Mephisto (1981): cast, story & where to watch
1981 · Film · ★ 7.2
Released in 1981, Mephisto is a drama film directed by István Szabó, running about 145 minutes.
What it’s about. A German stage actor finds unexpected success and mixed blessings in the popularity of his performance in a Faustian play as the Nazis take power in pre-WWII Germany. As his associates and friends flee or are ground under by the Nazi terror, the popularity of his character supercedes his own existence until he finds that his best performance is keeping up appearances for his Nazi patrons.
Who’s in it. Mephisto stars Klaus Maria Brandauer as Hendrik Höfgen, Krystyna Janda as Barbara Bruckner, Ildikó Bánsági as Nicoletta von Niebuhr and Rolf Hoppe as Tábornagy, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.2/10, Mephisto has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Kino Film Collection and rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Mephisto page.
If you liked it. Fans of Mephisto tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Mephisto (1981)?
- In US, Mephisto is available to stream on Kino Film Collection, and rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Mephisto worth watching?
- Mephisto holds an audience score of 7.2 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Mephisto?
- Mephisto stars Klaus Maria Brandauer, Krystyna Janda, Ildikó Bánsági, Rolf Hoppe and Karin Boyd.
- When was Mephisto released?
- Mephisto was released in 1981, with a runtime of about 145 minutes.