power in pre-WWII Germany. As his associates and friends flee or are underground by the Nazi regime, the popularity of his character ends up superseding his own existence, until he finds that his best performance is keeping up appearances for his Nazi patrons.
Plot
The film adapts the story of Mephistopheles and Doctor Faustus by revealing the costs to the main character Hendrik Höfgen as he abandons his conscience and continues to perform, ingratiating himself with the Nazi Party in order to retain his job and improve his social position.
Awards
More details
| author | István Szabó Péter Dobai |
|---|---|
| award | Academy Award for Best International Feature Film Best Screenplay Award (Cannes Film Festival) National Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Language Film |
| contentLocation | Germany |
| director | István Szabó |
| editor | Zsuzsa Csákány |
| events | Nazi Germany |
| genre | drama political romance |
| keywords | doctor faustus faust gustaf gründgens hamlet hermann göring mephistopheles national theatre nazi party nazism sing the national |
| musicBy | Zdenkó Tamássy |
| nomination | Academy Award for Best International Feature Film |
| producer | Manfred Durniok |
| productionCompany | Mafilm Objektív Film Manfred Durniok Filmproduktion Hessischer Rundfunk [[ORF ORF |
| publisher | Analysis Film Releasing Corporation |
| theme | biographical drama dance films à clef |