War films always fascinates me, the reason is history is my cup of tea. Even Though Colonel Rhel is based on a fictional work, but the fiction itself is based on Alfred Rhel. Smoke without fire!
Who is Alfred Redl ?
Oberst Rhel or Colonel Rhel is a kind of Alfred Rhel’ bio-pic, who served for Austria-Hungary Imperial military as a Colonel before the World War I. History buffs will know it was the assassination of Franz Ferdinand of Austria that led to the World War I. Our hero Alfred Redl served under Ferdinand, in fact he was directly reporting to him.
Smart, shrewd, hard working Alfred Redl (Klaus Maria Brandauer) raises though the army ranks by his innovative methods in war tactics. Tensions are rising between Austria and Serbia. A war is in sight, but who will blink first is the question. They need a trigger event. Ferdinand appoints Alfred to find a good scapegoat who will betray them. Ferdinand thinks by scarifying the scapegoat a war can be started with Serbs.
Despite of loving his country Alfred Redl gives inside information about the Austria-Hungary army movements to Russian spies when he is blackmailed that his homosexuality will be reveled. So the person who is appointed to find the scapegoat is now hunted down and put behind the bars. This act of treason costs his life and the rest happened is the history.
Seen somewhere this guy, Klaus Maria Brandauer. He played as Nero in the famous Quo vadis and in Mephisto.
The film is not preachy or doesn't take a stand whether Redl is good or bad, but it emphasizes that Redl played an important role in instigating the war, even without his knowledge.
If you consider this film as historically accurate then this is a treasure film for conspiracy theorists.
What is your favorite world war film ?
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