Children of Glory (Szabadság, szerelem) (2007)

92% of critics liked it
(12 reviews)
74% of users liked it
(592 ratings)

A nation whose dreams of freedom have been crushed meet their rivals on a different field of battle in this drama inspired by a true story. In 1956, Karcsi Szabo (Ivan Fenyo) was a star athlete at the University of Budapest and had been named captain of the national water polo team than would… More A nation whose dreams of freedom have been crushed meet their rivals on a different field of battle in this drama inspired by a true story. In 1956, Karcsi Szabo (Ivan Fenyo) was a star athlete at the University of Budapest and had been named captain of the national water polo team than would represent Hungary in the Olympics held that summer in Australia. However, many of Szabo's countrymen had more on their minds; Hungary had fallen under the oppressive rule of the Soviet Union, and a growing number of Hungarians were demanding independence. One day, Szabo and his friend Tibi (Sándor Csányi) witness a demonstration led by Viki Falk (Kata Dobó) demanding an end to Soviet rule in Hungary. While initially Szabo is more attracted to Falk's beauty than her message, through his attempts to woo her he is awakened to the need for revolution; however, an uprising by the people is crushed by the Soviet war machine, and matters become worse for the Hungarian people. When Szabo and his teammates discover that Hungary will be competing against the U.S.S.R. in the men's Water Polo tournament at the upcoming Olympics, they see an opportunity for a symbolic victory over their oppressors . . . if they will be allowed to leave to country to compete. Szabadsag Szerelem (aka Children of Glory) was based on the true story of Hungary's 1956 water polo victory over the Soviet Union in what has been described as the most violent match in the history of the sport; the documentary Freedom's Fury offers a factual perspective on the same event. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 3 min.
Directed By: Krisztina Goda
Written By: Joe Eszterhas, Éva Gárdos
Genres: Drama, Romance, Art House & International

In Theaters: Dec 6, 2006 Limited
Studio: Lionsgate

Critic Reviews

Matt Singer, Time Out Chicago
The sports-movie clichés and war-movie clichés go together like oil and water polo, but there's no denying the power of this inspiring (mostly) true story.
Thomas Dawson, BBC
A Hollywood-friendly version of these tragic events, with the star water polo player Karcsi (Ivan Fenyo) forced to choose between possible Olympic glory and his loyalty to student revolutionary girlfriend Viki (Kata Dobo).
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
Legendary screenwriter Joe Eszterhas brings his sledgehammer touch to this heartfelt movie about Hungary, the embattled country of his forebears.
, Daily Mirror [UK]
The 1956 Hungarian Revolution is the setting for this enjoyable drama in which love triumphs over evil.
Jim Hall, Film4
A worthy subject and some impressive sequences, but Children Of Glory is a would-be epic emerging as a clumsy culture clash.
, Total Film
Coming across like Doctor Zhivago with water sports, this sweeping drama tells of a romance between the star player of Hungary's invincible water polo team and a young radical caught up in the country's 1956 uprising.
Rob Daniel, Sky Movies
While no masterpiece, Children of Glory never has a dull moment. The seemingly CGI-free streetfighting, with revolutionaries facing deadly Soviet tanks, packs an explosive punch (courtesy of action and stunt legend Vic Armstong).
Helen OHara, Empire Magazine
Light on facts but heavy on bombast, this is a stirring tribute to a doomed generation.
Dan Stewart, Little White Lies
If nothing else, it's probably the best water polo film ever made.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
With a fascinating setting against the momentous 1956 Hungarian revolution, this story keeps our interest even as the filmmakers throw every conceivable movie genre at us.
Boyd van Hoeij, european-films.net
Like Verhoeven's recent Black Book it offers a thrilling ride through recent European history modelled on the Hollywood blockbuster but infused with a particular European sensitivity.