We've seen a lot of Holocaust horror, along with post-Holocaust family films and secrets-and-lies investigations about coming to terms with it all. What we've explored least of, perhaps, is tales of Jewish homes and property taken over by non-Jews after the various round-ups and deportations that took place in Nazi-conquered countries throughout Europe. (We got just a taste of this in
Sarah's Key and certain other films.) This loss of property, though certainly not as important as the lives lost, is at the heart of the new Hungarian film
1945.
As co-written (with
Gábor T. Szántó) and directed by
Ferenc Török, shown at right,
1945 takes place in that particular year, after World War II had ended and, for the first time since the deportation, Jews -- just two of them, actually: an old man and a young one (shown below) -- arrive by train to this sleepy little Hungarian town. Why have they come, and what do they want?
From the outset, it is clear that, however quietly and subtly the townspeople take this all in, they are, to a man and woman, hugely disturbed by the Jews' appearance. Yet it is also clear that they've been aware that, someday down the road, this would most likely happen.
As the movie progresses, and the two Jews make their way slowly toward the town, the townspeople -- from the powerful town clerk (
Péter Rudolf, below, left) down to the town drunk and some lowly housewives -- fret and finger-point, give in to guilt, hide their ill-gotten valuables and/or try to decide their best course of action.
Russia is already controlling Hungary, though the iron hand of its insane Communist dictator has not yet made its power fully felt, yet it is clear that the citizens are already taking sides. And today happens also to mark the wedding of the town clerk's son (
Bence Tasnádi, above, right) to a pretty local girl (
Dóra Sztarenki, below, right), of whom the groom's mom (
Eszter Nagy-Kálózy, below, left) heartily disapproves -- for reasons that will soon (and then later, too) become clear.
The journey toward town of the Jews, together with all the
tsuris this causes the townspeople and even their priest, brings out the rather shocking inhumanity of man toward his fellow men, while setting the stage for a showdown of sorts.
And yet, throughout, 1945 is resolutely un-melodramatic. as it unfolds slowly and gracefully, if consistently fraught with fear and anguish. The elegant cinematography (by
Elemér Ragályi) is often stunningly beautiful, with its final image as Holocaust-redolent as you could wish. I admit that the film moves slowly at times, and it sometimes scores its points a bit too obviously, as well.
Overall, though,
1945 proves a strong enough indictment of Hungary (and also of nearly all the Nazi-conquered countries) in its treatment of the Jews to warrant a viewing and the accompanying discussion that will surely arise.
From
Menemsha Films and running 91 minutes, the movie opens here in South Florida on February 16 -- in Miami at the
AMC Aventura 24, in Fort Lauderdale at
The Classic Gateway Theatre, in Tamarac at
The Last Picture Show, in Boca Raton at the
Living Room Theaters and the
Regal Shadowood, and at the
Movies of Delray and Movies of Lake Worth.
Personal appearance!
Moviegoers can meet the director of 1945, Ferenc Török, on
Friday, Feb. 16, at Movies of Delray at 12:30pm, 3:00pm, 5:20pm;
and at The Classic Gateway Theater, 7:20pm and 9:30pm.
On Saturday, February 17, he will appear at the Movies of Delray
at 12:30pm, 3:00pm, and 5:20pm, at the Regal Shadowood at 4:50pm
and at Tamarac's The Last Picture Show at 7:10pm.
On Sunday, February 18, look for him at the AMC Aventura 24 at 1:45pm
and at the Living Room Theaters in Boca Raton at 4:30pm and 6:50pm.
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