Mephisto (1981 film)

Mephisto
Mephisto
	Hungarian release poster
Directed by	István Szabó
Screenplay by	Péter Dobai; István Szabó
Story by	Péter Dobai
Based on	Mephisto ; by Klaus Mann
Produced by	Manfred Durniok
Starring	Klaus Maria Brandauer; Krystyna Janda; Ildikó Bánsági; Rolf Hoppe; Martin Hellberg
Cinematography	Lajos Koltai
Edited by	Zsuzsa Csákány
Music by	Zdenko Tamássy
Production; company	Mafilm; Objektív Film; Manfred Durniok Filmproduktion; Hessischer Rundfunk; ORF; ;
Distributed by	Analysis Film Releasing Corporation (U.S.)
Release dates	11 February 1981 (Budapest premiere); 29 April 1981 (West Germany); 8 October 1981 (Hungary);
Running time	144 minutes
Countries	Hungary; Austria; West Germany
Language	German

Mephisto is a 1981 German political drama film co-written and directed by István Szabó, and based on the novel of the same name 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 forced 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.

The film was a co-production of Hungarian, Austrian, and West German studios; starring a mix of German and Hungarian-speaking actors. It premiered in Budapest on 11 February 1981, and received widespread acclaim from critics, winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language Film, the first Hungarian picture to do so.^[1] Brandauer's performance earned him multiple accolades, including BAFTA and German Film Award nominations, and launched his film career.

^ Cunningham, John (2014). The Cinema of István Szabó: Visions of Europe. New York City: Columbia University Press. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-231-17199-1.

[1] Cunningham, John (2014). The Cinema of István Szabó: Visions of Europe. New York City: Columbia University Press. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-231-17199-1.

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