Cinema Crazed

1999

Rated: R for nudity, strong sexual content, graphic violence, graphic language, and rape.

Genre: Foreign History Drama Romance Thriller

Directed By: Rolf Schübel

Running Time: 1:54

Review by: Felix Vasquez Jr.

Review Date: 12/5/06

Special Features:
None.

EIN LIED VON LIEBE UND TOD

Supposedly, there was this song, a song called “Gloomy Sunday” that was both so sad and so happy that it inspired the suicides of almost three hundred people all over the world. This song inspired every emotion, and unlocked all its listeners' inhibitions and inner desires. “Gloomy Sunday” takes this true story of the creation of this song, mixes it with the urban legend, and creates a rather epic love story that inspires a rather engrossing and moving result. The story is of four people, all of whom are living through the change of the world, and the change of their lives.

Ilona played by the ravishing Erika Marozsán, is such a desirable woman that she inspires romantic emotions from men she serves at her husband László’s restaurant. One day they hire a pianist András who proceeds to fall for Ilona, and László steps aside to let her fall for him. The three reach a rather unorthodox agreement with one another. To American audiences they’ll find it far-fetched, but at the time, in the country of Budapest, it was expected. Rather than lose her, the three share a mutual relationship. Then Nazism begins. “Gloomy Sunday” relies on slight coincidence, and characterization to convince us that these people would fall for one another. One day András creates a song for Ilona called “Gloomy Sunday,” and it inspires immense reaction.

“Gloomy Sunday” is much more symbolic than a magical song, but more of the power of music. At times of turmoil, love, heartbreak and loss, music can inspire us. It can inspire us to accomplish wonderful things and commit great feats, it can help us recall something to motivate us, and it can inspire suicide. The characters are frightened of this song as it becomes much more famous yet much more notorious for inspiring suicides along the country.

People are hanging themselves, and throwing themselves off of bridges, and the situation becomes much more turbulent as a frequent customer re-appears one day as a Nazi officer.

Schübel’s film is wonderfully shot with a Budapest that’s cold, and isolated on the outside, but welcoming and warm in the restaurant László shares with András and his lover Ilona. Then the story becomes much more bitter and grim as the song is a recurring theme along the events of the Nazi invasion, transport to labor camps, and Ilona’s struggle to keep her lovers with her. Schübel’s film is an unusual, but utterly original take on the legend that brings with it a love triangle that spans decades and results in one of the most surprising finishers I’ve seen in years.

Only on the second half did "Gloomy Sunday" begin to redeem itself as a character motivated drama about love and this relationship trying to survive amidst Nazi tyranny. Only on the second half does "Gloomy Sunday" develop into an engrossing film, but we have to wade through the sappy melodrama of the second half. Through the first forty-five minutes are we subjected to the love triangle between these people, and the endless exchanges and forced tension between them forced into wondering what will happen next, hoping we'll progress beyond that. The caveats of the first half make "Gloomy Sunday" an utterly imperfect drama with potential.

With “Gloomy Sunday” you come for the unusual romance, you watch for the epic story, and you stay for the surprise ending that not even the most intuitive viewer will see coming. Schübel’s film is unforgettable.

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