A Certain Major Benedek

The engineer Ambrus has been suspended in his job because he publicly called the attention of the customers to a construction mistake of some goods designed to be exported. His immediate boss learns the news on a business trip to Paris. He meets his old friend Lendvay, an emigrant from Hungary, and his French wife in a cellar bar. After their talk Benkő starts seeing things in a different perspective. When he returns home, he decides to take a stand for Ambrus against Ferenczi, the general director, despite his wife's and the old director's advice.

Peter Gothar films give a sharp, uncensored view of the society. This film is no different. The plot is rather simple: a family goes to vacation with the usual stress. Then on the vacation the wife gets a strange kind of sickness and they go back to Budapest for a cure. While the wife is in the hospital, the husband visits his family. This is quite banal. However the scenario was written by Peter Esterhazy, one of the most influential contemporary writers in Hungary. His style uses a lot of surrealism but in a way that profoundly illuminates the reality. In this film, the reality is an atomized society where the so-called communist ideals are nowhere so everyday people are fully disoriented.

On the novel by Mór Jókai. The first half of the XVIII century. Several decades of life of a noble family Karpati.

A 40-year-old sculptor returns home to witness the baptism of his young nephew. His return prompts a series of flashbacks to his youth and the political upheaval experienced by his family and friends.

Based on Confession, a play by Rose Meller. Elma Bulla repeats her stage role as a young woman who takes the blame for a theft which she believes was committed by her lover. The ungrateful jerk assumes that she did commit the crime, and further supposes that she did it on behalf of his romantic rival. Throughout the rest of the film, Bulla tries to revoke her confession, only to find that no one will believe her. Only when the genuine culprit is revealed is Bulla cleared and reunited with her sweetheart -- though if ever there was a man unworthy of her devotion, it is surely this one! Devotees of newcomer Elma Bulla were thoroughly satisfied with this screen version of her theatrical triumph.

The outbreak of war ends the love of Mária and Endre. Mária is still expecting the return of Endre, father of Anna, her daughter, who was born while her father was away. The war is long over. A few decades elapse, and a letter is accidentally discovered in a post office building now under reconstruction.

This easy-to-take Hungarian drama is also known as Two Wishes. The prinicipal characters are a pair of juvenile delinquents, who may still be redeemable. The sullen duo is befriended by a kindly police inspector, who takes it upon himself to straighten out the boys. What follows cannot be termed surprsingly or innovative, though it is immensely satisfying. Of interest is the fact that a Communist-bloc film would admit to a delinquency problem in the so-called Worker's Paradise. Ket Vallomas was the Hungarian entry in the 1957 Cannes Film Festival.

Most of her colleagues take Mária, the new teacher to be a communist party-worker, only Irma and the drawing teacher Zoli treat her kindly. Mária starts working with great enthusiasm, and her class learns to love her in a short time.

Sztankó János, the freshly appointed director of a company that builds agricultural factories meets his former classmate, Palócz. Palócz is just released from the prison where he got on made-up charges. Sztankó suddenly decides to employ the engineer since he wants to show up spectacular, quick results.

Based on the stories of Hungarian writer Gyula Krúdy, this film is a lush and sensuous depiction of the life, loves and memories of serial seducer Szindbád. As the protagonist looks back on his life, past and present, imagination and reality flow inseparably into one another.

Az Aranyember (The Man of Gold) was based on a novel by Jokai, at one time Hungary's foremost storyteller. Set in the early 19th century, the story revolves around Timar (Ferenc Kiss), a ferryman on a Danish tugboat. Rescuing the daughter (Marisa Kormos) of a Turkish nobleman from a watery grave, Timar is rewarded with the girl's hand in marriage. Now rich beyond his wildest dreams, our hero finds he is unsatisfied; it seems he has never forgotten his true love, flower girl Noemi (Anna Fuzes). Timar is forced to suffer mightily until he is finally permitted a tender reunion with the girl of his dreams.

1944. A band of runaways and orphans of the war scour the countryside in search of food and shelter. They invade and then taken in by a musician and former concert pianist who’s hiding out in a ruined castle. After the initial altercation between them the gang accepts his guidance and he wins their respect by protecting them from the elements.

This film, set at the end of the 18th century, in a provincial and noble environment raises the question of humans forced to lead a meaningless life. The rich Transylvanian noble youth, Kálmán, absorbed the spirit of freedom and enlightened culture in Paris. Returning to his father's estate, he encounters a superstitious backwardness and an orgiastic storming of violence and instincts.

The "sleepless years" in this propaganda piece by director Felix Marlassy occur on Csepel Island, an island south of Budapest that is home to an armaments factory. The factory workers are shown being exploited by imperialists, capitalists gone berserk, and fascists, more or less in that exact chronological sequence. The heavy-handed approach does much to undercut the belief that when socialism finally takes over, the lives of the workers are brought up to a human level. In this instance, audiences might prefer a more nuanced and subtle statement, no matter what the message.

The poor little Ferkó is trying to enrich his miserable life with imaginary fairy tale figures and superstitious little stories. He suffers from diphtheria, and while he is having a visionary dream, Cinkekirály (Titmouse King) saves him from the claws of the magic Küsmödi. He expects his magic jacket to enable him to know everything at school without having studied.

A past world is revived in the little cottage in the outskirts, next to the housing blocks under construction. Tamburás, the old hobo collects swerved youth: Diák, who desires freedom, the bus driver who is deprived of his license for having run over someone, and the rest. They have got an easy and unbound life there, with constant music, small thefts, occasional labour, tricks.

In a rural scenery in the throes of difficult changes lives humble but promising young farmer girl Mari Pataki. Her father forbids her from seeing the man she loves. The father, above all preoccupied by work on the fields and prospective wealth, decides to give his daughter in marriage to his older business partner. 'Land marries land', he says, a phrase which seems to be the unyielding rule of the Hungarian peasantry. But the younger lover is ready to confront any challenge to keep Mari's love.

October, 1956. Colonel lieutenant Szabó sends a platoon with the mission of calming the people demonstrating in the town. The platoon is lined up under the command of Lieutenant Csendes and the soldiers aim at the demonstrators. Szusza Kis changes sides, and Csendes is unable to shoot at his childhood mate. They withdraw.

​A young doctor named Zoltán flees Budapest for his father’s rural estate after performing an illegal abortion on his lover that results in her death. While hiding in the countryside, he attempts to grapple with his guilt and the moral weight of his actions while reconnecting with his estranged family. His isolation is interrupted by a burgeoning relationship with a local woman, Mira, which forces him to choose between permanent escape or facing legal and ethical accountability.

In 1956, a crusading newspaper reporter covers the Soviet invasion of Hungary. Initially critical of the communists, the feature later espouses the virtues of social changes implemented since the invasion.

A Hungarian doctor, Dr. Hajnal, who always considered himself out of politics, falls in love with the Soviet intelligence agent, the radio operator Alba, operating in the occupied Wehrmacht of Hungary. By accident, the radio operator is hiding in the doctor’s house. Hainal is drawn into a life-threatening confrontation with the Germans. A difficult question arises before him: to remain neutral when people die around and Alba is threatened with death, or to remain an honest person — to make his personal choice and take part in this struggle.

1946. Borok Vince, party secretary, and Holló Döme, former landowner, arrive in Nagybökény the same day at Easter. The latter wants to get back his castle and land with the help of his attorney. Albert József, the police-chief, wants to strengthen Communist power with tough actions. His R-guards disperse the clerical torch march.

Jancsi is part of a closely knit gang of young engineers. They see the older engineers as mediocre, and have grand ideas about developing new inventions together. With changing living conditions the five friends start to grow apart. At a party Jancsi suddenly meets Éva Halk. They fall in love, and find common memories in the engagement in The Pioneer Railway at the age of 12.

A gay affair between an aging middle-aged writer, and a young streetwise hustler.

On New Year's Eve in 1956 the artist couple, the actor János and the dancer Viki are hastily packing. While they are waiting for the car, which is to take them across the border, their entire life is replayed in front of their eyes.

In 1944, Feri Margittai escapes from the front, but his mother sends him away from home.

He travels the country as a fire inspector. He arrives in the small town for a week-long visit, where he meets his old friend József Máté. Máté is a manager, proud of his achievements and spoiling his beautiful young wife Panni. But she's tired of the dollhouse and wants to work, but her husband won't let her. Tired and disillusioned, Palotas immediately senses and understands his wife's dullness and boredom, and encourages Panni to leave her husband...

Don Juan, the seducer, is cursed by the governor of Seville: he can only live until a woman rejects him. Thanks to this curse, Don Juan has been living in bliss for 400 years when he arrives in Budapest. Of course, in the new city he chooses a new girl to conquer, Kata Lukacs. The experienced heartthrob used all tricks and tricks, but it seems that none of this has an effect on Kata.

Joseph II, the enlightened Austro-Hungarian emperor, entrusts his loyal and confidential subject, Ráby Mátyás, formerly a treasurer, to examine the abuses made by the magistrates of Szentendre and Izbég. Following his old friend, Dacsó Marci's directions, Ráby reveals horrible robberies, tax evasions, frauds, and other illegal acts having been committed against the people.

Judge Csanádi András makes a confession to his boss one night: he fell in love with the pretty, modern driver woman, Zenthe Judit in a fencing room. The girl suddenly returned his feelings. One night she confessed to him crying: she hit someone. The case was assigned to Csanádi, who wanted to investigate the circumstances meticulously despite his feelings. Thus the so far hidden life of Judit, which is bound to the past former world and its values is now highlighted. He is confused, asks his boss to absolve him from the assignment, but refuses to do so. Csanádi realises in the court room: Judit kept on telling lies, she played the lover for her own interest. The judge passed his crisis, he will deliver a fair sentence.

The celebrated actor considers his wife a nitwits actress of a mediocre talent. But an influential playwright, a friend of theirs, has written a play with the main role designed for her, Kati, particularly. Its title is "The Most Intelligent Woman in the World". On the day of the first night performance Kati recalls their past, the times she had together with her husband.

A young peasant boy stands up to tyranny, aided by his trusting friend- a goose.

In 1585 the Turks and Vallons are looting the Látrány region.

This romantic and grandiose historical film depicts the era of the constant incursions and heroic battles fought by the defenders of the castle of Eger, led by captain István Dobó, against the heavy odds of superior numbers through the lives and love of Bornemissza Gergely and Cecey Éva. Gergely is inaugurated as a fighter already at the age of 7, when he escapes the captivity of the half-eyed Turk, Jumurdzsak, with Vica and the war-booty. In thirty years' time he becomes the first assistant of captain Dobó and the brain of the castle in the defence of Eger.

An intelligence agent blackmails the author he is spying on to write the government surveillance reports about himself, as he hates writing.

Ignác Semmelweis is 18 and is in Vienna, training to become a judge-advocate, to comply with the wishes of his family. He is, however, attracted by the medical science, and joins the team of Professor Rokitanszky.

One morning, the caretaker of the student hostel of the University of Horticulture finds Citrom Flóra and Bohus Tamás, by the purest accident, in one bed together. Both are dismissed from university. During the appealing procedures they fall in love with each other.

The top management of the co-operative in the rural community at Lake Balaton goes on coaches everywhere to irritate Mrs. Peczöli, the snobbish wife of the only individual farmer. Peczöli would readily join the co-operative, should it not oppose his apple improving experiments.

The millionaire grandson of entrepreneur Dénes Bartos is hired as a tutor. Gábor Horváth Horváth of Monori, a doctor, drops his Monori name and goes down to Bartos Castle as Gábor Horváth to earn money to become independent of his industrialist father. His apprentice Gyurika is not the cutest kid, it has to be said, but his sister Lilian is really beautiful... And that's enough for a romantic, peaceful film.

The triumphant adventures of the Hungarian baron Münchausen are recounted in the form of a musical.

PFC Molnár decides his WWII services are over, and with serious money hidden in his hand grenades, he heads to an abandoned mansion where he encounters not only the sour butler but a bunch of others who also try to wimp out of their duties.