Gloomy Sunday - Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod (1999)

Note des utilisateurs:

7.7/10   

Réalisateur:

Rolf Schübel

Writers:

Nick Barkow (novel)
Rolf Schübel (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 octobre 1999 (Germany)

Genre:

Romance | Drame

Plot:

Budapest in the thirties. The restaurant owner Laszlo hires the pianist András to play in his restaurant...

Plot Keywords:

Restaurant | Pianist | Suicide | Restaurant Owner | Waitress

Awards:

6 wins & 4 nominations

Avis des utilisateurs:

Shoot the piano player!

Ensemble

Erika Marozsán	...	Ilona
Joachim Król	...	László
Ben Becker	...	Hans Wieck
Stefano Dionisi	...	András
András Bálint	...	Ilonas Sohn
Géza Boros	...	Geigenspieler
Rolf Becker	...	Herr Wieck
Ilse Zielstorff	...	Frau Wieck
Ferenc Bács	...	Botschafter
Júlia Zsolnai	...	Frau des Botschafters
Aron Sipos	...	Arzt
Ernst Kahl	...	Zeichner Torresz
Jörg Gillner	...	Chefkoch István
Denis Moschitto	...	Lehrling Inas
István Mikó	...	Kartoffelhändler

Autre(s) titre(s):

Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod - Gloomy Sunday (Germany) (DVD title)
Gloomy Sunday (USA)
Szomorú vasárnap (Hungary)
The Piano Player (USA)
Une chanson d'amour et de mort (France) (TV title) [fr]

Durée:

112 min | Argentina:113 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Pays:

Germany | Hungary

Langue:

Allemand | Anglais | Hongrois

Couleur:

Couleur

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Son:

Dolby Digital

Classification:

Hong Kong:IIB | Argentina:16 | Germany:12 (bw) | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18

Emplacements De Pelliculage:

Alster, Hamburg, Germany

Company:

Studio Hamburg Filmproduktion

Anecdotes:

The film has been running daily at the Academy Arts Centre Theatre in Christchurch, New Zealand since 2001 - and you still have book in advance because it is sold out (it's shown in a small 11-seat theatre).

Soundtrack:

Csak Inni, Inni

Shoot the piano player!

Rolf Schubel, the director, has created a movie around a menage a trois that was very civilized. Ilona loves Joachim, but she also loves Andras, the piano player. Andras, is the composer of the suicide provoking song that was the rage of the 30s in Budapest, as well as in the rest of Europe.

The setting is a somehow fancy restaurant in Budapest at the onset of World War II. Laszlo, the owner, is having an affair with Ilona, his assistant, who also works at the restaurant. Enter Andras: Ilona is instantly smitten by his good looks, his obvious youth, in contrast with Joachim, who is much older but might not be exactly what she wants to find between her sheets. Joachim goes along with the very civilized arrangement among them. One night is spent with Andras and the next one with Laszlo, who after all, is the one with the money and paying the bill!

Of course, the story is too good to be true. There is Hans, the young German that adores the fine cousine offered at the restaurant and is taken with Ilona's beauty. Hans will return as a Nazi officer and he'll be the force that destroys the happiness of this trio and who, at the end, has to pay for the horrible things he did in his youth. This part was very predictable, since one knows after seeing so many stories like this, it always ends tragically because of Nazis, even friendly ones, as Hans was, deep down inside hates Joachim because he had what he never could have, Ilona. Therefore, Joachim will have to disappear from the picture.

The film is easy to watch. The melody will stay with the viewer forever, but alas, like a good Hungarian dishes, too much paprika will spoil the goulash.