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Mephisto, 1981
Hendrik (Klaus Maria Brandauer) is a stage actor in 1930s Germany who is passionate about becoming a success. In the role of Mephisto, he catches the eye of a Nazi general (Rolf Hoppe), and becomes something of a darling of the growing political regime. As those around him, including his fellow actors and his lover (Karin Boyd), are driven away or even killed, Hendrik turns a blind eye in pursuit of his own fame.
There is little in this film that is subtle, as we are explicitly given the reference of the story of Faust and then watch as Hendrik hustles to curry the favor of the Nazi general and the rest of the Third Reich elite.
But subtlety in not necessary in a story like this, and in fact the lack of subtlety really calls to attention just how extreme Hendrik's compartmentalization is as the society around him deteriorates into intolerance and violence. In one early scene, Henrik leaves the theater to see a group of soldiers beating up a Jewish man. He moves as if to intervene, and is quickly driven off by one of the soldiers. This moment is upsetting, but also relatable. It asks a lot for people to put their own well-being on the line for another person.
But by the middle of the film, Henrik is blithely telling his lover--who is biracial--that she cannot leave the house, but that he will buy her a radio so that she can stay connected with the outside world. When she responds to this with indignation and protests that she's just as German as anyone else, he basically rolls his eyes at her, as if it's her ignorance and not the bigotry around her that is worthy of derision.
As with many films that combine theater and film, there are some absolutely sumptuous visuals here. The movie makes the most of Hendrik in his Mephisto costume--his stark white face and crimson red-lined cape. But there's a level here: Mephisto is a character he plays, and his power is, ultimately, an illusion.
There are a lot of films about complicity and what it means to go along with something that is morally wrong. It would seem as if the choices of an actor would pale in comparison to choices made by politicians or soldiers. But through Hendrik's story we see how easy it is to let one's own well-being and success lead us to a place where we are willing to overlook blatant atrocity.
Mephisto, 1981
Hendrik (Klaus Maria Brandauer) is a stage actor in 1930s Germany who is passionate about becoming a success. In the role of Mephisto, he catches the eye of a Nazi general (Rolf Hoppe), and becomes something of a darling of the growing political regime. As those around him, including his fellow actors and his lover (Karin Boyd), are driven away or even killed, Hendrik turns a blind eye in pursuit of his own fame.
There is little in this film that is subtle, as we are explicitly given the reference of the story of Faust and then watch as Hendrik hustles to curry the favor of the Nazi general and the rest of the Third Reich elite.
But subtlety in not necessary in a story like this, and in fact the lack of subtlety really calls to attention just how extreme Hendrik's compartmentalization is as the society around him deteriorates into intolerance and violence. In one early scene, Henrik leaves the theater to see a group of soldiers beating up a Jewish man. He moves as if to intervene, and is quickly driven off by one of the soldiers. This moment is upsetting, but also relatable. It asks a lot for people to put their own well-being on the line for another person.
But by the middle of the film, Henrik is blithely telling his lover--who is biracial--that she cannot leave the house, but that he will buy her a radio so that she can stay connected with the outside world. When she responds to this with indignation and protests that she's just as German as anyone else, he basically rolls his eyes at her, as if it's her ignorance and not the bigotry around her that is worthy of derision.
As with many films that combine theater and film, there are some absolutely sumptuous visuals here. The movie makes the most of Hendrik in his Mephisto costume--his stark white face and crimson red-lined cape. But there's a level here: Mephisto is a character he plays, and his power is, ultimately, an illusion.
There are a lot of films about complicity and what it means to go along with something that is morally wrong. It would seem as if the choices of an actor would pale in comparison to choices made by politicians or soldiers. But through Hendrik's story we see how easy it is to let one's own well-being and success lead us to a place where we are willing to overlook blatant atrocity.