- '68 covers exactly one year (January 1st through December 31st) in the lives of Zoltan Szabo and his family, Hungarian immigrants, working hard to make a life in San Francisco in 1968. The Szabos tries to adjust to the new country, changing times and each other. The year covered was one of particular cultural change in the US and this interplays with the cultural changes occurring around Zoltan, his wife and his two college-age sons.—Joseph.Tappe@yahoo.com
- In 1956, Zoltan Szabo (Sándor Técsy) escaped the Soviet invasion of Budapest. In 1968, Zoltan now runs a Hungarian restaurant in San Francisco. Now a father, Zoltan is a mighty figure of a man with a booming voice, trying to make a success of his struggling Hungarian restaurant. On December 31, 1967, Zoltan's son Peter (Eric Larson) argues with his younger brother Sandy (Robert Locke) about his tardiness from returning with maintenance supplies. Later that night the family, including Zoltan's wife Zsuzsa (Anna Dukász) host a New Years celebration enlivened by Hungarian folk music. Tibor (Shony Alex Braun) and Piroska Kardos (Donna Pecora) and their daughter Vera (Terra Vandergaw) are in attendance as well as the flamboyant Gizi Horvath (Elizabeth De Charay) who flirts with Sandy. Vera, however, is Sandy's girlfriend. Shortly after midnight, Zoltan introduces his family to the restaurant patrons gathered there. Then Peter leaves to do a news story for his Berkeley newspaper with Vera and Sandy giving him a ride and thus escaping their responsibilities at the restaurant. Peter exits the VW van to attend a Peace and Freedom rally lead by Maoist Alana Chan (Miran Kwun). Vera and Sandy are parking when Vera declares the absolute freedom of being eighteen and envisioning their limitless future. Sandy and Vera clumsily make out. Peter is largely ignored at his party until two party crashers Rusty (Maureen McVerry) and Isadora (Anya Lem) wander in. They invite Peter to a different party but take off with two guys on motorcycles. Back at the restaurant, Zoltan is strategizing to hire a waitress to get more American customers into his restaurant. The immigrant crowd drinks and jokes about the Soviets. Gizi breaks out in song. Peter sees Alana on campus and gets just enough information to write a story on the Peace and Freedom Party that it is praised by his editor. Peter, however, also has a political science paper due for his class. Zoltan hires a very attractive Italian girl named Beatrice (Nike Doukas) as his first waitress. Alana sees Peter in the street and offers to further educate the white boy. Alana decries the U.S. role in Vietnam as a racist war and says it is more important to feed people than offer them a bill of rights. They dine together in a Chinese restaurant. Peter's professor (Lee Carrau) summons him about his political science paper which he says lacks critical analysis and is merely a collection of slogans. Then the professor tells Peter that he has discovered the paper plagiarized and he will likely be suspended from college. Peter gets a job at a motorcycle shop called Westy's Wheels. Sandy takes a birthday cake to Gizi's home. Gizi, a former nightclub singer in Hungary, sings a song and shares a chocolate with Sandy, mouth to mouth. One night, Zoltan is trying to entertain Millard the restaurant critic with mixed results. Vera pulls Sandy off the job when she is upset that Sandy has not called. Sandy steals her away to his van where he declares his love for Vera so they can make love. Peter arrives and his upset father assigns him to Sandy's duties. Later, Zoltan dreams of a restaurant chain and tells of his lack of choices during the depression. Peter sees that as an advantage because the future was already designed for him. After Peter leaves Bela Csontos (Rusdi Lane) pitches an investment in "bunk parking" to solve San Francisco's parking shortage. Peter enjoys riding motorcycles. He finds Sandy stuffing restaurant ads under windshield wipers and gives him a ride. They wind up near a golf course where they interrupt play to get to the shoreline. They smoke pot and Peter confesses he sells motorcycles because he was suspended from school. Peter encourages Sandy to stay and help their father with the restaurant. Zoltan learns that Peter has been suspended and is quite upset. Peter downplays the situation and tells his father he has no interest in attending law school. Sandy is late for work again and Zoltan orders Peter to help his mother inside. Sandy appears hand in hand with Vera and they announce their engagement. Zoltan is furious believing both his sons are throwing their lives away. Zsuzsa is more understanding. When Beatrice consoles Zoltan, he kisses her. Westy (Neil Young) scolds Peter for having political news on the radio where Eugene McCarthy nearly defeated Lyndon Johnson in the New Hampshire primary. West admits being a fan of Joe McCarthy. At an engagement party for Vera and Sandy, Hungarian dancers perform. Business has improved since the restaurant went full on Hungarian. Gizi believes Vera and Sandy are too young to marry and know nothing of love. Zoltan makes a midnight date with Beatrice. They dance and Beatrice encourages Zoltan to leave his wife so they can make a new start together. Peter is working one night when bikers break into his shop, punch Peter to the ground and steal motorcycles. When Bobby Kennedy announces his run for president, Peter works on the local campaign where he again meets up with Alana. She is confused by Peter's changing priorities. Vera who is being ignored by Sandy, visits Peter at the bike shop the day LBJ announces he will not seek a second term as president. Westy is irritated when the political news is on TV and orders Peter to take down his Kennedy poster. Peter pays Westy what he owes on the motorcycle and quits his job. Gizi has an affair with Bela who is building his parking ramp in front of her house. Zoltan leaves the restaurant to be with Beatrice but Zoltan is hesitant to leave Zsuzsa because of the challenges in life they have come through together. Peter finds Sandy in a gay bar. Sandy begs Peter to talk to Vera for him. Peter explains to Vera how she is better off with her freedom at her age encouraging her to follow her dream to become a designer. At a hippie rock concert, the bikers who Peter reported to the police for stealing bikes from Westy's shop find Peter. The gang leader (Sandy Bull) persuades Peter to ride along with their gang. Peter impresses them with his ability to ride despite the punches and pushes he is absorbing. When they return to the concert, the gang leader convinces Peter to call the cops to tell them he was mistaken or die. Isadora wants Peter to ride off with her behind him. They ride to an isolated place on the coast and make out and have sex on the bike. Peter is with Alana canvassing for Kennedy in a black neighborhood when Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated. Reacting in fury, the blacks attack, pull a knife on and beat Peter and steal his motorcycle. Zoltan explains to Beatrice that he most values being in charge of his own business and Beatrice sees no place for herself. Their conversation is interrupted by Zsuzsa who is familiar with Zoltan's infidelity. Alana is encouraging dock workers not to load ammunition and has a confrontational with a trucker. Peter fails to sell his most recent story to the newspaper because it is too political. He decides to take Alana to meet his family. Beatrice leaves Zoltan and the restaurant to pursue her own dream. Peter learns from his mother that Peter has been drafted. Sandy, Bela and Zoltan are drinking shots before the boy goes off to war, a situation which Zoltan supports. Peter encourages Sandy to find a way to avoid serving in the military which upsets his father. Later, Peter and Alana are watching footage of the many civil uprising and protests across the globe. Peter tries to kiss Alana but Alana stops him saying radicals only get involved when their hearts are in it. Alana and Peter go to a Chinese theater performance. Alana explains that in old China a woman's primary duty were to the wishes of her parents. Peter continues to work on Bobby Kennedy's campaign until he is shot. Peter regresses into a state of despair and disillusionment until Sandy finds him walking along the docks. Sandy delivers the news that their father is very sick. The family gathers at Zoltan's bedside. Zoltan complains about his struggling restaurant. He also says even though he has lived in America for many years, he still feels like a foreigner and does not wish to be buried there. Peter returns to working at the restaurant and is greeted by family and friends. Zoltan recovers enough to keep the books at the restaurant. The nature of the restaurant has changed again and resembles an American coffee shop serving hamburgers and sandwiches. Zoltan releases Tibor Kardos, the gypsy violinist from his payroll. Bela christens his bunk parking prototype, but it collapses under the weight of a car. In the aftermath at the restaurant, Gizi chastises Bela for drinking and feeling sorry for himself. This is more than Gizi's husband Dezsö Horváth (Jan Nemec) can take and he leaves Gizi to find her own way home. Peter turns on the television which is reporting on the Russian invasion of Prague. This is followed by a news report of protesters confronted by police outside of Democratic headquarters in Chicago. Peter argues with his father that they are both freedom fighters, while Zoltan sees the protesters as disrespectful radicals. Peter and Sandy kick around a soccer ball. Peter seems satisfied running the restaurant but Sandy reveals he will soon be going for his army physical and enlisting. Peter visits Vera in her new job as a singer in a honky-tonk bar. She is happy with her life. Sandy goes to his physical and realizes he does not belong enlisting. After passing his physical Sandy declares himself a homosexual and kisses the officer at the desk on the lips. Back at the restaurant, Sandy is drinking and celebrating his not going to war. Zoltan questions him and Sandy uses the opportunity to declare to his family he is gay. Zoltan finds it disgusting, and sends his son out disowning him, Peter tires to defend Sandy and appeals to Zoltan's big Hungarian heart. Peter is put out as well. Peter and Alana are participating in a protest against the Vietnam War. They shout "no more war!" with dozens of others. Sandy visits Vera at the country western club. Vera announces that she is dating the steel guitar player, a guy Sandy also finds attractive. Tibori is now a member of the band and slips on some Hungarian music as the credits roll. 7*
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