Consistently ranked as one of Hungary's best films, this put its director Zoltan Fabri on the map. An outward-looking director whose style is influenced by French poetic realism, his films have a truly international appeal.
Despite it's being filmed during the dictatorship of the execrable Matyas Rakosi and set against the backdrop of the co-operatives versus the landowners there is mercifully no propogandist element here.
It is in fact a simple tale, beautifully told, of Mari, whose uncompromising father has arranged a marriage for her with fellow farmer Sandor based upon the age-old principle of "land marries land'. The only problem is that Mari loves and is loved by Biro, who just happens to belong to the co-operative. After a few confrontations, plenty of soul-searching, locking of horns and an axe-throwing(!) all ends happily and true love conquers all.
What is noteworthy about his piece is Fabri's marvellous mis-en-scene, especially his visual sense, pacing and skill with actors.
He was to work regularly with Mari Torocsik who is absolutely wondrous in this. She enjoyed a long career and left us only recently. The same cannot be said alas of Imre Soos who plays Biro, a splendid actor who took his own life at the age of 27. The performances of Bela Barsi and Adam Szirtes as father and rival suitor are strong.
Fabri has given us a film that touches the heart without being sentimental. It was entered at the Cannes Film Festival and just looking at the range and quality of the films in competition that year is awe-inspiring. A stark reminder of THEN and NOW!
Despite it's being filmed during the dictatorship of the execrable Matyas Rakosi and set against the backdrop of the co-operatives versus the landowners there is mercifully no propogandist element here.
It is in fact a simple tale, beautifully told, of Mari, whose uncompromising father has arranged a marriage for her with fellow farmer Sandor based upon the age-old principle of "land marries land'. The only problem is that Mari loves and is loved by Biro, who just happens to belong to the co-operative. After a few confrontations, plenty of soul-searching, locking of horns and an axe-throwing(!) all ends happily and true love conquers all.
What is noteworthy about his piece is Fabri's marvellous mis-en-scene, especially his visual sense, pacing and skill with actors.
He was to work regularly with Mari Torocsik who is absolutely wondrous in this. She enjoyed a long career and left us only recently. The same cannot be said alas of Imre Soos who plays Biro, a splendid actor who took his own life at the age of 27. The performances of Bela Barsi and Adam Szirtes as father and rival suitor are strong.
Fabri has given us a film that touches the heart without being sentimental. It was entered at the Cannes Film Festival and just looking at the range and quality of the films in competition that year is awe-inspiring. A stark reminder of THEN and NOW!
