And so we get "Gloomy Sunday," an epic romance set in Budapest before, during, and after the Second World War. The title refers to a song, popularized in the US by Billie Holiday, which is rumored to have caused suicides in those who fell under its spell (Snopes.com, the ultimate arbiter of urban legends, lists this story as undetermined--good enough for a movie.)
"Gloomy Sunday" introduces us to the man who wrote the song, pianist Andras (Stefano Dionisi), the woman he wrote it for (Illona, played by Erika Maroszan), and the man who loved her first, the Jewish businessman Laszlo (Joachim Krol.) Laszlo's restaurant, famous for its outstanding beef rolls, is the focus of the film and the central love triangle. It's not quite Rick's Café Americain, but everybody comes to Laszlo's, including the German Hans Wieck (Ben Becker), who also falls for beautiful Hungarian Illona.
"Gloomy Sunday" won German awards for cinematography and direction, and it is easy to see why. The film is accomplished entertainment, well-acted and tastefully decorated.
The film is also more than a little pat, a little dishonest, a little too slick--an artful romance with a historical backdrop and a romantic song that is repeated over and over again, not a serious exploration of the destruction the Third Reich wrought in Eastern Europe. Many details are glossed over or simplified for the sake of the story.
Perhaps German film is finally done with tackling the Holocaust head-on, and perhaps it's just as well, since the definitive statements have already been made (nobody will ever top "Night and Fog" as a fearless probe into the dark heart of the 20th Century.) At this point, indirect approaches that keep the memory alive are the best we can hope for. See "Gloomy Sunday" for the curious and tragic love story, and you will find a satisfying film.
"Gloomy Sunday" opens in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, and Washington on November 7, and in Miami on November 14.
