This film is in many ways reminiscent of "The English Patient" and even "Casablanca" (the love-triangle in times of WWII, the beautiful cinematography and the use of a melancholy song as a central motive). Still, the story is different enough, so that "Gloomy Sunday" stands on its own as a wonderful movie. I especially like the style and elegance. Although there is a lot of passion involved there are no big emotional outbursts which I find refreshing for a change. The way Laszlo, Andras and Ilona keep their dignity reminds you that the 20th century could have been an age of reason and enlightenment (even AFTER WWI) if there hadn't been the barbarity of fascism.
On the other hand I'm also grateful to the director (and to the great Ben Becker) that Hans Eberhard Wieck isn't portrayed as a soulless monster. He rather seems like the dark reflection of Oskar Schindler to me.
There is even room for some humour (of the pitch-black variety) which is still very brave in a German film about the holocaust. While some of it can be understood everywhere (the glass-eye joke), other funny scenes will probably be understood in Germany only (Ms. Häberle and her "Duden"). Thanks to the wonderful actors and to Rolf Schübel for making this film (which should have been selected as the German entry for the foreign film academy award instead of "Aimee und Jaguar" IMO).
On the other hand I'm also grateful to the director (and to the great Ben Becker) that Hans Eberhard Wieck isn't portrayed as a soulless monster. He rather seems like the dark reflection of Oskar Schindler to me.
There is even room for some humour (of the pitch-black variety) which is still very brave in a German film about the holocaust. While some of it can be understood everywhere (the glass-eye joke), other funny scenes will probably be understood in Germany only (Ms. Häberle and her "Duden"). Thanks to the wonderful actors and to Rolf Schübel for making this film (which should have been selected as the German entry for the foreign film academy award instead of "Aimee und Jaguar" IMO).