István Szabó-Oberst Redl ('Colonel Redl') (1984)

The second film in the trilogy of celebrated collaborations between director István Szabó and actor Klaus Maria Brandauer continues the examination of ambition, political intrigue, betrayal and destruction. Set during the fading glory of the Austro-Hungarian empire, the film tells of the rise and fall of Alfred Redl (Brandauer), an ambitious young officer who proceeds up the ladder to become head of the Secret Police only to become ensnared in political deception. Based on a real life figure and the subject of John Osborne's "A Patriot For Me", Colonel Redl boasts a distinguished performance by Brandauer who imbues his character with the sense of a man being overwhelmed by history. Subtly directed by István Szabó, it was awarded the Cannes Jury Prize in 1985 and nominated for Best Foreign Film at the 1986 Academy Awards. inD-DVD




Military drama based on a true story involving espionage and homosexuality set in the dying days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Klaus Maria Brandauer stars as Alfred Redl, a Ukrainian born peasant whose tireless ambition takes him to the rank of Colonel in the Austrian Army. Recruited as a secret agent due to his linguistic prowess, he is sent by Emperor Franz Joseph to spy for his country in Russia. (http://www.sendit.com/video/item/7001000127447)




Seduced by the heady life he leads there, he is soon embroiled in the murky waters of double-agency, playing one country against the other. Everything is fine until word of his homosexuality leaks to the Russians who demand more espionage in return for public silence - the start of Redl's tragic decline. (http://www.sendit.com/video/item/7001000127447)




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




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.. (http://imdb.com/title/tt0089716/usercomments)




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. (http://imdb.com/title/tt0089716/usercomments)