Gloomy Sunday

This fine German romance is set in Hungary during World War II. As Europe unravels, three men fall under the spell of one spectacular woman. In his passion for Ilona, a prosperous businessman named Laszlo makes her manager of his Budapest restaurant. Andras, a musician of genius, is so lovestruck that he composes a song in her honor, "Gloomy Sunday." (Which was, of course, historically real; it was a worldwide hit in the late '30's, popularized here in the States by Billie Holiday.). Hans, an awkward, amiable German businessman enthralled by Adolph Hitler, is so moved by Andras's melodic tribute to Ilona that he proposes marriage to her. As the looming holocaust overwhelms Europe, these four complex human beings fall in love, risk death, and endure a maze of treacheries. Lazlo, Ilona and Andras form a turbulent but successful ménage à trois. Hans returns to Budapest in the uniform of the Nazi's high command. Ultimately the movie is a look at a continuous repetition of history, a story from the past that has not lost any of its relevance today. It's an acerbic parable about guilt and innocence, love and hate. Director Rolf Schubel, adapting Nick Barkow's best selling novel, orchestrates it all to create a mythic tapestry. "A beautiful period piece." -- Kevin Thomas, LOS ANGELES TIMES "The fine cast, the elegant settings and the swoony title song somehow draw you in." -- V.A. Musetto, NEW YORK POST "It has enough opulent, oversized romanticism to make it a guilty pleasure, not to mention three attractive and appealing characters and, of course, that song." -- Terry Lawson, DETROIT FREE PRESS "GLOOMY SUNDAY has a mood and a magic about it that elicit emotion from the beginning and make an audience follow it down its curving and melancholy path." -- Mick LaSalle, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE