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Colonel Redl
Director: Istvan Szabo, Hungary Recommended reading: David Paul, "Szabo," in Daniel Goulding, ed., Five Filmmakers on reserve (PN1998.2 F555 1994) Hungarian-Austrian-West German co-production, 1984. The film is part of Szabo's "Central European Trilogy" with Mephisto (1981), and Hanussen (1988). All star the Austrian actor Klaus Maria Brandauer. Redl is based on a true story but also on a fictional short story by John Osborne, "A Patriot for Me" and on Joseph Roth's novel Radetzky March. Movie received German, French, and British film prizes. The movie depicts Austria-Hungary in the decades before World War I. Although it takes some poetic license, it is largely historically accurate. Some have criticized it for projecting 20th century problems (totalitarianism) on the Habsburg state. Can you think of ways that this might be true? 1. What positive features of the Habsburg Monarchy are presented in the film? 2. What negative features of the Habsburg Monarchy are presented in the film? 3. Comment on the class and national identity of Redl, Kubinyi, the doctor, and Schorm (killed in the duel). What ethnic stereotypes does the film invoke? 4. How does Galicia in Colonel Redl resemble Dobrudzha in An Unforgettable Summer? What other similarities/differences are there between the 2 films? Is the Habsburg military and corruption similar to those in 1920s Romania? 5. In what way does Colonel Redl resemble Count Morstin ? 6. On several occasions we hear that the only thing that will save the Empire is a war. How is that supposed to work? 7. Why does Redl give away the military secrets when he realizes he is being set up? | |
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