The Bridgeman

The most expensive Hungarian movie ever, budgeted from a special state found: this raised some political criticism before its premiere, as it showed the government's ignorance towards the "democratic" channels of film-sponsorship. The film will probably benefit financially from this controversy, as people seem to fill the cinemas, which is a rare phenomenon for local movies. The relatively huge amount of money was needed as this is a costume movie about the life of the "Greatest Hungarian" count Széchenyi István who lived in the XIX. century and contributed a lot towards the development of the nation in the first half of the century. The movie is spectacular and acting is rather good, too. Unfortunately the story is probably too much encyclopedical, and the viewer sometimes cannot follow what is happening and why. Instead of trying to show all aspects of his eventful life, the writers should have concentrated on a limited subject.