movie comments: GS

Note: This is cross posted under the folder European movies.

Last night I watched the German movie Gloomy Sunday (1999, DVD ~2006). Since it has been out quite a while, many of you may have already seen it. For those of you that haven't, though, my comments are below.

Comments:

I found this German-Hungarian movie quite interesting. The photography was beautiful and the acting superb. As for the actors, there are three primary ones of equal importance: Erika Marozsan (Ilona), Joachim Krol (Laszlo) and Stefano Dionisi (Andras). The relationship between these three characters is best described as ménage à trois. There is nudity in the movie.

The setting is Budapest in the late 1930s. The story is a character study of the relationship between the three. As the years advance and WWII breaks out, the Germans eventually occupy Budapest. Hungarian Jews are then rounded up and sent to concentration camps. Laszlo is Jewish.

Though the subject matter turns somewhat oppressive once the Germans enter the city, the film is not, especially the first half.

It's the story of friendship and love between three people preceding WWII, and then during that onerous time. It's what I would call--for lack of better terminology--a romantic drama. The movie revolves around a song (Gloomy Sunday) written by one of the characters (Andras).

This isn't a fast paced movie—nor is it action-packed. On the other hand, it's not what I would call slow-moving either.

Plot

I'm not sure what it is/was. Perhaps it's only a character study of how people in relationships adapt and react to changing situations—external and internal.

I enjoyed the movie and recommend it. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.