Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Károly Makk's "Love" is his masterpiece, perhaps the best film to ever come out of Hungary. It's based on the autobiography of Tibor Déry, a renown writer who was imprisoned in 1956 for political reasons. The Hungarian filmmaker never duplicated this gigantic effort in his long career, but nevertheless earned a reputation as a respected director with many fine features to his credit such as his 1974 Catsplay. The director worked closely with cinematographer János Tóth, who captured in his luminous black-and-white photography the tense atmosphere of the time. The story is set in 1953 when the ruthless despotic Russian puppet head Rakosi ruled and created a depressing political state. Makk had to wait five years to clear the film with state censors, but the result is one of the most gripping accounts on life under political tyranny and one of the most elegant and nuanced emotional stories between a young woman Luca (Mari Törõcsik) and her dying octogenarian mother-in-law ( Lili Darvas, the great legendary Hungarian actress gives a superb performance). The women with vastly different outlooks on life find their life has become ritualized to the tune of daily visits as they both are in the dark as they anxiously await the return of the one they love, one wondering what's keeping him from visiting when she's on her death bed and the other hoping he's still alive.

The widowed Old Woman is frail and bed-ridden, being looked after by housekeeper Irén. The Viennese born woman has two sons, one was killed during the war and the other Janos (Iván Darvas) married Luca. In order to prevent the Old Woman from giving up all hope, Luca does not mention that her favorite son Janos was imprisoned on trumped-up political charges as a dissident and sentenced to ten years. Instead to keep up the illusion all's well and explain his long absence, Luca makes up a fantastic tall tale that Janos is in America and is directing a big-time movie that will make him rich and famous. Luca regularly visits bearing cheer, flowers and gifts to keep up the pretense, but she's faced with dire economic circumstances as she lost her teaching job because of politics and is forced to live in the maid's quarters in her home as tenants were ordered to move into her house. 

It's left ambiguous if the Old Woman really believes Luca or not, but both women in their intrepid ways wait for their beloved Janos to return. In the climactic scene, a beaten down physically and mentally Janos is at last freed and gingerly makes his way home in fear of what to expect after being away so long without any contact. Makk creates a haunting atmosphere through the touching performances of Darvas and Törõcsik and Janos's return is filled with angst because of the uncertainy of the time and the personal relationship. The film not only touches upon the delicate political climate but deals with the trust the married couple display and if they can once again pick up the pieces from their broken life. Both the love story and tale for the yearning of freedom have a universal appeal in this tender and literate film that is as tough as nails without being either grim or sentimental.

REVIEWED ON 11/30/2005        GRADE: A+

Dennis Schwartz: "Ozus' World Movie Reviews"

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