SUNSHINE
Hungary, 1999, 181 minutes. Colour.
Ralph Fiennes, Rosemary Harris, Rachel Weisz, Jennifer Ehle, Deborah Kara Unger, Molly Parker, James Frain, David de Keyser, John Neville, Miriam Margolyes, Rudiger Vogler, Mark Strong, Bill Paterson.
Directed by Istvan Szabo.
Sunshine is a portrait of a Jewish family from the Austro- Hungarian empire at the late 19th century to the Communist era with the postscript after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The film was written and directed by Istvan Szabo, a celebrated Hungarian director (Mephisto, Colonel Redl).
The film is lavish in its production, recreating the atmosphere of Vienna and Budapest at the end of the 19th century, changing to the atmosphere of World War One, to the 30s, to the death camps during World War Two, to the austerity of the Communist era. The film also incorporates a great deal of contemporary footage, giving a sense of realism to the story.
The film boasts a very strong cast, principally English. Ralph Fiennes portrays the central character of three generations, a lawyer in the Austro- Hungarian empire, a fencing champion and Olympic winner during the 1930s and an intense Communist policeman during the Communist era. This is one of his best performances – although it may have been considered three performances. Jennifer Ehle portrays the wife of the lawyer in the first era, Rosemary Harris portraying her in the later decades. The performances are first-rate and make the film all the more convincing.
The film is interesting as presenting seventy or so years of the 20th century, begun with optimism, descending into two world wars, the persecution of the Jews, Communist oppression.
The film was also interesting in its focus on the central characters in each generation, their tendency to identify with the authorities or curry favour with them, ultimately leading to disillusionment.
1. The films of Istvan Szabo? About Hungary? About the experiences of World War One and World War Two? His Hungarian perspective? The scope of his film?
2. A portrait of a period of history, seen through the life of one family? Jewish, in the Austro-Hungarian? empire, life in the village, the transition to the city, commercial success? Empire patriotism? Corruption? The war and its aftermath? The anti-Semitic era between the wars? The focus on the Olympic Games? The death camps? Communism? The epilogue and 1991? The fall of the Soviet empire?
3. The quality of the visuals: the period, the changes, costumes and décor? The musical score? Songs, classics, traditional music?
4. The title, the family’s name as Sonnenschein? The creation of the product? The decision to change from a Jewish name to a more acceptable name: Sors? The end and Valerie’s return to Sonnenschein?
5. The Jewish perspective, prosperity, the father indicating that the ambitions should not aim too high, survival, the importance of family, family gatherings, codes of behaviour? The religious beliefs, practice, not? The importance of ambition and promotion – seen in the different generations? The ethos of the change of name? The consequences? Personal ambition and conversion to Catholicism? Belief and practice or not? The possibilities for promotion? The experience of prejudice? The 1936 Olympic Games? The turning against the Jews, the brutality of anti-Semitism, the experience in the camps, Jewish defiance? The place of Jews in the Communist era? Anti-Semitism? Self-assertion? The discovery of Jewish identity? The change?
6. The screenplay and three hours of running time, the different generations, covering seventy years? The ability to show the vast changes over the period? The initial optimism? The dire experiences of war and persecution? Ralph Fiennes and his central roles, the continuity of the life of the family? Jennifer Ehle and Rosemary Harris in the same character? The effect? The use of newsreel footage to give authenticity?
7. The narrative by Ivan, the explanation of the name, the family? The use of Ralph Fiennes’ voice for the voice-over? The observations, the information, opinions, commentary? The perspective of the late 20th century? Szabo himself at 1999 with his experience and facing the 21st century?
8. The locations, the village, Vienna, Budapest, Berlin, the camps?
9. The story of Ignatz? Ralph Fiennes’ appearance and bearing, his manner? The story of his grandfather, getting the brew, the explosion and destruction? The funeral? His parents, his father’s death? Being helped by his Uncle Emmanuel and his Aunt Rose? The family traditions, very proper? The commercial success, the family building? The home – and seeing it over the decades, its use, decline? Ignatz and his studies, his achievement? Gustave, at home, studying to be a doctor, the radical observations? His comments on Valerie and Ignatz and the effect on the family? Ignatz within the family, Valerie and her photography – and the freeze-frames? Ignatz’s love for Valerie, Gustave and his reaction? The uncle, advising Ignatz to leave? His going to study, Valerie’s visit, the sexual liaison? His return, relationship with Valerie, her pregnancy, the marriage? Rose and her tantrum? The uncle and his consideration of the law? Cousins marrying – not against the law? The ceremony, the dancing, Rose keeping face? The births of the sons?
10. The family, the characters, the celebration of 1900 and the hopes? Gustave and his optimism?
11. Ignatz and the law, the cases, his being incorruptible, good reputation? His strong loyalty to the emperor – and his later visit, the emperor touching him and his relishing it? His being made a judge? The politicians, his advice about corruption, shrewd advice? Valerie’s reaction against his compromises? The discussions with the politician, the offer of being a politician? Valerie’s condemnation of this?
12. The attitudes to the empire, corruption, its collapse? The death of the emperor? Ivan and his commentary about the collapse of empire and the collapse of Ignatz’s marriage? Valerie, her ultimatum, Ignatz’s sexual assault, her compassion, but leaving?
13. Ignatz and the war, away for four years, acting as a judge, his cases, survival, the return, his collapse after Valerie’s departure, his illness, Valerie’s return and tending him? The fact that they were now the Sors family?
14. Adam and Istvan, their lives at home, their relationship with their mother, their dead father? Adam and his legal success? The fencing sequences, his skills, the prejudice against him, the decisions against him, the noble opponent? The effect on Adam? The military officers and their advice, their anti-Semitic prejudice? The offer for the officers’ club? Becoming a Catholic, getting instruction, the recitation of the creed, the baptism? His encounter with Hannah, being pushy with her, her resistance, the serenading? Her giving in? Her marriage with Adam? Greta and Istvan marrying? Istvan and his loyalty to his brother? The next generation, Greta and her approach, her love for Adam, demanding? Their relationship? Adam willing and unwilling? Hannah and her realising that something was wrong, asking him about his fidelity? Adam as a character, the complexity?
15. His fencing, the generals, the team solidarity, the discovery of his left-handed skills, becoming a champion? Going to the Olympic Games, Hitler and the introduction of the Games, the atmosphere, the audience, listening to the radio and the family cheering? Winning the medal? His status in Hungary? Yet the anti-Semitism of some of his colleagues, his being asked to leave the club?
16. Greta and her fears, the anti-Semitism, listening to the radio and finding that the family had the status to stay? Greta and her outburst? The arrests, the line-ups, lining for visas, unable to get visas? Families being rounded up? Valerie hiding? Istvan, Greta and their children drowned in the river? Adam and his sons, going to the camp? The demands about his identity, his claiming his status, the officer physically abusing him, stripping him, hanging him, freezing to death? Ivan and his helplessness?
17. The Communist liberation of Hungary, the Communist Party, its ethos? Valerie and her maid, the loyalty of the maid over the decades, coming back into the house? Adam and his finding Valerie? The Communist era and the other family occupying the house with Valerie? The search for the book with the formula? Valerie dying, changing her name back to the original? Gustave and his return from Paris, his radical ideas – and being on Communist black lists?
18. Ivan and the challenge by Gustave? The taunts? His becoming a policeman, the training, the encounter with Andor Knorr? Knorr grooming Ivan for promotion? The denouncing of Knorr? The interrogations, the interrogation of the photographer, Adam and his relentlessness, the photographer and his excuses – and his later photographing Adam? The speech at Knorr’s funeral? The reason for his being arrested? Adam’s encounter with Carole, her situation, her husband, her work for the police? His loving her, the sexual liaison, the political pressure and her not supporting him, the separation?
19. Andor Knorr and his character, post-war Hungary, his official jobs, helping Adam? The interrogations? The lists and his leniency, crossing people off the list because of their achievements? The general denouncing, his links with Israel? The interrogations of Knorr, his death?
20. The effect on Ivan, going to Knorr’s funeral, his being asked to make the speech, his compassionate speech, its being filmed, his being arrested, imprisoned for years, getting out, the encounter with Carole on the tram, his grandmother’s death? Cleaning out everything – and the irony of the book disappearing with the rubbish?
21. His final decisions, his name, the reasons, his identity, 1991 and moving into the future?
22. An effective overview of central European history in the 20th century?
