kijii
This German movie tells a story that takes place in Budapest restaurant in the mid-30s and is centered around a song that is composed there, making the restaurant famous. In fact, some might say that the movie is the story about the song, 'Gloomy Sunday' itself.As the movie opens, the restaurant's owner, László (Joachim Król) and his girlfriend, Ilona (Erika Marozsán) are in the process of installing a piano in the restaurant and hiring a pianist to entertain the guests during dinnertime. After several auditions, Ilona convinces László to hire a struggling young composer-pianist, András (Stefano Dionisi) with whom she falls in love.On Ilona's birthday, the restaurant employees give her a party; András' gift to her is a song he has written, 'Gloomy Sunday,' a melody which is an instant hit with the customers. During the party, one of the regular customers, a young German, Hans Wieck (Rolf Becker), relates that he and Ilona share the same birthday. He takes a picture of her with his new camera and then, unexpectedly proclaims his love for her and asks her to marry him before he returns to Germany. She says no, and due to her rejection, he tries to commit suicide by throwing himself into the Danube. László saves Hans from drowning and bolsters his spirits by reminding him of all the good things to live for, such as the restaurant's delicious beef rolls that Hans loves so much. The next day as László sees Hans off at the train station, Hans proclaims that he will never forget László's kindness or the wonderful times he has enjoyed in the restaurant. László also agrees never to tell Ilona about Hans' attempted suicide.Soon, a love triangle develops as László and András both fall in love with Ilona while all three work in the restaurant: Ilona's loves them both and they both love her openly. László finally proclaims that it is better for both he and András to love Ilona than for either of them to lose her, and they proceed as a loving threesome. One day, a recording artist from Vienna comes to the restaurant and hears 'Gloomy Sunday.' He invites András to record it. László helps negotiate the song deal with a higher royalty going to András than originally offered. When András offers László a percentage of the royalties, as an agent, László shrugs off the offer saying that the song will make the restaurant famous and that that, itself, will be his payment. When András is asked to come to Vienna to record the song, Ilona suggests that the threesome close the restaurant and go to Vienna on holiday. But, with the Nazi's Final Solution on the rise in Austria, László—acutely feeling his Jewishness--stays behind in frustration.When the song is played on the radio, it becomes world famous, bringing in both royalties and fame for the restaurant. But, it also has a strange melancholy quality which, during the Final Solution of the Holocaust, causes many to commit suicide rather than lose their human dignity. The reports of the suicides disturb András and he, too, attempts suicide. Since he has no way of knowing what the song is 'saying' to people, he attempts to write lyrics for it without much success.As time passes and Nazism spreads into Hungary, Hans Wieck reappears in the restaurant, this time as a Nazi SS officer in charge of the Final Solution in Budapest (the Hungarian sector). He still values his friendships from the old days and the delicious beef rolls of the restaurant. He, also, clearly reminders that László had once saved his life. As he starts to entertain his fellow Nazis at the restaurant while protecting László and his Jewish friends from being deported to concentration camps, his actions become duplicitous. Hans now has the power to protect Jews from concentration camps and personally profit from their plight. Of course, extorting money from Jews while saving them from certain death gives him a duel quality that he plays to his public advantage to the very end of the movie. I've read that this movie has a bit of Casablanca (the café, the romance, and the song) and a bit of Schindler's List (a Nazi tirelessly working to save as many Jews as possible) and a bit of Jules and Jim (the understood love triangle). While it's is not nearly as great as either of the first two movies, I find its love triangle is far more believable than the sick one presented in Jules and Jim. In the end, this movie has its OWN story to tell and does it very well!
valis1949
GLOOMY Sunday (dir. Rolf Schubel) A haunting and award winning German film that offers an imagined account of the making of the Hungarian pop song, 'Gloomy Sunday', and some of the mysterious history surrounding the tune. This song is tied to a recurring urban legend that claims that many people committed suicide with this song playing, however when you check the facts, there seems to be no real evidence to support this allegation. This lugubrious pop tune happened to be written at the outbreak of WWII, and to make the claim that this song caused more people to end their lives than the immediate prospect of a world war seems almost too silly to imagine. However, the film becomes more successful when it shuns the metaphysical aspects of the song's legend to develop a (fictional?) love triangle between the composer of the song and his employer and girlfriend who run the restaurant where the pianist entertains the patrons. The film slips into melodrama as the Germans occupy Hungary, and another possible lover of the restaurant's hostess is introduced who happens to become a colonel in the Nazi SS. Although the film veers dangerously close to mawkishness, the 'doomed romance' described in the film does allow for somewhat of an entertaining experience.
Frederick Regenold
Gloomy Sunday-IMDb A great movie experience. I'm 82 and have been watching movies since I was five years old. This is an unforgettable film. Every facet is superb. The acting is flawless, the cinematography is breathtaking, and the gripping story has every human emotion imaginable. It's hypnotic from start to finish, but keep in mind, you have to be attentive. There are some subtle touches that can go unnoticed if you're not carefully observing and listening, and missing them can possibly deprive you of fully understanding and enjoying the fantastic ending. The skilled director doesn't use a heavy hand, and that's admirable. Every single actor gives a perfect performance. Having studied acting for five years, I must mention that they don't act, they behave. Erika Marozsán's portrayal is colossal! I've fallen in love with her. Even if I were five years old now, there's a scene with Joachim Król I'd remember the rest of my life. I've viewed that particular scene about eight times. Gut-wrenching, yet inspirational. Never in my life have a watched any movie four times, and I just saw this one again for the fourth time… in one week! If not for IMDb and Netflix, I would never have heard of it. And it received no nominations for the Academy Awards. Ridiculous! This is truly a masterpiece! I've never written a review for IMDb, but for this film I had to do it. I cannot praise this movie enough!
