LOVE Movie Review

Szerelem

When a man is arrested by Stalin's secret police, his wife (Mari Töröcsik) is alarmed at the prospect of telling his aged mother (Lili Darvas) the truth about his arrest and probable fate. Instead, she takes matters into her own hands by telling the ailing old woman—who she lives with in a cramped apartment—what she wants to hear: fabricated stories of her son's success as a movie director in America. Károly Makk's bittersweet, wonderfully intelligent comic drama, appropriately titled Love, is a small, gentle master-work, powered to near-greatness by Darvas's memorable and ingenious performance. This is no “cute old lady” movie, but rather a simple, convincing, unadorned portrait of the decency that can be found in even the darkest corners of human experience. This was Darvas's final film, and she's extraordinary. Based on novellas by Tibor Déry. Special Jury Prize, Cannes Film Festival.

NEXT STOP … When Father Was Away on Business, Tito and Me, Underground

1971 92m/B HU Lili Darvas, Mari Torocsik, Ivan Darvas; D: Karoly Makk. VHS, LV CVC, IME, HMV