I ragazzi della via Paal

Like many of the other commentators, I saw this (once only!) when roughly the same age as the boys in the movie. 30+ years later I still find myself thinking about it from time to time. The themes of friendship, loyalty and commitment should be equally appealing to an adult viewer.

I seem to recall the subtitle "The War" appearing on the screen all those years ago. Maybe it is a false memory, driven by the film's notion of "the good us" vs "the evil them" - which is the undercurrent of the book & movie, and is usually the undercurrent of most actual wars. Even as a kid you could understand the not so subtle message that the movie was delivering.

The original 1906 book was written by Hungarian Ferenc Molnár during the long spiral of European politics into WWI. The book is still a standard read in many European grade schools. It was also voted the second favourite book in Hungary in 2005.

This movie, about Hungarian kids, was filmed in Finland. I wonder if the language might be the reason for this film not being available on DVD in an English version. Quite unfortunate, as this was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film - losing to the Russian 8 hour version of War and Peace (Voyna i Mir).

I have not seen this film in many, many years. I recall seeing it when I stayed home from school sick with the flu. That was about 30 years ago, and it has stayed with me ever since. Even though I saw it through a young man's eyes, I remember it being a wonderful film and one that I have remembered and searched for for many years. It is a total shame that it is not available on DVD or even VHS. Of all the films I've searched for over the years this one still alludes me and frustrates me. It's that good and that well done.

I've seen a lot of films through the years. This one is a special one and consider yourself slightly lucky if you've been able to view it and commit it to your 'movie memory'.

A superbly crafted film. Ferenc Molnar's play, set in early 20th century's Budapest, is masterfully re-created in this motion picture. It depicts a soothingly naive pre-first war world, when comradeship and honor were still known words. A group of boys fight to keep their playground. But don't let such a simple plot mislead you: This is a very serious and moving film: It displays a world about to deep dive into its first global war, when all naivety would be replaced by evil and malice. Two other later films "Stand By Me" and "The Outsiders" follow the same line, but have a much less ominous background scenario to play upon. A must see.

20th Century-Fox released the film, and it seems they have forgot about it. And they shouldn't have.

Oct/12/2012: Really amazed to find out that "The Boys of Paul Street" has been released in DVD 2 years ago here in Brazil, and I've got myself 2 copies just in case.

The movie has been transferred from a pristine hungarian copy and as such, its dolby 2.0 audio is in hungarian. Unfortunately for the English speaking fans, only Portuguese subtitles are available.

This movie is a beautiful homage to the book of Ferenc Molnar, who died 17 years before it was made). Being one of my favourites, I used to re-read the book many times in my youth and it was a pleasant surprise seeing the movie following it to the word. Acting is also good - William Burleigh as the charismatic leader Boka, Anthony Kemp as the loyal and brave Nemecsek, all other boys as depicted in the book. Additionally, the final battle is hard and worth seeing. As a member of the modern "generation Y", I could never really relate to the spirit of fellowship on the streets, fighting for a piece to claim one's own and that battle showed how that was much more than just a child's play. A game for some kids can mean serious stuff for others, but excluding the unnecessary drama of contemporary movies of this genre.

When you look at all the junk that comes to DVD stores every month, it's hard to believe that this movie is still lost. Or maybe it makes perfect sense, considering contemporary producers' and distributors' idea of "good cinema." No spoilers. Simply put, this is one of the best handful of movies you'll ever see. And I say that very rarely.

I was 9 or 10 when I first saw it, ironically right on the day I received the book as a gift. There's not a single flaw, not the least bit of detail that can be improved. Very catching story and telling, and although you will definitely need a box of Kleenex for the ending, the movie is much more than that. It's one of those movies that will move your heart when you remember, even years later.

I must also add that the adaptation is superb. Rarely before (or never?) has a movie caught the spirit of the book so well, so intensely. Definitely a 10 out of 10, if art can be judged that way.