Another Way (1982)

Political and sexual repression in Hungary, just after the revolution of 1956. In 1958, the body of Eva Szalanczky, a political journalist, is discovered near the border. Her friend Livia ... See full summary »

Director:

Károly Makk

Writers:

Erzsébet Galgóczi (novel), Károly Makk

Stars:

Jadwiga Jankowska-Cieslak, Ildikó Bánsági, Grazyna Szapolowska

4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Jadwiga Jankowska-Cieslak	...	Szalánczky Éva (as Jadwiga Jankowska)
Ildikó Bánsági	...	Szalánczky Éva (voice)
Grazyna Szapolowska	...	Horváth Livia
Judit Hernádi	...	Horváth Livia (voice)
Jozef Kroner	...	Erdõs elvtárs
Gyula Szabó	...	Erdõs elvtárs (voice)
Péter Andorai	...	Dönci Horváth - Lívia férje
Ádám Szirtes	...	Blindics õrnagy
Judit Pogány	...	Magda
Gábor Reviczky	...	Fiala, újságíró
Dénes Ujlaky	...	Téeszelnök (as Ujlaki Dénes)
Ferenc Bács	...	Szlabonya
Éva Igó	...	Pincérnõ
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anette Antal	...	(as Antal Anetta)
Zoltán Benkóczy

Storyline

Political and sexual repression in Hungary, just after the revolution of 1956. In 1958, the body of Eva Szalanczky, a political journalist, is discovered near the border. Her friend Livia is in hospital with a broken neck; Livia's husband, Donci, is under arrest. In a flashback to the year before, we see what leads up to the tragedy. Eva gets a job as a writer. She meets Livia and is attracted to her. Livia feels much the same, but as a married woman, has doubts and hesitations. In their work, they (and Eva in particular) bang up against the limits of telling political truths; in private, they confront the limits of living out sexual and emotional truth.

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Plot Keywords:

lesbianism | female nudity | lift skirt | budapest hungary | water polo | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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User Reviews

"Poor Wretches!"

In Budapest in 1958, the population is cowed by the oppressive, intrusive, ubiquitous presence of Stalinism. Two young women embark on a love affair in defiance of the social pressures ranged against them.

Eva (Jadwiga Jankowska-Cieslak) is an intellectual and a journalist. Born a peasant, and with her roots still very much in village life, her version of Magyar nationalism is the very antithesis of Stalinism. Unconventional in all things, Eva is a confirmed lesbian.

Livia is the voluptuous blonde who shares an office with Eva at "The Truth", the Budapest magazine for which they both work. Livia (Grazyna Szopolowska) is utterly unlike Eva. Big and sexy where Eva is small and wiry, she has an easy, unthinking physicality. She plays water-polo better than the men, and dances the night away at the Selznok party. Married to Denci, the army officer, she leads a life of bland sexual and political conformity.

Though she has not realised it up to now, Livia is dissatisfied with her dull urban existence. Life and work in Stalinist Budapest is a drab, joyless grind. Eva, the brash intellectual with heretical ideas and peasant common sense disrupts editorial meetings. She is a breath of fresh air. Livia becomes interested.

The culmination of the story is both a triumph and a tragedy. The ending cannot be revealed here, but it is both fitting and lamentable.

Karoly Makk directs with quiet flair. The speech of the Selznok chairman is a moving 'history of Hungary in the 20th century', seen through the eyes of one peasant. Winter imagery surrounds the characters, representing the iron-hard clutch of sterile Stalinism. In perfect keeping with the period, the film has a classy jazz score.

Verdict - First-rate politico-sexual parable.

Details

Country:

Hungary

Language:

Hungarian

Release Date:

7 October 1982 (Hungary)

Also Known As:

Another Way

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mafilm Dialog Filmstudio, Meridian Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1