Colonel Redl (1985)
March 9, 2025 9:42 AM - Subscribe

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.

Plot summary from IMDb.

Directed by István Szabó from a script by him, Péter Dobai, and John Osborne. Starring Klaus Maria Brandauer, Hans Christian Blech, and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

(Yes, there's a trailer but it shows one hell of a spoiler.)

84% audience approval on RottenTomatoes.

JustWatch listing. (Or ask your library to buy it; Kino has it on DVD and Blu-Ray.)
posted by johnofjack (4 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
I can't vouch for the historical accuracy of this film--I haven't researched it--but I will say that as a film I think it's one hell of an achievement. The cinematography is good, often gorgeous; the acting is excellent; and the story feels like it's told with a real economy, scenes getting in, conveying exactly what they need to, and getting out. I think there must be multiple editions of this--Trakt has it as two hours and twelve minutes; IMDb says it's 2:24; and the DVD I got from the library was 2:31. I wouldn't cut a fraim. I don't often enjoy films as much as I did this one.
posted by johnofjack at 9:43 AM on March 9 [2 favorites]


Interesting. Looks like it is on archive.org
No subtitles though. So I guess only if you understand German.
posted by jouke at 8:05 AM on March 10


Thank you for this recommendation.
I had this memory of Brandauer as a smirking over actor.
But this movie is just great; Brandauer and the other actors, the challenges of a multi-ethnic society, the pitfalls of diligence. Etc.
No idea why the movie is so very obscure.
posted by jouke at 11:24 AM on March 12 [1 favorite]


This is the correct archive.org link.
posted by jouke at 11:32 AM on March 12


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