Truly Dreadful Film

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Gloomy Sunday-IMDb A great movie experience. I'm 82 and have been watching movies since I was five years old. This is an unforgettable film. Every facet is superb. The acting is flawless, the cinematography is breathtaking, and the gripping story has every human emotion imaginable. It's hypnotic from start to finish, but keep in mind, you have to be attentive. There are some subtle touches that can go unnoticed if you're not carefully observing and listening, and missing them can possibly deprive you of fully understanding and enjoying the fantastic ending. The skilled director doesn't use a heavy hand, and that's admirable. Every single actor gives a perfect performance. Having studied acting for five years, I must mention that they don't act, they behave. Erika Marozsán's portrayal is colossal! I've fallen in love with her. Even if I were five years old now, there's a scene with Joachim Król I'd remember the rest of my life. I've viewed that particular scene about eight times. Gut-wrenching, yet inspirational. Never in my life have a watched any movie four times, and I just saw this one again for the fourth time… in one week! If not for IMDb and Netflix, I would never have heard of it. And it received no nominations for the Academy Awards. Ridiculous! This is truly a masterpiece! I've never written a review for IMDb, but for this film I had to do it. I cannot praise this movie enough!

Now here is a film that lulls the viewer into believing it's about love, at least the love poets and composers write about, a bit idealized but satisfying and even a little destructive. Our protagonists go through life in a state of wide-eyed bliss and it's all very well done and acted. I really loved this part which lasts much of the film until the Nazis take over. Then things get from bad to worse until the end wraps around the beginning and it all becomes clear. What a brilliant concept and what a surprise. This is what brought me to write this review but it's only the icing on the cake. There's so much more here to feast your eyes and ears on, the sets, the costumes, the music, the dialog, the performances!

We have seen hundreds of portrayals of the horrors of the Holocaust. This bittersweet romantic piece however, does not revolve around it, but keeps a balance between a sensitively depicted threesome of one beautiful woman, a restaurateur and a pianist-composer and the historical background which influenced it and eventually sealed its fate. The film also creates a rather fictitious legend around how the infamously harrowing hit song Gloomy Sunday conceived and left its mark not only on music history but also on demography.Gloomy Sunday is a very intelligent piece, co-production of Germany and Hungary with the best assets of the two diverse cinematic visionaries combined. It is realistic yet playful, bitter but hope-inducing. A good cast and nicely composed pictures are an extra value. Very well done. Get your handkerchiefs ready. It surely will move you.

Have seen this superb film twice no thanks to the poor distribution and availability on DVD.Beautifully made old style film with great plot, acting and characters. One of my favourite all time films. It is basically the story of a tragic love triangle set in Budapest during the war. The song "Gloomy Sunday" provides a constant atmospheric backdrop. Like others have commented it has a feel akin to Casablanca and if you enjoyed that classic film you should like this too.A pity that because it was made in German so few people in the UK and USA are likely to see it. Sad that whilst poor quality popcorn films with no plot or value are everywhere real quality like this is so hard to find.