Mephisto (1981 film)

Mephisto is the title of a 1981 film adaptation of Klaus Manns novel Mephisto, directed by Istvn Szab, and starring Klaus Maria Brandauer as Hendrik Hfgen. The film was a coproduction between companies in West Germany, Hungary and Austria.

The plots bitter irony is that the protagonists fondest dream is to play Mephisto but in order to achieve this dream he in effect sells his soul, and realises too late that in reality he is Faustus it is the Nazi leader having a major role in the film modeled on Hermann Gring who is the true Mephisto.Both the film and Manns 1936 novel mirror the career of Manns brotherinlaw, Gustaf Grndgens, who is considered by many to have supported the Nazi Party and abandoned his previous political views for personal gain rather than conscience. Playing Mephisto was indeed the peak of Grndgens career, though in reality this was long after the fall of the Nazis. However, Manns book is satirical, making Hfgen more a lampoon than a character in his own right, while the film offers a more realistic exploration of a flawed but recognisably human character.citation needed ........

Source: Wikipedia