Narcissus and Goldmund

NARCISSUS AND GOLDMUND - BETA FILM

Whenever a book adaptation comes on the big screen, there’s immense external influence from fans to honour the source material. Narcissus and Goldmund follows suit and boasts unprecedented pressure. With the original text celebrating its 90th anniversary, it seems scarcely believable that this is the first adaptation of Hermann Hesse’s tale of friendship in the Middle Ages. 

The plot unfolds in medieval Germany, in a monastery that serves as the meeting place for our titular characters after Goldmund (Jannis Niewöhner) is disowned by his brute of a father. Over time, the dichotomy between the two central characters reveals itself; Narcissus (Sabin Tambrea), a bookish student, is torn between the love for his friend and God, whilst Goldmund is yearning to escape his shackled existence and lives life to the fullest. When he finally leaves for greener pastures, the pair spend an extended period apart; upon their reunion, they find the opportunity to catch up and inform each other of each one’s personal growth. 

Director Stefan Ruzowitzky, best known for the Academy Award winner The Counterfeiters, opts to balance out the one-sided nature of Narcissus in the original text by giving him a meatier role, which eventually causes structural problems. The first two phases of the relationship, in which we see the pair as children and adolescents feel like rudimentary attempts to establish the characters. Once the pair reunite, the director utilises flashbacks to document Goldmund’s exploits, and this is where the film settles into a comfortable rhythm. Given the central themes of longing and lost time, one can’t help but feel the final meeting between the pair is an ideal starting point to branch from. 

The success of these flashbacks is largely due to the vibrant recreation of medieval Germany, with Ruzowitzky using the novel’s historical vagueness to his advantage. As the womanising Goldmund travels across the country ⁠— taking jobs as a ghost writer and apprentice sculptor along the way ⁠— Ruzowitzky ensures each stage of the character’s life feels distinct. The lively side-characters and colourful production design create a world with a slight fairy-tale tinge. Niewöhner, sporting a haircut that seems more befitting of a boyband member than a medieval journeyman, is a charismatic lead, possessing an easy-going and slightly roguish charm that matches the initial light-hearted tone. 

Naturally, darker subject matters come into play as the story progresses. Narcissus’s selfless devotion to God is resisted by a tangible purpose, after his friend’s return. This angle never feels fully explored, rendering the last act a little underwhelming in trying to bring all the elements together. Though there is undoubted poignancy in Narcissus being largely voiceless despite assimilating God’s work, the aforementioned structural problems do seem to hinder the potential power of the final passages. With that being said, it seems fitting that Goldmund’s story on screen is charming, yet a little messy. If he was a real person, he surely wouldn’t have it any other way.