„Hanussen" is the third and final cooperation between director Istvan Szabo and Klaus-Maria Brandauer and in my personal opinion, the most underrated of this semi-trilogy."Hanussen" tells the (partially fictionalized) story of the historic hypnotizer and clairvoyant Jan-Erik Hanussen. However, Szabo has taken the liberty to change the characters background. Here, Hanussen was born Klaus Schneider, a veteran of WW1, who has gained hypnotic power and the gift of clairvoyance after suffering a head injury on the battleground. With those powers, Schneider changes his name to Hanussen, becoming one of the most celebrated magicians in pre-Nazi Germany. As the Nazi party rises to power, so does Hanussens fame and reputation. Eventually (and inevitably) Hanussen comes to the attention of the Nazis who soon use him as a tool and finally, having outlived his usefulness, discard him.For the third time Brandauer plays a character that wishes for more than what he perceives himself as: the self-loathing officer "Oberst Redl", who's ashamed of his ethic background and sexuality; the brilliant actor in "Mephisto" who tries to camouflage his lower class background and egomania – in "Hanussen" Brandauer shows us a character who wishes he was the superior, omnipotent magician he portrays on stage but, in essence, remains a frightened, wounded victim of the battlefield. Brandauers performance is magic in the truest sense; his presence fills the screen in a way that few actors do (to mind come actors like Klaus Kinski or Al Pacino).Brandauers brilliant performance aside, Szabo wants to teach us a lesson about the fickle nature of humanity, where self-perception, make-belief and reality are often very different, even incompatible, yet inseparable. And more important than the psychological implications, how those fickle traits can be exploited by (in this case) fascism, communism, capitalism or any other ambitious political movement you could name.A powerful, important piece of work with a timeless message; well deserving, despite any technical or dramaturgical flaws, 8 points from 10.

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS* Well thought out and acted story of German soldier suffering head wound in the First World War. Languishing in a hospital, he discovers he now is gifted (or cursed) with the ability to predict the future. With the advent of the end of hostilities, he travels in a roadshow with an army pal. He becomes the latest societal "caus celebre," as one could imagine. HANUSSEN (portrayed excellently by Klaus Maria Brandauer) gets caught up in the fame, while the depressing nature of his predictions spell doom for those around him, and the German nation. A very good film, deftly realized. Recommended.

István Szabó is one of the best directors in Europe. He doesn't use any special effects, only unusual, demanding stories and Europe's best actors. He is an international director but he never forgets that he is actually Hungarian and there are always some Hungarian speaking people in his movies.In "Hanussen" he tells the very gripping story of a man who predicts Hitler's advancement. It was a most interesting film and I was a bit disturbed afterwards because they didn't make it quite clear whether it's based on a true story or not.However, watch this movie. It's also a great performance by Klaus Maria Brandauer.

This is the story of the fatal hubris of an artist who vainly tries to maintain neutrality in the face of encroaching Nazism, in order to pursue his brilliant career as a hypnotist and magician. The suspense grows unbearable as the perverse evil intrudes into every aspect of life.There are wonderful examples of the way the Hitler's propaganda machine co-opts everything in sight, and how people underestimate, over and over again, the lengths he will go to. The character of Bruno Bettelheim, with a clear, humane view of life, appears as a foil to the protagonist who is seduced by his 'art'. I really liked the irony of the man who predicts the future, coming up against his own unrolling fate, as becomes clear in the last, most sinister scene.This is my favorite of the three Istvan Szabo movies about protagonists trying to control their fate in the web of intrigue of a totalitarian state. It is exciting and provocative.