Curtiz (film)
| Curtiz | |
|---|---|
 | |
| CURTIZ – A magyar, aki felforgatta Hollywoodot | |
| Directed by | Tamás Yvan Topolánszky |
| Written by | Zsuzsanna Bak |
| Produced by | Tamás Yvan Topolánszky
Claudia Sümeghy Barnabas Hutlassa |
| Starring | Ferenc Lengyel, Evelin Dobos |
| Cinematography | Zoltán Dévényi |
| Edited by | Eszter Bodoky |
| Music by | Gábor Subicz |
Release date | Canada
1 September 2018 (Montréal World Film Festival) 2 February 2019 (Pendance Film Festival) USA 5 April 2019 (Phoenix Film Festival) Italy 8 May 2019 (Riviera International Film Festival) Hungary 12 September 2019 Poland 11 November 2019 (Camerimage International Film Festival) Netflix 2020 |
| Country | Hungary |
| Language | Hungarian / English |
Curtiz is a 2018 Hungarian film by Tamás Yvan Topolánszky, based on the making of the 1942 Humphrey Bogart film Casablanca by Hungarian director Michael Curtiz.[1]
That year, America is on the brink of World War II. Michael Curtiz filmed his later iconic, multi-Oscar-winning film Casablanca under most unusual circumstances. During the shoot, he had to battle almost daily with political censors who wanted to change the film's script. In addition, Curtiz's troubled relationship with his daughter made this period more difficult for him.[2][3]
The film's producers were Tamás Yvan Topolánszky, Claudia Sümeghy, and Barnabas Hutlassa.[4] The Executive Producer was Orian Williams, and the screenwriter was Zsuzsanna Bak.[5]
Plot
The film tells the story of the first Hungarian Academy Award winner, Michael Curtiz (originally known as Mihály Kertész), who won the Best Director Oscar for Casablanca, a romantic film that film critics consider to be one of the best in film history.[6] Curtiz, who is credited with nearly 200 films, was a highly controversial, aggressive, womanizing, selfish, violent and crude personality.[7]
The film about him (the original full Hungarian title is CURTIZ – A magyar, aki felforgatta Hollywoodot) was originally made as a TV movie.[8] Its story takes place in 1942, during the filming of Casablanca, when the Japanese had destroyed Pearl Harbor, the Germans had already started bombing the British, and the United States was moments away from entering World War II. Curtiz, meanwhile, could not decide how to finish Casablanca, rewriting the script over and over again as the shooting neared. To make matters worse, in order to promote war propaganda as much as possible, the state authorities appoint a political official to supervise the film in progress, who tries to pressure Curtiz into making changes to the storyline.[9] In defiance of these political interventions, Curtiz is determined to make his film a success, but he also faces serious family tensions during the shoot. The endangerment of his sister, who has stayed in Hungary, and his troubled relationship with his daughter, who has emerged after a long period of absence, take unexpected turns during the filming of the movie.[10]
The story of the film is based on real events, with dramatized elements. The filmmakers have created the film with the help of a wealth of anecdotes and memoirs. Screenwriter Zsuzsanna Bak said that the story of the film covers 85 percent of the original events.[11]
Cast
Ferenc Lengyel --- Michael Curtiz
Evelin Dobos --- Kitty
Declan Hannigan --- Mr. Johnson
Scott Alexander Young --- Hal B. Wallis
Joseph Gyabronka --- S.Z. Sakall
Nikolett Barabas --- Bess
Yan Feldman --- Julius Epstein
Rafael Feldman --- Philip Epstein
Christopher Krieg --- Conrad Veidt
Andrew Hefler --- Jack L. Warner
Lili Bordán --- Irene Lee
Caroline Boulton --- Louise Fazenda
Eszter Nagy-Kálózy --- Margit (voice)
Jeremy Wheeler --- Government Official #1
Reception
Critics
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 57% based on 7 reviews. The website's critical consensus has not been formed yet.[12]
Accolades
It won the Grand Prix des Amériques at the Montreal World Film Festival in 2018. The lead role is played by Ferenc Lengyel, opposite Evelin Dobos.[13][14]
Release
Canada
1 September 2018 (Montréal World Film Festival)
2 February 2019 (Pendance Film Festival)
USA
5 April 2019 (Phoenix Film Festival)
Italy
8 May 2019 (Riviera International Film Festival)
Hungary
12 September 2019
Poland
11 November 2019 (Camerimage International Film Festival)
References
- ^ a b Brady, Tara. "Michael Curtiz: The 'pompous b*****d' who shaped Casablanca". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
- ^ Topolanszky, Tamas Yvan (2019-09-12), Curtiz (Biography, Drama, History), Ferenc Lengyel, Evelin Dobos, Declan Hannigan, Scott Alexander Young, JUNO11 Pictures, Halluci-Nation, Sparks, retrieved 2021-05-19
- ^ CURTIZ – A magyar, aki felforgatta Hollywoodot (in Hungarian), retrieved 2021-05-19
- ^ Curtiz (2018) - IMDb, retrieved 2021-05-19
- ^ Edit (2017-08-16). "Another successful Hungarian film round the corner?". Expat Press Hungary Magazine (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2020-12-01.
- ^ Dóra, Matalin (2019-09-16). "Brutális rohadék, de kedves fickó volt a Casablanca rendezője". index.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2021-05-19.
- ^ Michael Curtiz: A Life in Film (Screen Classics) --- 2017 https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Curtiz-Life-Screen-Classics/dp/0813173914
- ^ Dávid, Klág (2017-11-07). "A világ egyik legjobb filmjét egy igazi zsarnok rendezte". index.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2021-05-19.
- ^ "Casablanca: The Romance of Propaganda". Bright Lights Film Journal. 2007-02-02. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
- ^ "CURTIZ – A magyar, aki felforgatta Hollywoodot / Curtiz (2018) | MAFAB.hu". www.mafab.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2021-05-19.
- ^ "Curtiz magyar tévéfilm kritika | Casablanca". Filmtekercs.hu (in Hungarian). 2019-04-29. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
- ^ Curtiz (2019), retrieved 2020-12-01
- ^ The Montreal World Film Festival took place this year between 23 August and 3 September. Congratulations are in order, as Index reports that Tamás Yvan Topolánszky’s biopic Curtiz won Best Film, while the Best Director was announced to be Attila Szász for Eternal Winter. "Casablanca is easily one of the best-known films ever made, directed by a Hungarian man, Mihály Kertész, also known as Michael Curtiz. He was the first Hungarian to receive an Oscar as Best Director, and about whom Tamás Yvan Topolánszky’s latest film, Curtiz, is. Curtiz is portrayed by Ferenc Lengyel, the female lead by Evelin Dobos."
- ^ Dávid, Kovács (2018-09-04). "Két magyar film is nyert a montreali filmfesztiválon". index.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2021-05-19.
- ^ Curtiz (2018) - IMDb, retrieved 2021-05-19