Colonel Redl

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Colonel Redl

Directed by	István Szabó
Written by	Péter Dobai John Osborne (play)
Starring	Klaus Maria Brandauer
Release date(s)	1985
Country	Hungary Austria West Germany
Language	German, Hungarian
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Colonel Redl (German: Oberst Redl (original title); Hungarian: Redl ezredes ) is a 1985 film by Hungarian director István Szabó. It tells the life story of military officer Alfred Redl (played by Klaus Maria Brandauer) who, because of his homosexuality, was blackmailed into espionage for the Russian secret service. The screenplay is adapted from British playwright John Osborne's play A Patriot for Me.

[edit] Historical background and plot

The film is set in the Austro-Hungarian empire, in the period before the first world war, and charts the rise of Colonel Redl from a boy at military school, right up to his betrayal, compromise and murder.

The film also charts the rise of inter-ethnic tensions in Austro-Hungary, which were to bring about the assassination in Sarajevo - Redl is himself a Ruthenian, one of the minor Slavic groups, and ends up suffering because of that.

Redl himself goes from being a fanatical supporter of the Hapsburg monarchy, to a pathetic victim, but by that time it is too late for him.

[edit] Awards

The film won the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but lost to The Official Story.

[edit] External links

Colonel Redl at the Internet Movie Database
Colonel Redl at Allmovie
Colonel Redl at Rotten Tomatoes
Colonel Redl at Box Office Mojo

Awards
Preceded by Carmen	BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film 1985	Succeeded by Ran
Preceded by no award 1984 Kharij (1983)	Jury Prize, Cannes 1985	Succeeded by Thérèse