CHILDREN OF GLORY

Hungary, 2006, 123 minutes, Colour.
Kata Dobo, Ivan Fenyo, Sandor Csanyi, Karoly Gesztesi.
Directed by Krisztina Goda.

Children of Glory is a rousing film about a key period in the history of 20th century Hungary. It has been made in a very popular universal movie style rather than in the more austere European style and should prove of interest and popularity quite widely.

The immediate focus is on the water polo team and their clash with Russia in Moscow where politics entered into the refereeing and Hungary lost (not without some bitterness and fights). On their return home, the star of the team is interrogated by the secret police.

It is a tense time in the capital and students are organising protests which eventually lead to political demonstrations and battles, with Russian soldiers and tanks ruthlessly putting down this rebellion.

It is also a tense time, October 1956, because the water polo team is booked to go to Melbourne for the Olympics.

This dramatic tension is played out in the central character, his meeting with a student at the forefront of the fight and his love for her, his opting out of the team and the repercussions for his family.

When the revolution seems to have been won, the team flies to Australia and only then hears that the tanks have returned and that the revolution has been totally crushed. The semi-final Olympic match then becomes a sports and political event with the hard playing Hungarians beating their rivals on the world stage.

This is rousing patriotic stuff on Hungarian identity.

1.A film for Hungarian audiences, Hungarians worldwide? Universal audiences? History, a tribute, a review of the past?

2.The popular style of film-making, American models? Audience-friendly and universal appeal? Sports, politics, war resistance, romance?

3.The film made completely in Hungary, including the Olympic pool? The use of Budapest streets and buildings, the city itself as a character? The university? Australia and the Olympic Games? The rousing score?

4.The title, the tribute to the Olympic champions? To survivors of the uprising and the heroes who died?

5.Hungary 1956, the role of Russia, the communist system, spies, reporting, questions and torture, loyalties? The communist ideology? The Russian troops in Hungary? Hungary and those in favour of the Soviet domination, those against? The move for independence? The possibilities of revolution? Political allegiance to Russia, independence? The demonstrations, the Resistance, warfare and violence? The Russian tanks, the purging of those in rebellion? No foreign intervention, especially from the United States?

6.The initial tone: the Moscow water polo game, the referee, the Hungarians losing, the Russian domination? There being heroes, the return, the Customs interrogation, the consequences of Karcsi and his reaction, throwing the ball at the referee? His being taken in on arrival home, the interrogation by Uncle Feri?

7.Karcsi and his family, his mother, grandfather, his younger brother, meals, discussions, the grandfather's attitude against the Russians? The mother's fears?

8.Karcsi and his life, his meeting with Viki? His friend, the friend's way with women, their sport, sports practice, the role of the coach?

9.The students, Karcsi's friend at the university, seeing Viki? His response?

10.The students, their discussions, taking to the streets, the demands, Nagy? The Soviets? Moving into the streets, the Secret Police, the troops firing on the population, the killings? The reaction? The students' headquarters? The role of Jancsi as a leader, Eszter and her pregnancy, part of the revolution?

11.Karcsi and his brother, his wanting to join in the action? The grandfather and his caution? The mother's reaction, bringing Viki home to the meal, her staying the night, the mother's reaction?

12.The seriousness of the uprising, the tanks, the strategies, war action, deaths? The young boy and his friend going to the fight, the explosions, his fear and wanting to go home?

13.The polo preparations for the Olympic Games, time passing, the coach, Karcsi and his decision to pull out, the reaction of the rest of the team? His friend Tibi? Tibi and his wanting to play, going to the Secret Police?

14.Peace, the students winning, the population happy, the broadcasts? The team going to the games?

15.Their realising that the tanks were returning, the Russians and the bombardment of the buildings, the massacres in the street, Viki and her hiding, eventually being caught, imprisoned, the interrogation, walking to her death? The interview with Uncle Feri?

16.The sportsmen, in Melbourne, no news, the decision to play, getting through the various events, the build-up to the match with the Soviets, for Hungary, the bitter fight in the game, winning? Standing on the platform and the national anthem? The acclaim of the crowds?

17.The 1956 uprising, change for Hungary? Waiting thirty more years for the fall of the Soviet empire?