Mephisto (1981)

István Szabó - 1981 - 145 min. - Hungary, West Germany, Austria  - German, Hungarian - English subtitles

BRØD OG SIRKUS I

A powerful political drama that explores a descent into fascism through the story of Hendrik Höfgen, a German actor whose ascent into stardom during the rise of the Nazi regime mirrors a Faustian bargain. As Höfgen achieves fame playing Mephistopheles in Goethe's "Faust," he simultaneously abandons his ideals, betrays friends, and collaborates with the Nazis, justifying his moral surrender as simply “acting”.