Describing Felix Krull in Detlev Buck‘s adaptation of Thomas Mann‘s novel as an imposter is unfair. It is only in the last act of the film that he pretends to be someone he‘s not. Before that, he uses all of his charm and resourcefulness to improve his social standing, but is far too in love with his own beauty to be someone else. His traumatic youth living in poverty, which is given as the reason for his motivation to climb the ladder, is only dealt with shortly, and during this time Felix (Jannis Niewöhner) has already met his great love, sex worker Zaza (Liv Lisa Fries). Zaza follows him into the exploitative world of the Parisian Grand Hotel, where everything is possible for money, and precarious employees have to give their additional income, whether it be through theft or sex, to Stanko, the head of the unofficial economy. Despite this, Felix manages to make enough from his dominance and humiliation games with Madame Houpflé (Maria Furtwängler) to make another guest, the naive Marquis De Venosta (David Kross), almost believe they were financially equal enough to be friends. This is the step that turns Felix into an imposter, and Venosta suggests an alluring role reversal that would make him rich. He would just need to give up Zaza for that to happen.

Felix is asked numerous times whether he‘s a socialist. He says no every time, because he doesn‘t want to change the world. He likes it the way it is, as long as he has enough money for what he wants he doesn‘t care about how he‘s seen. The film supports him in seeing his world as beautiful and lets sad situations appear as though it‘s just a matter of time until they turn into happy endings.

Christian Klose

Translation: Elinor Lewy