Wednesday, November 14, 2007

"Colonel Redl" (Language - German) (1985) - Movie Review

Colonel Redl was a high ranked Austrian officer during the periods of Austria-Hungary but also a Russian spy. The film at the very beginning says that everything is fabricated but has the historical events attached to that correctly; otherwise it does not make sense. The film directed by István Szabó is a study of that character. We feel sorry but awfully nothing too of Redl (Klaus Maria Brandauer), since his idea of himself did not mean much to him. His life is a constant pretension of some one he never even comes close to. He believes in the Emperor because his mother said so at an age of innocence. Redl takes it most of his life.

I never dared to look for an answer to the person next to me in examination because of my mother’s words of “It is better to get a zero than to cheat in exam” when I was a kid. Those words nailed into me so hard that I stick to it blindly. While at that age it is merely a fear, as I grew up understanding the integrity attached to it. It went easy for continuing that practice from that young age till the point of realization and did not impose a pressure upon me. Redl’s realization is situation of conflicting and disastrous results. Something he has worked for many years. This denial of him mounts up the frustration, crisis and an end, an end he wants to but the same contemplation runs in it too.

He disconnects bonds with his family. He loves them but does not want to expose that he is Jewish. His abiding nature is some times irritatingly loyal. His adulthood makes him to see things what every one sees. The mistakes made by his godly Monarchy. But he convinces himself that these things happen and finally it is the individual responsible action which adds up to the success of a regiment, he believes that would excel. His reasoning is correct but the purpose of that action is opposite with that of rest of the people. But Redl needs to fight something more than political disbelief in him. He is gay. When a “Brokeback Mountain” still instigates whispers, strange looks and a stupid phobia in the current “modern” world, it is suicidal in every aspect during the times of early 1900s. And to top it off is the military designation. Consisting one hundred percent men in the unit who measure their virility of testosterone in blood and sweat as bravery and in bed with women.

The story of this man who lived a life of pretension and fake ignites an identity in us. He discards his trueness, distances his family and even ruins the friendship or his love with Kristof Kubinyi (Jan Niklas) for one thing of repaying the opportunity provided by the Emperor. As a poor peasant he gets to be educated and trained in privileged school. Training focused more on nourishing the faith over the ruling kingdom. The film does not take the main cover of sexual orientation per se which can either be to the period of limited acceptance of the concept or as such that being a part and not the whole itself. Either way it plays as an essential ingredient than an overcooked dish.

Two things mark well ahead of its time and those are performance by Klaus Maria Brandauer and the excellent cinematography by Lajos Koltai. Brandauer’s modulation, body language and physique represent the true self of the character and the performance of delivering the dialogues moulds the falsifying nature of Redl. He is clear and lucid in his eyes but in a room with himself or his only lady friend Katalin (Gudrun Landgrebe), he exposes the nature of his identity. It is ironical to be a counter intelligence officer for Austria and also a Russian Spy, he was never able to truthful to one side in it too.

The cinematography magically acquires the whiteness of snow and the buildings of the geographical location, but it is the application of light source in every scene which invents a style I have often seen in Indian Cinematographer P.C. Sriram. Sriram most of the times applies it for glossiness but Koltai blends in with the symbolic direction. The essence of the Redl and his life is symbolized in one scene. He is been called by his wife to come from balcony where he stands thinking. He looks, then comes back and carefully closes a shining light by three windows. Even then light shines on him and he finally brings the screen. But it still leaks out with same strength in the unclosed mid part of the screen. With all layers of shield, he is still illuminated by who he really is.

The film did not affect me as a great tragedy. It affected me in how living in a classified society puts some one to move away from them and honestly believe in the shade of unreal façade. The story is not about the right and wrong of Redl. It is the analysis, dissection and finally his discovery. It might shake up or fizzle out or be stagnant but the experience of understanding Redl should be a hard task to be missed.

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