Sunshine (1999)

74% of critics liked it
(53 reviews)
74% of users liked it
(6,616 ratings)

The fortunes of a family of Hungarian Jews are followed over the course of nearly 150 years in this epic historical drama, with leading man Ralph Fiennes playing three different roles. The story begins in the late 18th century, as Aaron and Josefa Sonnenschein (the name means "Sunshine" in German)… More The fortunes of a family of Hungarian Jews are followed over the course of nearly 150 years in this epic historical drama, with leading man Ralph Fiennes playing three different roles. The story begins in the late 18th century, as Aaron and Josefa Sonnenschein (the name means "Sunshine" in German) die in an explosion while making an herb tonic for sale in their village. Their son Emmanuel (David de Keyser), the only survivor of the tragedy, travels to Budapest, carrying the recipe for the medicine with him. He's able to parlay the formula into a successful business, and Emmanuel and his wife Rose (Miriam Margolyes) raise two sons, Ignatz (Ralph Fiennes), who becomes a successful lawyer, and hot-tempered Gustave (James Frain). The Sonnenscheins also make room in their home for Valerie (Jennifer Ehle), but Emmanuel and Rose become furious when Valerie becomes romantically involved with Ignatz. Eventually, Valerie and Ignatz raise two children, Istvan (Mark Strong) and Adam (Ralph Fiennes), and the family changes its name to Sors in hopes of avoiding the anti-Semitism sweeping Europe. In time, Adam goes so far as to convert to Catholicism, and he marries another Catholic, Hannah (Molly Parker). He soon begins an affair with his brother's wife, Greta (Rachel Weisz), who is unable to persuade Adam to leave as the Nazis rise to power. Adam and Hannah have only one son, Ivan, who is fated to watch his father die in a concentration camp; as Ivan grows to adulthood (now played by Ralph Fiennes), he swears revenge on the forces of fascism and embraces Communism. Ivan throws in his lot with Communist leader Andor Knorr (William Hurt), but a liaison with the wife of a party official (Deborah Kara Unger) leads Ivan to tragic consequences and a jail term. In time, Valarie and Gustave are reunited at the family's estate as the only two members of the Sonnenschein clan who survive to witness the Hungarian Revolution in 1956. Hungarian director Istvan Szabo co-wrote Sunshine's original screenplay in collaboration with American playwright Israel Horovitz. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 3 hr.
Directed By: István Szabó
Written By: Israel Horovitz, István Szabó
Genres: Drama, Classics

In Theaters: Jun 9, 2000 Wide
On DVD: May 8, 2001
Studio: Paramount Classics

Critic Reviews

Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Much like her character holds together her family, Harris's warm and robust performance holds together Sunshine.
Ian Berriman, SFX Magazine
It's all so damn tasteful that a quick burst of brash, crass Hollywood vitality would come as a relief.
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
The third act really flames out.
Karina Montgomery, Cinerina
Sunshine has done the impossible by reinventing the concept of "high stakes," it's a marvelous treat...gripping and beautiful, twining the music of the spheres with the reptilian brain inside us all.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Kalel J

Like most other Holocaust films, Sunshine could have suffered the innadequacies of focusing on the harrowing ordeals of it's main protagonists through the oppression of this era, however, this film proves as being a very different affair, an affair that works on many levels.… More
Like most other Holocaust films, Sunshine could have suffered the innadequacies of focusing on the harrowing ordeals of it's main protagonists through the oppression of this era, however, this film proves as being a very different affair, an affair that works on many levels. Here, Szabo' has created a film that focuses itself on the family unit, on redemption, and on love as we witness the breaking of rules and convention. Ralph Fiennes is simply maginificent in his three roles, he manages to give each character a different persona and is able to add to the evolution of this family through his three roles. The support casting is almost as impeccable, though, this is where the first fault of Sunshine comes into fruition. The potential for the support cast to rise and add more depth to the film is always stunted by the ongoing presence of Fiennes' characters, basically, the film uses too much of Fiennes and through this we are never given a more broader recounting of these times. However, the flow and storytelling of this piece are sublime as we watch the film move from time to time in great fashion through the use of stock footage and set/costume designs. But, again as with before, whenever an event occurs that promotes emotion in the audience (which it usually succeeds with) it seems that the event is never explored enough in depth. Had Szabo' utilized the camera and the simplicities of more music in the picture then it would be that much closer to being a rounded piece. Sunshine is not a masterpiece, as hard as it tries at points, but it is still a very good film and a fine example of versatility in acting.
Daisy M

Sunshine was a wonderful movie that followed four generations of a Jewish Hungarian family through seventy troubled years of Hungarian history.I felt pleased with the idea of Ralph Fiennes playing multiple roles.Each character he played was different and separate from the rest.Ignatz… More
Sunshine was a wonderful movie that followed four generations of a Jewish Hungarian family through seventy troubled years of Hungarian history.I felt pleased with the idea of Ralph Fiennes playing multiple roles.Each character he played was different and separate from the rest.Ignatz reached the top of society and decided to change their surname into Sors, in order to fit in the society.Adam was a famous fencer and Olympic Gold medalist,while Ivan was full of desire for revenge and idealism, against the communists. This was a long movie and I was happy to spend a couple of hours seeing this superb piece of work.

Cast

            Ralph Fiennes as Adam Sors

            Rosemary Harris as Older Valerie Sors

            Rachel Weisz as Greta Sors

            Jennifer Ehle as Young Valerie Sonnenschein/Sors

            Molly Parker as Hannah Wippler Sors

            Deborah Kara Unger as Carola

            James Frain as Young Gustave Sonnenschein/Sors

            John Neville as Older Gustave Sors

            Miriam Margolyes as Rose Sonnenschein

            David de Keyser as Emmanuel Sonnenschein

            Mark Strong as Istvan Sors

            William Hurt as Andor Knorr

            Bill Paterson
            
            Rüdiger Vogler
            
            Hanns Zischler
            
            Peter Andorai as Anselmi

            Jozsef Fonyo as Prison Sergeant

            Balazs Hantos as Aaron Sonnenschein

            Gabor Mate as Rosner

            Trevor Peacock as Comrade General Kope

            Mari Töröcsik as Kato

            Frederick Treves as Emperor

            Israel Horovitz as Poet

            Sandor Simo as Doctor #2

            Gábor Mádi Szabó as Priest at Conversion

            Lajos Kovács as Military Police in Camp

            Buddy Elias as Mr. Brenner

            András Fekete as Footman

            Zoltan Gera as Man at Synagogue

            Peter Halasz as Wild Duck

            István Hirtling as Dr. Lanyi

            Frigyes Hollosy as Mr. Ledniczky

            Tamás Jordán as Sommer

            Gyorgy Kezdy as Outraged Man

            Vilmos Kun as Rabbi Bettelheim

            Attila Lote as Count Forgach

            Adam Rajhona as Caretaker

            Katja Studt as Kato

            Eva Igo as Policewoman

            Janos Kulka as Molnar

            Andras Stohl as Red Guard

            Joachim Bissemeyer as Dr. Emil Vitak

            Jacint Juhasz as Mr. Hackl

            Karoly Mecs as Defense Secretary

            Kathleen Gati as Josefa Sonnenschein

            Andrea Fullajtar as Agota Hofer

            Istvan Bubik as Saray

            Eszter Ónodi as Secretary at Officer's Club

            Ila Schütz as Mrs. Ledniczky

            Zoltán Seress as Tersikovsky

            Dr. Zoltán Bognár as Doctor #1

            Sándor Dánffy as Policeman

            Tamás Fodor as Notary

            István Fonyá as Warehouse Guard

            Ica Gurnik as Woman in Hospital

            Lászl Gálfi as Rossa

            Támas Juranics as Commander of Lenin Boys

            Tamás Keresztes as 1st boy

            Kotáany Bence as 2nd boy

            Zsolt László as Lugosy

            Ádám László as Emmanuel at 12

            János Nemes as Adam at 17

            Tamás Raj as Rabbi at Wedding

            Lászl Szepesi as Olympic Judge

            István Szliágyi as Hungler

            Kati Sályom as Landlady in Vienna

            Péter Takács as Stefamp Sarto

            Bálint Trunká as Istvan at 18

            János Vészi as Doctor #3
See full cast