Zimmer ohne Ausgang

This was shown as part of a festival of films by Szabo Istvan at the National Gallery of Art Feb-March 08. nga dot gov.Suspense and tension is superbly developed. The ensemble work among actors, director, and cinematographer remind you of the best of Carroll Reed's films. Except they are all better. The male lead must have been the George Clooney of his day in Hungary. What does it mean to trust, surrender, take and give sexual intimacy, and love when you are explicitly denying your identity and suspect what even your love for your spouse? The print was excellent. The English subtitles were projected below the screen. I hope this means a transfer to DVD can be and will be released. I would rent or buy this for at least one more viewing. This is a more personal and affecting film than Szabo's "Sunshine." See it if you have a chance, even before Szabo's other, bigger films. (Colonel Redl, Mephisto, Hanussen.)

Haunting, disturbing and somewhat thrilling and erotic drama set in hungary during world war 2. a man and a woman pretend to be husband and wife to escape authorities during world war 2. they have connections to the hungarian resistance. they fall madly in love with each other. i really liked the way the film looked with those grayish ugly rotting city landscapes. the lead pair had some great chemistry. i realized that i had watched another SZABO film called LOVEFILM atleast 20 years ago after i checked his filmography. great background score too.

(8/10)

I agree with the general consensus of the few reviews posted here. A great and subtle film, which also manages to be suspenseful, erotic, and spiritual. It's among my favorites (which I realized after remembering and thinking about it for years, watching it again, and finding that it holds up to re-viewing). Although it's been years since his review, to "eyoder," who asked about any other version with alternate subtitles (i.e., other than English), the only video release I've seen is the Second DVD. Not sure this has Spanish or French, but it might. Checking the Amazon.fr site, however, an outfit by the name of Clavis Film released a version which is surely French-subtitled.

Like another reviewer, I saw this haunting, moving film decades ago and have been wanting to see it again ever since. It deals with complex, yet very human questions of love, trust, loyalty, and betrayal under unexpected, trying circumstances. I remember it as being superbly acted and the relationship between the two main characters intimately explored and developed. The ending was heart-wrenching. I am about to go to Transylvania and Budapest, but doubt I could find it there in VHS format, subtitled in English. Does anyone know if it has been subtitled in either Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, or French (which I also read)?

Who can you really trust? Your husband of many years, or a stranger you have only just met, but upon whom your life depends?

Janos and Kata are thrown together during the war forced to pose as husband and wife to hide from the Nazis. As they grow closer, the intensity and suffocating intimacy of their new relationship and the circumstances in which they find themselves, forces them to confront past prejudices and assumptions and challenge what they truly believe.

The nature of our trust and faith in others is delicately, yet powerfully explored in this profoundly moving film by István Szabó.