Gloomy Sunday - Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod (1999)

Director:

Rolf Schübel

Writers:

Nick Barkow (novel)
Rolf Schübel (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 October 1999 (Germany)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

Plot:

Budapest in the thirties. The restaurant owner Laszlo hires the pianist András to play in his restaurant...

Plot Keywords:

Restaurant | Pianist | Restaurant Owner | Suicide | Waitress

Awards:

6 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Erika Marozsán	...	Ilona
Joachim Król	...	László
Ben Becker	...	Hans Wieck
Stefano Dionisi	...	András
András Bálint	...	Ilonas Sohn
Géza Boros	...	Geigenspieler
Rolf Becker	...	Herr Wieck
Ilse Zielstorff	...	Frau Wieck
Ferenc Bács	...	Botschafter
Júlia Zsolnai	...	Frau des Botschafters
Aron Sipos	...	Arzt
Ernst Kahl	...	Zeichner Torresz
Jörg Gillner	...	Chefkoch István
Denis Moschitto	...	Lehrling Inas
István Mikó	...	Kartoffelhändler

Also Known As:

Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod - Gloomy Sunday (Germany) (DVD title)
Gloomy Sunday (USA)
Szomorú vasárnap (Hungary)
The Piano Player (USA)

Runtime:

112 min | Argentina:113 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

Germany | Hungary

Language:

German | English | Hungarian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIB | Argentina:16 | Germany:12 (bw) | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Alster, Hamburg, Germany

Company:

Studio Hamburg Filmproduktion

Trivia:

The film has been running daily at the Academy Arts Centre Theatre in Christchurch, New Zealand since 2001 - and you still have book in advance because it is sold out (it's shown in a small 11-seat theatre).

Soundtrack:

Komm Zigan

Surprise, surprise - this is good!

I did not necessarily expect this to be a real good movie. Stories taking place during the Nazi regime and WW2, especially when made by Germans, sometimes tend to be ultra-politically-correct. But, surprise, surprise. Rolf Schübel's first feature (he did documentaries before) uses backdrop of Nazi-occupied Budapest to deliver a meaningful "menage-a-quatre", wrapped in a free interpretation of creation of famous suicide hymn "Gloomy Sunday". Fine acting all over the place, especially by Krol and Becker (still brave in German moviemaking to show a Nazi not as a complete monster, even if he is, after all, the bad guy), and despite the overall sad story executed surprisingly lighthanded. Drama, a touch of humor, some suspense and even some sex (however, the latter seems to be unnecessary sometimes - it would have worked without or with less). Not to be forgotten: excellent soundtrack album, including several versions of "Gloomy Sunday". Definitely one of the best German movies of 1999.