Sunshine (1999)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

István Szabó

Writers (WGA):

István Szabó (story)
István Szabó (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

17 December 1999 (Canada)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance | War

Tagline:

In a time of revolution, in a family torn by tradition, one man was consumed by love.

Plot:

The fate of a Hungarian Jewish family throughout the 20th century.

Plot Keywords:

Jewish | Judge | Austro Hungarian | Revolution | Power

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 10 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Ralph Fiennes	...	Ignatz Sonnenschein / Adam Sors / Ivan Sors
Rosemary Harris	...	Valerie Sors
Rachel Weisz	...	Greta
Jennifer Ehle	...	Valerie Sonnenschein
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Maj. Carole Kovacs
Molly Parker	...	Hannah Wippler
James Frain	...	Gustave Sonnenschein
David de Keyser	...	Emmanuel Sonnenschein
John Neville	...	Gustave Sors
Miriam Margolyes	...	Rose Sonnenschein
Rüdiger Vogler	...	Gen. Jakofalvy
Mark Strong	...	Istvan Sors
Bill Paterson	...	Minister of Justice
Trevor Peacock	...	Comrade Gen. Kope
Hanns Zischler	...	Baron Margitta

Also Known As:

A napfény íze (Hungary)
Sunshine - Ein Hauch von Sonnenschein (Germany)
The Taste of Sunshine (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, and for violence, language and nudity.

Runtime:

181 min

Country:

Germany | Austria | Canada | Hungary

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Chile:14 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Spain:13 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Alliance Atlantis Communications

Trivia:

The venerable courtyard and house used as the Sonnenschein family home in the film is, in actuality, the house where director István Szabó grew up.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Ivan and Carole have a brief talk on the banks of the Danube near the bridge, we see evening traffic on the quay at the opposite side of the river, with a considerable amount of cars passing by, headlights on. There would not have been this amount of traffic in Budapest in the 1950s.

Quotes:

Ivan Sors: For the first time in my life, I walked down the street without feeling like I was in hiding. My great grandfather Emmanuel must have been the last Sonnenschein to feel like this. I knew the only way to find meaning in my life, my only chance in life...

Movie Connections:

References Citizen Kane (1941)

Soundtrack:

Kecskebéka felmászott...

One Hundred Years of Sunshine

This historical epic/family drama from the master of Hungarian cinema, Istvan Szabo (Mephisto, 1981; Being Julia, 2004) is a wonderful and memorable film that has been overlooked, underrated and sadly under-seen.

This is a moving and always engrossing drama about one Jewish-Hungarian family that rises and falls throughout the 20th century. Ralph Fiennes is outstanding as the grandfather, the father and the grandson. All three - complex and tragic characters, victims of their times, politics and wars. I think it was a brilliant idea to cast one actor as a face of three generations of one family. If ever anyone attempts to adapt Marquez's "One Hundreds Years of Solitude", that's how it should be done, IMO.

"Sunshine" is three hours long but never for a minute had I felt it was too long or it was losing its power. It is a serious, thought-provoking film which is also a superb work of art.

9.5/10