Hol volt, hol nem volt

Beautiful story of a young boy's search for his "father" after his mother is accidently killed. His search takes him on several adventures leading him closer and closer to his goal. The boy, David Vermes, looking for all the world like a pre-adolescent Marlon Brando,gives a lovely performance -understated and moving. The fantasy elements were delightful and I found myself smiling with joy at the end of the film. You will too!

I saw this film more than 20 years ago, and never could get it out of my imagination--it is one of the best films I have ever seen. One detail that might be lost is how beautifully Mozart's fantasy opera "The Magic Flute" is interwoven into the plot. The boy's mother attends a performance of this opera, with fateful consequences. One of the fantastic conceits of the plot is that the boy is guided at crucial moments in his quest by the trio of boy sopranos that guides Tamino in his quest in "The Magic Flute", and just as the hero of Mozart's masterpiece eventually learns the identity of his father, this same quest is at the heart of this nearly perfect little movie.

Three years after the birth of Andris (Dávid Vermes), his mother Maria (Mária Varga) took him to get officially registered. It turned out that the official needed the particulars of his father. His mother did not know his detail, not even the man's name or address. She met Andris' father at a performance of the opera 'The Magic Flute' and spent the evening with him. She never saw him again. The official Orbán (Hušak František) assured her that it would not be a problem; he would just write down an imaginary name and address, which he did.

A few years later Andris's mother tragically loses her life in an accident. It seems as if the boy would be sent to an orphanage, as there is no trace of his dad or any other relative. Andris finds his registration document in his mother's drawer, with his father's (fake) name and address, which the poor lad assumes to be genuine. His quest to find his dad begins.

Andris has many adventures along the way; he meets helpful and also some eccentric people, including Orbán, the official who filled out his registration form, who, it appeared, was on a quest of his own. As if this is not enough, Andris enjoys some rather unusual surreal experiences too.

The script is original and well-presented by director Gazdag. It is full of unexpected and delightful twists and turns. It is by no means a simplistic film; it has elements of Mozart's enchanting 'The Magic Flute', giving this film greater depth. The black-and-white cinematography, a combination of hand-held and stationary camera footage, is excellent. Credit to cinematographer Elemér Ragalyi. I found the soundtrack, mostly classical music, adding to the ambiance of this Hungarian film. The protagonist, young Dávid Vermes, gives a great performance of Andris, who at times appears stoical, but underneath the façade is a very uncertain lad. The subtitles are adequate, although the white letters at times are not that clearly visible when seen against a light background. This minor criticism that does not detract from this little gem of a film. 'A Hungarian Fairy Tale' deserves to be seen more widely. 8.5/10.