Film Summary And Symbolism Of Colonel Redl In The Film

Colonel Redl depicts a young man who is patriotic, ambitious and loyal towards the Habsburg Empire. Born to a poor but loyal Galician family Redl is able to receive a promotion in the military where he is eventually assigned a position as War Minister then made head of the intelligence division due to his ambition and loyalty to the state. However, in his early years he is sent to a military school far from Galicia where he is born, forced to leave his family and taught military education which engages students in military tactics, mannerisms, and emphasises loyalty to the Kaiser. Despite being an evidently talented and dedicated officer, Redl earns a lot of dissent towards him and becomes subject to rumours that float around his peers; including …show more content…
In contrast, however, Redl is not proud of who he is or where he comes from and this is exemplified in the scene where he refers to himself as a peasant but also where he refuses to go back home to his family who is in dire need after his fathers’ death. Earlier in the film, although the scene is ambiguous when Redl is being taught to play the piano his instructor who is also male touches his thigh and rather than protesting at the gesture Redl continues to play; although a short scene and quick gesture this appears to be a foreshadowing of his sexuality. He spends the majority of the film attempting to prove to his peers and himself that he is not his family; a peasant bound and imprisoned to Galicia which is full of criminals and whores, a place to him with no real opportunity to excel. When his father dies he is offered accommodations to go back to see his family to which he refuses and tells the Dean that he much rather stay to celebrate the Emperor’s Day. This is a rather striking refusal made by a child who is Redl’s age and distanced from his family but it is not surprising since Redl’s motive is to excel within the Austrian army and become recognized as a talented officer. In addition, in the film Redl is still unsure of whom he is; he is stuck between his passions and where he would like to …show more content…
Another controversial issue in this film is Redl’s sexuality which is ambiguous but it becomes an issue when he is kissed by a fellow officer after leaving the brothel. Although, the empire embodies tolerance, a scandal surrounding officers not behaving accordingly would compromise the social respectability of the empire. Redl’s loyalty to the Austro-Hungarian Empire is challenged when he is accused of spying for the Russians; though the film is not all credible this part was true and such a dispute, even if it was a conspiracy would have serious repercussions to Redl’s military career who by the end of the film had been appointed the Chief of Intelligence for the army. His betrayal, something he had vowed he would not do to the Austro-Hungarian Empire in reality is the factor that drives him to take his own