Reviews & Ratings for
Colonel Redl More at IMDbPro »Oberst Redl (original title)

Filter:

Best Chronological Prolific Authors Loved It Hated It Hide Spoilers:

Page 1 of 2:

[1] [2]

Index

13 reviews in total

---

26 out of 30 people found the following review useful:
Powerful Study of Self-Definition, 9 September 2002
Author: mackjay from Out there in the dark

"Colonel Redl" bears some interesting comparisons with "Lawrence of Arabia". In both films, the central character defines himself through a military career. Both characters are gay men. Both are ultimately exploited by the military entities in which they have found some identity. "Colonel Redl" could almost be called a 'chamber Lawrence': Redl gains no experience in the field--his exploits are mainly political, something he hates, yet is quite adept at manipulating. Redl's homosexuality is made explicit, while David Lean's film only hints at Lawrence's orientation.

One of "Redl"'s great strengths is its convincing portrayal of conscious, yet suppressed, homosexuality in an earlier historical context. Redl's scenes with Katalin--the perceptive sister of his love object--are models of expressing unspoken feelings. While a scene of Redl watching the handsome Kubinyi have sex with a prostitute, and a later scene with his own male lover are without ambiguity. At the same time, it must be said that homosexuality in this film is not truly a subject. It really functions to underline Redl's status as an outsider. He is also part Jewish, part Catholic, part Ukrainian, part Hungarian. Within his socio-political context, there is nowhere to fit.

Klaus Maria Brandauer, in a brilliant performance, embodies the tormented conflicts of Redl, while maintaining a sympathetic side of the character. This fascinating film is loaded with irony and pain at nearly every turn.

The DVD issue of "Colonel Redl" contains a 22-minute documentary interview with director Istvan Szabo, featuring scenes from the 'trilogy' of which "Colonel Redl" makes up the second part, and comments from Brandauer.

---

21 out of 23 people found the following review useful:
Brandauer as the Microcosm of History, 3 March 2000

Author: Guy_T from London, England

Brandauer again shows why reviews of his work often include the word 'magnetic' - You just don't take your eyes off him. His range is remarkable, his control of the minutest gesture superb, the subtlety of his physical screen presence majestic.

Szabo's direction is again precise but not heavy handed. If this doesn't have quite the sweep or sting in the tail of their previous collaboration, Mephisto, it is still one of the finest European films of its time.

The story is superbly crafted; to leave Muller-Stahl's Archduke Franz Ferdinand out until the last hour or so is an outstanding narrative technique, and if Muller-Stahl's performance is a trifle one-note, that's as much due to narrative constraint as actor ability - he's still pretty effective, and its one of his best roles.

Szabo has an ability to investigate history in a curiously personal and touching sense of the individual, but leaving that individual dispassionately, and gazing at him objectively; thus what comes across is a really detailed and involving character struggling against an incredible force of inevitability. Like Visconti, broad strokes, but painted in the minutest of details - only unlike Visconti, full blooded and direct.

It's at times witty, literate and touching, but always beautiful.

---

12 out of 15 people found the following review useful:
Can Devotion ever be judged as Treason?, 30 September 2007

Author: Marcin Kukuczka from Cieszyn, Poland

The successful collaboration of Istvan Szabo with the Austrian actor Klaus Maria Brandauer in MEPHISTO (1981) resulted in another sensational movie, OBERST REDL (1985): again a story of a man in the German speaking country, again psychological theme of self confidence, again personal tragedy. However, in spite of the similar aspects that both movies share, the latter appears to attract in a different way.

Is it history depiction that attracts? While MEPHISTO was a story of an actor who desired appreciation and acceptance from the Nazis and, by means of compromise and adjustment, hoped to survive (being at the same time a very realistic insight into historical reality), OBERST REDL, based upon John Osborne's play "A Patriot for Me" is a story of a soldier devoted to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Living in its fading period, he gets through promotion and degradation. Yet, unfortunately, history is poorly executed. The depiction of the empire does not appear convincing. The Habsburgs are overly "cruel and cold". As a result, relating Redl to Mephisto and the background power the both characters serve would surely harm the Habsburgs since Mephisto cannot be understood without the Nazis and Redl without the Habsburgs. So what attracts in the movie and involves the viewer?

This is the story of a life...a very unique insight into the main character's feelings and experience. His fanatical devotion that leads to a personal tragedy; a "son of the emperor," as called once by a priest in church, that turns into a "traitor"; an ambitious soldier that becomes an indefatigable spy. Brandauer does a perfect job in the role and I dare claim that, in the matter of the lead role, Redl is much more appealing than Mephisto. He represents a blind service of anyone who absolutely believes in political systems, governing bodies and who places all his hope in military career when war is more likely to break out. Redl is not a particular history but history in general that so often experiences enthusiasm, devotion, trust, success, but also disappointment, disillusion, fear, despair and madness. History personified in human being. I am aware that this aspect was also present in MEPHISTO, but here, the character can be analyzed within history or outside history.

But from this clearly psychological analysis of the movie, we can easily switch to general political aspect. "I hate politics" says Redl after unpleasant events and disillusions. Why? Because politics leads him to do the things he would probably never do out of his free will. These are searches, imprisonments, investigations where people commit desperate acts including suicide, where friends turn into enemies, where one becomes Judas and where there is no room for humanity and forgiveness. It's important to mention the disturbing search at Victor Ullman's.

A lot of thought provoking moments will draw your attention. First, consider Schorn's plot and the fatal duel. Who was guilty? Is death so easy to accept? I also reflected on the case of the Jews. Redl announces that contacting Jewish people will be unwelcome or, in most extreme cases, punished; yet, it is him who in the following scene writes a letter to Dr Sonnenschein, a Jew. Aren't we brutally masked among other people? Doesn't political correctness blind our "selves"? The famous mask ball in which Redl takes part clearly says for itself...

As for performances, they are very good. As I have already mentioned, Klaus Maria Brandauer does a great job portraying a man who is not that easy to be discovered or interpreted. On the one hand, he is so desirous of personal military career, on the other hand, he doubts... I also loved Jan Niklas as Kristof Kubinyi, Alfred Redl's friend whose fate occurs so unexpected. Gudrun Landgrebe gives a memorable performance as Katalin Kubinyi for whom Redl seems to care and whom Redl really loves. And marvelous presence of Armin Mueller-Stahl as the Crown Prince - he supplies the role with a sense of royalty.

Except for the cast, the film's strong point is the excellent use of visual effects, like locations, wardrobe and sets. It's magnificent, luxurious, elegant and very subtle. In one little moment, Redl sees his emperor, Franz Josef, standing at the lake and is absolutely overwhelmed by seeing his "Kaiser". The scene is as if a moving picture from the old photos that can be found in Austria and that remind us of the charming but lonely years of the late emperor.

OBERST REDL is indeed an important movie to be seen by film fans. Yet not for the sake of history whatsoever but for the sake of great thought provoking content. Does the world judge our lives justly?

---

13 out of 17 people found the following review useful:
A great and under appreciated film!, 11 April 2000

Author: gratian-2 (g3x3@bigfoot.com) from Near Geneva, Switzerland

This film evokes powerfully the period and place in which it is set. Its plot is both interesting and intelligent. The acting is of the highest calibre; both Klaus Maria Brandauer and Gudrun Landgrebe are both world class artists. Viewers should see more German film. This is a stunning piece of work by a director of great insight and ability.

---

6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
The Patriot Destroyed By His Own Country, 1 June 2010

Author: Eumenides_0 from Portugal

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

During the '80s Hungarian director István Szabó made a loose trilogy with celebrated Austrian actor Klaus Maria Brandauer. Colonel Redl is the second movie in the trilogy, and although it is not as well known as the Oscar-winning Mephisto, it is nevertheless as interesting and well made.

The movie is a fictionalised biopic of Alfred Redl (Brandauer), who is born to a poor Ukrainian family and in normal circumstances would have been condemned to a life of insignificance; but, blessed with patriotic fervour for the Emperor and influential people who take him under their wing, he's sent to military school where he refines the talents that will be useful to him all his life, namely knowing the right answers to his superiors' questions, being fanatically devoted to the monarchy, and having little moral qualms about betraying friends and comrades. It's no surprise then that he has a steady rise in ranks until he becomes the head of the counter-intelligence services. And that's when his perfect, efficient career starts crumbling.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire is a tense place, bubbling with treason and revolutionary plans, devoid of national identity, a mishmash of dozens of peoples - Hungarians, Ukrainians, Czechs, Serbians, Austrians, not to mention Jews - all hating each other. One's background can decide what one's life will be or even get one killed. It's in this atmosphere of subdued terror, lies, and paranoia that Redl, a Ukrainian hiding his Jewish ancestry and ashamed of his poor background, operates a network of espionage to ferret out traitors and criminals in the army, for the army is all that sustains the Emperor's power in an Empire that has no reason to know the concept of patriotism.

One day he's brought to the presence of Archduke Ferdinand and ordered to find a patsy to alleviate inter-ethnic tensions. World War I is just around the corner and the Archduke wants a sensational public case of treason that will unify the Empire against a common enemy. When Redl's first victim, a Hungarian nobleman, backfires on him, a plot is hatched to make him look like a spy for the Russians.

Based on a play by John Osborne, the movie shows Redl as a Kafkaesque anti-hero, an innocent man caught in the paralysing, faceless world of bureaucracy, unable to extricate himself from it because it operates under an incomprehensible logic. It's a far cry from the real Redl, though, who was blackmailed by Russians into spying for them lest his homosexuality be exposed. I'm not one to judge quality by historical faithfulness, but I can't help thinking Redl's real story could make an equally remarkable movie one day.

The movie is consistently interesting, although it develops slowly, covering many years in Redl's life, from childhood to adulthood. Brandauer plays a cold, reserved, callous man who nevertheless draws sympathy for his devotion and work ethic. Although the viewer is left wondering whether Redl didn't just waste his life being too loyal to the Emperor, it is impossible not to feel sorry for him when the Empire he lives for betrays him.

Armin Mueller-Stahl's performance as the Archduke isn't less spectacular. Showing ruthlessness, control and a sharp mind, this political strategist does what he has to do to keep the Empire together.

Although the facts are fictionalised, the movie shows Szabó's eye for historical details and no scene fails to produce wonder at the way a dress or piece of furniture looks or at the magnificence of the historical sites used for locations.

István Szabó and Klaus Maria Brandauer don't get enough credit nowadays, but in the '80s they were an unstoppable duo and Colonel Redl is one of their masterpieces.

---

5 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Szabo's unique revisionist vision, 24 November 2006

Author: faraaj-1 (faraajqureshi2401@gmail.com) from Sydney, Australia

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I believe Colonel Redl to be Istvan Szabo's best film, a few degrees better than his more celebrated collaboration with the great Brandauer, Mephisto. Redl is in fact the middle part of a trilogy made by Hungarian director Szabo and starring Klaus Maria Brandauer in the title roles. Colonel Redl is a revisionist view of the events surrounding the downfall and eventual suicide of Austro-Hungarian counter-intelligence chief Colonel Redl during the early months of WW-I.

Redl was of mixed Ukrainian-Hungarian stock but rose impressively through the ranks of the Austro-Hungarian despite his Jewish ancestry and non-aristocratic background. Redl revolutionized Austro-Hungarian espionage and was eventually succeeded by his subordinate Maximilian Ronge. Shortly thereafter, in a spy operation worthy of a Hitchcock film, Redl was found to have been secretly spying for the Russians and had given them considerable information on Russian spies, and more damagingly, the plans for the disastrous attack on Serbia. He committed suicide shortly shortly thereafter and it was revealed that he was a homosexual who was being blackmailed by the Russians.

Szabo's film has a revisionist view on the entire affair and its a film steeped in the politics of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Redl comes out as perhaps the most patriotic man left in the Empire who had to be a fall guy to set an example for the army. His homosexuality, while broached, is not the central theme of the film. The first and most noticeable thing about the film is the superb use of locations. A lot of time seems to have been invested in sourcing the best locations and the authenticity of period detail makes this an instant classic.

Then there is Brandauer's performance as Redl. His Redl is similar to Mephisto in his blind ambition and loyalty to self. But there is a great change in the acting. Where in Mephisto he was pure energy and physicality, here he is a restrained Army officer and acts the part perfectly. Brandauer is one of the most talented actors of the twentieth century - the German Olivier - and the DVD extra has an interview with him that is very interesting. His view is that acting on stage requires a lot of ability and understanding. However, a person from any background can act in film because it requires no skill and isn't challenging. That is why he avoids working in films. Only an actor with his obvious ability could have the nerve to say such a thing!

Szabo has obvious strengths in extracting brilliant performances from all actors. He is also very good at handling epic, historic subjects in an intelligent manner, concentrating on the period and political themes rather than cheap spectacle. What I found to be his weakness in this film and Mephisto are a poor background score. The music just doesn't blend well with the action. Also, his narrative is typically choppy and the editing is poor as always. Without these weaknesses, I would certainly have rated Redl 10 out of 10.

NB: There is an autobiographical scene from Szabo's youth towards the beginning of Redl where he saves his own and his best friends skin by informing on fellow cadets. On 26 Jan 2006, the Hungarian weekly 'Life and Literature' revealed that Szabo has worked as an informant of the Communist authorities after the 1956 Hungarian uprising and made reports on classmates in University.

---

4 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Muddled History, Great Cinema, 13 March 2008

Author: kayaker36 from Queens, NY

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Does Brandauer overact as one commenter has charged? At some parts of this brilliant, enigmatic film it could be argued that he does. But some histrionics might be expected from a man alone in a room who has been ordered to shoot himself and be quick about it.

This is as much a political movie as a biographical one. It takes many liberties with the historical record. The generally accepted version is that Alfred Redl was being blackmailed by the Russian secret service which had learned of his homosexuality. There are NO Russians in this movie. That Redl was homosexual is only obliquely stated until the final thirty minutes. Indeed, before that he has relations with several women: a Vienna prostitute who acts the Happy Hooker indeed and the (married) sister of a fellow officer.

In this film the poor performance of the Austrian armies in World War I is explained by an officer corps more concerned with drinking, card playing and skirt chasing than with military matters. Redl's handing over to his Russian controllers the troop dispositions for the Austrian armies is generally believed to be the cause of the losses during the opening stage of the War.

The doomed Archduke Franz Ferdinand's only fault supposedly was that he lacked charm. Here the veteran German actor Mueller-Stahl portrays the **Thronfolger** as a political schemer, a shabby little man (he always appears unshaven) trying to hold the Monarchy together through trumped-up conspiracies and the playing off of one nationality against another.

What this picture does best is portray the hollow grandeur of Habsburg Austria during its final years. The sets are magnificent. In one telling scene early in the picture, the boy Alfred, invited to an aristocratic home, spills some coffee and **four** servants come to clean up the spill.

One minor quibble: this German-language movie is set in the Austrian Empire, much of it in Vienna the capital, yet no one sounds Austrian. The accent is very different from High German (Americans may compare Kissinger and Schwartzenegger). It would be like "Gone With the Wind" with all the Southerners speaking a kind of Oxford English.

---

5 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
COLONEL REDL (Istvan Szabo, 1985) ***, 22 March 2006

Author: MARIO GAUCI (marrod@melita.com) from Naxxar, Malta

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.

---

13 out of 23 people found the following review useful:
Sure, they START fluffy!, 26 December 2005
Author: (futures@exis.net) from Ronn Ives/FUTURES Antiques, Norfolk, VA.

"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.

---

3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
There is no such thing as being TOO paranoid., 5 September 2007

Author: Robert J. Maxwell (rmax304823@yahoo.com) from Deming, New Mexico, USA

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The film traces the military and romantic careers of Colonel Alfred Redl from his humble beginnings, through a military academy, into the Austro-Hungarian army, to the guileful environment of high political intrigue, to his ultimate altruistic suicide in 1913. It's supposedly based on a true story but since so little seems to be known about the true story, the epistemology of the plot is questionable. Nobody really knows what happened.

Brandauer delivers a remarkable performance, displaying great range, especially for a man with a face of such ordinariness. He looks like a guy who should be managing the produce section of a supermarket. Yet for all the talent of Brandauer and director Szabo, we don't get to know too much about what's going on inside Colonel Redl's head. The role doesn't give him a chance to pour out his soul to anyone, and, indeed, it's improbably that the real Redl would have done any such thing. His marriage, to a good-looking babe who loved him, was a matter of convenience. His friendships with his colleagues was constrained out of necessity because of Redl's latent homosexuality and because, after all, real men don't talk about their feelings -- they blow their brains out, but they don't talk about their feelings. Example: How does Redl feel about his early youth in the provinces? Well, while passing through his home town, he instructs the driver to pass the old house in which he spent his childhood, and he rubs a vacancy in the frosted window so that he can stare at it without expression for about five seconds. What's going on? What wheels and gears are turning in his memory, if any? It's anyone's guess.

Nice score. Nice period decor and wardrobe. Nice performances from the other players, especially Armin Mueller-Stahl as ruthless Archduke Franz Ferdinand. He has such handsomely clear blue eyes, and he's soft spoken, reasonable, and as treacherous as a rattlesnake. Not that it does him much good, if you remember what started World War I. Elegant music -- Strauss and Chopin. Great marches, full of traps and whistling piccolos and irony. Makes you want to become an officer in the army in 1913 so you can shoot yourself.

The film is paced kind of slowly and the intrigue is never overstated, so a certain amount of patience and attention is required. If anyone has a mind adjusted to the lightning-fast editing of a modern action movie, he's unlikely to find this film satisfying. The rest of us will find it interesting and, in the end, rather tragic.

---

---

Page 1 of 2:

[1] [2]

Add another review

---

Related Links

Plot summary	Ratings	Awards
External reviews	Plot keywords	Main details
Your user reviews	Your vote history