Faust Chroma

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Synopsis:

Goethe’s Faust is to Germany what Shakespeare’s Hamlet is to the English-speaking world: the greatest play, by the greatest author, creating the greatest national role. Faust is the prototype German character, always striving, never satisfied, who gets seduced into a pact with the devil.

Gustav Gründgens is widely considered the best German actor of all time. He is most famous for playing the role of the devil (Mephistopheles) in productions of Faust that he himself directed. Though he played Mephistopheles, the real-life figure Gründgens had perhaps more in common with Faust, having himself made a pact with the Nazis. Hermann Göring, the designated successor of Hitler, appointed Gründgens as head of all the state-run theatres in the Reich.

In the early ‘60s, Gründgens decided to quit acting and instead “live real life” by travelling the world. His first trip was to Manila, Philippines, where he died suddenly in his hotel room.

Suicide was suspected.

Faust Chroma begins in Manila, 1963, where Gründgens’ fever hallucinations and drug-induced rants awaken scenes from both his theatrical productions and his life.

We see a pre-Nazi cabaret party where Gründgens performs with the daughter and son of author Thomas Mann: one became his wife, the other his lover. We see his early encounters with the Nazis, with Gründgens forced to defend his sexuality and later forced to remarry. We see fantasy scenes from the theatre, love scenes with the wife of Hermann Göring, and Hitler as an admiring audience member.

Theatre and life are mixed up throughout: Gründgens played roles in both. For Gründgens, it seems, a decision to quit acting was a decision to quit living as well.

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