SZERELEM

Budapest, 1953. The woman is very old. She is lying in a room decorated with furniture from the nineteenth century. There are lights and shadows that make us think of a Rembrandt painting. The woman is very ill, but she wants to live. Her hope keeps her alive. She waits for her son. Her daughter-in-law comes every day to bring her flowers, money, things to make her feel more comfortable, and a smile that forces itself to betray the anguish that she feels. The woman thinks that her son is in America in order to shoot a film. In fact, he is in prison for political reasons. Her daughter-in-law brings her letters full of very beautiful lies, which she believes because she wants to believe them. In effect, the daughter-in-lax had been fired from her job. She has to sell the little means she has and is working harder and harder to put up this façade. Then the old woman dies after an attach of pneumonia. A short time afterwards, her son is liberated from prison. With some hesitation, he heads home, where is wife is waiting for him.

"Szelerem, also as a film, surpasses itself. It has the same magnetic attraction of the written story, the same ability to move us, to impress us, and to stamp itself upon our memories. And yet, the director narrates the story simply, repeats the dialogue faithfully, and does not shy away from its apparent 'inconclusiveness'. He only adds what cannot be narrated in words - the memorable images of the heroes." (Istavn Orkeney, "Filmkultura", 6/1970)

Director: Karoly Makk.
Screenplay: Tibor Déry.
Director of photography: Janos Toth.
Music: Andras Mihaly.
Cast and characters: Lili Darvas (la vecchia signora), Mari Torocsik (la nuora), lvan Darvas (il figlio).
Production company: MaFilm (Studio 1), Budapest.