Gloomy Sunday (1999)

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Gloomy Sunday is a broad romance, smoothly crafted, and sometime charming film that fights off its imperfections: predictability and a crowbarred Holocaust subplot which is contrived. But, there is enough in the fine acting, elegant settings and locations for the viewer to easily stick with it and be entertained for its old fashioned fanciful romance. The schmaltzy soundtrack is to the film's credit.

Gloomy Sunday-IMDb A great movie experience. I'm 82 and have been watching movies since I was five years old. This is an unforgettable film. Every facet is superb. The acting is flawless, the cinematography is breathtaking, and the gripping story has every human emotion imaginable. It's hypnotic from start to finish, but keep in mind, you have to be attentive. There are some subtle touches that can go unnoticed if you're not carefully observing and listening, and missing them can possibly deprive you of fully understanding and enjoying the fantastic ending. The skilled director doesn't use a heavy hand, and that's admirable. Every single actor gives a perfect performance. Having studied acting for five years, I must mention that they don't act, they behave. Erika Marozsán's portrayal is colossal! I've fallen in love with her. Even if I were five years old now, there's a scene with Joachim Król I'd remember the rest of my life. I've viewed that particular scene about eight times. Gut-wrenching, yet inspirational. Never in my life have a watched any movie four times, and I just saw this one again for the fourth time… in one week! If not for IMDb and Netflix, I would never have heard of it. And it received no nominations for the Academy Awards. Ridiculous! This is truly a masterpiece! I've never written a review for IMDb, but for this film I had to do it. I cannot praise this movie enough!

I haven't watched such a good movie for a while. It includes history, love, psychological aspects. The music is wonderful, the actors are brilliant. It keeps your attention and has an unexpected ending. The story plays before, during and after the second world war. The main characters work in a Budapest restaurant. The owner (he is Jewish) is in a relationship with the waitress. He, Laszlo, hires pianist Andras, and both men love Ilona, which is further complicated when their regular customer Hans, an SS colonel, begins to pursue Ilona's affections. Hans wants to marry her, but she refuses his offer. When Hans jumps into a river, Laszlo saves his life and Hans promises him to protect him from the Nazis. Andras the composer falls in love with Ilona, too. They share Ilona who loves them both. Andras composes a song - "Gloomy Sunday". It is published and soon famous. The bad thing is that more and more people who listen to it commit suicide. More and more Jewish people are deported. Hans who went back to Germany return as a Nazi officer.....

We have seen hundreds of portrayals of the horrors of the Holocaust. This bittersweet romantic piece however, does not revolve around it, but keeps a balance between a sensitively depicted threesome of one beautiful woman, a restaurateur and a pianist-composer and the historical background which influenced it and eventually sealed its fate. The film also creates a rather fictitious legend around how the infamously harrowing hit song Gloomy Sunday conceived and left its mark not only on music history but also on demography.Gloomy Sunday is a very intelligent piece, co-production of Germany and Hungary with the best assets of the two diverse cinematic visionaries combined. It is realistic yet playful, bitter but hope-inducing. A good cast and nicely composed pictures are an extra value. Very well done. Get your handkerchiefs ready. It surely will move you.