Drama
Hungarian
1981 · Directed by István Szabó · 145 min
Germany, the early 1930s. Hendrik Höfgen is a gifted, restless actor who dreams of the big stages of Berlin, and he is willing to charm anyone who can help him get there. As the political climate hardens, the theatre becomes a place where talent, vanity and power meet.
Why it matters in cinema history
A defining film of 1980s European art cinema and of Hungarian filmmaking. It is a leading example of the post-war attempt to examine the German 1930s through character rather than spectacle.
Watch with intention
Watch it as a film about performance: ask when the lead is acting for the audience and when he is simply being himself.
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