Gloomy Sunday (Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod) (2000)

84% of critics liked it
(64 reviews)
91% of users liked it
(4,704 ratings)

Rolf Schuebel makes his directorial debut with this subtly-told true story about one the 1930s' most memorable melodies. Set just prior to WWII, the film focuses on Hungarian beauty Ilona (Erika Marozsan) and her significant other Laszlo Szabo (Joachim Krol), a dapper owner of Budapest's finest… More Rolf Schuebel makes his directorial debut with this subtly-told true story about one the 1930s' most memorable melodies. Set just prior to WWII, the film focuses on Hungarian beauty Ilona (Erika Marozsan) and her significant other Laszlo Szabo (Joachim Krol), a dapper owner of Budapest's finest restaurant. Though Ilona is known for her prowess on the piano, the two decide to hire a professional as the finishing touch on their classy establishment. They hire Andras (Stefano Dionisi), a taciturn man with a certain mysterious charm. Meanwhile, regular customer and German businessman Hans (Ben Becker) finds himself utterly and completely smitten with the vivacious Ilona. When she spurns his advances, he drunkenly jumps into the Danube. Laszlo manages to rescue him and the three grow to become close friends. At the same time, Andras and Ilona grow to be something more than friends, and -- with the knowledge and approval of Laszlo -- they become lovers. Later, Andras composes a tune dedicated to his new consort and Laszlo quietly arranges for a couple of Austrian record execs to come to the restaurant to listen. Oozing with jaded ennui, the song, sans lyrics, quickly becomes an international success, yet it also seems to cast a dark spell over listeners -- people cannot help but commit suicide. In Hungary alone, 157 people killed themselves in the span of eight weeks. At the same time, the Third Reich marches into Austria. As the film progresses, Hans returns to Budapest, this time as an SS officer. There he offers Laszlo, who is Jewish, and who offers him free passage in exchange for money. This film was screened at the 2000 Berlin Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 54 min.
Directed By: Rolf Schübel
Written By: Rolf Schübel, Ruth Thoma Andrews
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Nov 14, 2003 Limited
On DVD: Sep 12, 2006
Studio: Menemsha

Critic Reviews

Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic
It's intelligent, well-acted and beautifully photographed.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
A superior soap opera not unlike what Douglas Sirk might have churned out in the 1950s.
Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel
Its old-fashioned romanticism is heady, and the relationships among the characters are intriguing.
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
It has enough opulent, oversized romanticism to make it a guilty pleasure, not to mention three attractive and appealing characters and, of course, that song.
Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News
It's a stirring and provocative affirmation of the power and resilience of love.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Gloomy Sunday has a mood and a magic about it that elicit emotion from the beginning and make an audience follow it down its curving and melancholy path.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
With the Hungarian song "Gloomy Sunday" as its thematic centerpiece, this personalized story of Budapest during World War II becomes a satisfying romantic drama about four divergently different people.
Kam Williams, Princeton Town Topics
Undoubtedly deserves to be added to the ranks of the best Holocaust films ever made.
Shawn Levy, Oregonian
It's old-fashioned, sometimes accomplished, syrupy and, at its intermittent best, absorbing.
Ted Murphy, Murphy's Movie Reviews
Like many European films, GLOOMY SUNDAY has crisp cinematography and gorgeous production design, not to mention that hauntingly melancholic titular tune. The principal actors, for the most part, are attractive and talented. The movie apes the traditi
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
This strange movie has a hard time balancing all these elements, but the film's enormous passion overcomes its more obvious melodrama.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...exudes joy and heartbreak and a good deal of pure, unadulterated sensuality.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
It's hard to say which is more ravishing and alluring in the movie, Ms. Marozsan or the celebrated song.
Brian Gibson, Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)
A smoothly crafted, intermittently charming film . . . the dips and turns are predictable and the tense scenes surrounding unhinged or scheming Nazis have been done before.
Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com
It's a film worth seeking out, a good fit for a rainy Saturday or any other less-than-bright day of the week.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
This is the kind of material you expect to find in a Lifetime cable-channel movie.
Mary-Liz Shaw, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
It's a cracking good yarn, well-told and impeccably acted, especially by Król.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Bob S

creaky melodrama
familiar s

Seeing its high rating and believing it to be factual, I pounced upon it. But no sooner did the movie begin I found the proceedings to be too good to be true. And so it obviously was. The factual events are finely woven in this drama. I'd have enjoyed it more had it been without… More
Seeing its high rating and believing it to be factual, I pounced upon it. But no sooner did the movie begin I found the proceedings to be too good to be true. And so it obviously was. The factual events are finely woven in this drama. I'd have enjoyed it more had it been without certain scenes. But having seen it, I guess they were necessary, or at least some of them. But I can't have everything my way. Putting that aside, the movie takes a dull start, but gets its grip firm as it advances, then takes a nap, then again becomes interesting,... and so on and forth. This tale of love, lies and betrayal is full of highs and lows. Predictable as it stands, it's interesting nevertheless. In fact, it's so great that (happened to encounter in Trivia section) it's been running daily since 2001 (till at least 10.30.2011 when this was written if the facts were factual!!!) at the Academy Arts Centre Theatre in Christchurch, New Zealand (so what if it's an accommodating 11 seat theater?). Surely worth a watch... and a gloomy Sunday may help more ;-)
Stefanie C

As lovely and haunting as the song...
Bill C

It’s a has a good twist but wrapped around it is a European period romance story and the low point is the character development. Erika Marozsan simple beauty really bumps this film up a ½ star. But her character in the beginning you know she’s Yugoslavian and possibly gypsy and at one… More
It’s a has a good twist but wrapped around it is a European period romance story and the low point is the character development. Erika Marozsan simple beauty really bumps this film up a ½ star. But her character in the beginning you know she’s Yugoslavian and possibly gypsy and at one point studied the piano, that’s it for her character. The other characters are as equally one dimensional. The relationship is also hit and miss. The scenes when she is with either of the men contain allot of nudity, but it is just a matter of course of the exposition. Not like Hollywood movies where so many times every time someone looses clothing the theme turns pornographic. The restaurant owner and the piano player both being her lover and good friends just seem too contrived for me. Worth a watch I’m usually on to the twist but the ending had me trying to put it together furiously.
Daisy M

This film is about the life of a woman, who got caught between 2 lovers in times of the Holocaust. Words cannot describe how beautiful and powerful this film is. Everything is excellent. The sets are beautiful, and the scenes are beautifully composed. Ilona is great as the lady which… More
This film is about the life of a woman, who got caught between 2 lovers in times of the Holocaust. Words cannot describe how beautiful and powerful this film is. Everything is excellent. The sets are beautiful, and the scenes are beautifully composed. Ilona is great as the lady which every men would fall in love with. She has this elegance which is very magnetic. Laszlo's work as the restaurant owner is convincing, he has every detail of the restaurant under control. This film's about love, jealousy, hate, and betrayal and revenge. The actors were stunning. To understand the whole concept of this film, you must watch it. "Gloomy Sunday" is a masterpiece.