Directed by:
István SzabóCinematography:
Lajos KoltaiComposer:
Zdenkó TamássyCast:
Klaus Maria Brandauer, Gudrun Landgrebe, Hans Christian Blech, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Jan Niklas, László Mensáros, Tamás Major, Károly Eperjes, Péter Andorai (more)Plots(1)
The film, which has been produced by the free utilization of different literary sources, is a depiction of the cold art-nouveau world of a progressive Austro-Hungarian Monarchy at the beginning of the century. Alfred Redl, the offspring of an Ukrainian family of railway-men, advances to become a colonel and later the chief of the intelligence service of the Monarchy. The film portrays the psychological background of this breathtaking career, and the character of a "man without a face". Already as a young boy, Redl writes a poem of praise about the Emperor, and instead of attending his father's funeral, participates at the celebration organized for the honour of Franz Joseph's name-day by the Officer's Candidate School. All through his life, a special bond attaches him to his aristocratic school-mate, the Hungarian Kubinyi Kristóf, and his sister, Katalin. He models himself on them, trying to iron out his past and his family. Lacking on human emotions, ambition and the fervour of being a subject of the Emperor keeps the swing in his life. This double-sidedness of his mask explains his unparalleled enthusiasm at his last task: The successor to the throne asks him to organize his very own political trial, wishing to use him as a scape-goat in the death-dance of the agonizing state. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Cast
![Klaus Maria Brandauer](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/162/228/162228132_b2aef3.jpg)
Klaus Maria Brandauer
German Empire
Best movies:
The French Revolution (1989) (TV movie)
Out of Africa (1985)
Mephisto (1981)
![Gudrun Landgrebe](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/168/759/168759080_yctwcl.jpg)
Gudrun Landgrebe
West Germany
Best movies:
Heimat: A Chronicle of Germany (1984) (series)
Wunderkinder (2011)
Cracks in the Shell (2011)
![Hans Christian Blech](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/163/320/163320912_fb9498.jpg)
Hans Christian Blech
German Empire
Best movies:
Der Zauberberg (1982)
The Longest Day (1962)
Via Mala (1985) (series)
![Armin Mueller-Stahl](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/164/584/164584378_6ea401.jpg)
Armin Mueller-Stahl
German Empire
Best movies:
The Game (1997)
Night on Earth (1991)
Shine (1996)
![Jan Niklas](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/161/490/161490011_715108.jpg)
Jan Niklas
Germany
Best movies:
Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001) (TV movie)
The Life of Verdi (1982) (series)
Ansichten eines Clowns (1976)
![László Mensáros](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/271/271658_8403d1.jpg)
László Mensáros
Kingdom of Hungary
Best movies:
The Csárdás Queen (1971)
Love (1971)
Professor Hannibal (1956)
![Tamás Major](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/163/120/163120277_a97911.jpg)
Tamás Major
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
The Last Nabob (1966)
Mephisto (1981)
Cold Days (1966)
![Károly Eperjes](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/270/270737_0aefa3.jpg)
Károly Eperjes
Hungary
![Péter Andorai](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/164/182/164182408_2b6c5e.jpg)
Péter Andorai
Hungary
András Ambrus
Romania
Best movies:
The Last Nabob (1966)
Cold Days (1966)
Love (1971)
Éva Szabó
Kingdom of Hungary
Best movies:
Angi Vera (1979)
Diary for My Loves (1987)
Diary for My Children (1984)
Mária Majláth
Austria-Hungary
![Péter Rudolf](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/161/829/161829155_62efc9.jpg)
Péter Rudolf
Hungary
Best movies:
Perlasca: The Courage of a Just Man (2002) (TV movie)
Glass Tiger 3 (2010)
Glass Tiger 2 (2006)
![Gyula Benkő](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/276/276781_52d500.jpg)
Gyula Benkő
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
The Last Nabob (1966)
Two Half-Times in Hell (1961)
The Fortress (1979)
![Sándor Szakácsi](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/163/118/163118671_776681.jpg)
Sándor Szakácsi
Hungary
Best movies:
Diary for My Loves (1987)
Sunshine (1999) - a.f.
The Corporal and Others (1965)
![András Bálint](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/162/857/162857229_9bd749.jpg)
András Bálint
Kingdom of Hungary
Best movies:
The Billion Dollar Code (2021) (series)
Gloomy Sunday (1999)
Citizen X (1995) (TV movie)
Gábor Ferenczi
Hungary
György Ordódy
Kingdom of Hungary
Károly Ujlaky
Kingdom of Hungary
Best movies:
Narcissus and Psyche (1980)
Mephisto (1981)
Anikó Sáfár
Hungary
Best movies:
Allegro Barbaro (1979)
Father (1966)
The Tyrant's Heart (1981)