Hanussen (1988): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1988, Hanussen is a fantasy, drama, science fiction and history film directed by István Szabó, running about 140 minutes. “He saw the future. And it was war.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. A man's story parallels Hitler's rise. Austrian Klaus Schneider, wounded in World War I, recovers in the care of Dr. Emil Bettleheim. Bettleheim discovers that Schneider possesses powers of empathy and of clairvoyance, such that could aid suicidal patients. After the war, with one friend as his manager and another as his lover, Schneider changes his name to Eric Jan Hanussen and goes to Berlin, as a hypnotist and clairvoyant performing in halls and theaters. He always speaks the truth, which brings him to the attention of powerful Nazis. He predicts their rise (good propaganda for them) and their violence (not so good). He's in pain and at risk. What is Hanussen's future?

Who’s in it. Hanussen stars Klaus Maria Brandauer as Klaus Schneider / Eric Jan Hanussen, Erland Josephson as Dr. Bettelheim, Ildikó Bánsági as Sister Betty and Walter Schmidinger as Propaganda Chief, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.2/10, Hanussen has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Hanussen page.

If you liked it. Fans of Hanussen tend to enjoy The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Green Mile, Spirited Away and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.