Since the collapse of communism, it's become harder for filmmakers from eastern and central Europe to tell their stories. Istvan Szabo has succeeded in putting together the large-scale international co-production Sunshine...
Towards the end of the 18th century, in the Hungarian countryside, an innkeeper, Mr. Sonnenschein- the name means 'sunshine' - is killed when his still explodes; he leaves behind his pocket watch and the formula for a herbal medicine. His small son leaves the village, settles in Budapest and, thanks to the formula, becomes a wealthy man. The years pass and one of his sons, Ignac (Ralph Fiennes), starts a secret affair with his adopted sister, Valerie (Jennifer Ehle). The family is divided by political events, with some supporting the Austro-Hungarian monarchy and others, like Valerie and her brother-in-law Gustav (James Frain), opposed to it. As the years go by, with its wars, Nazi terror and, eventually, the imposition of a brutal Communist regime, the fortunes of the Sonnenschein's ebb and flow...
Sunshine can be compared to Bertolucci's1900; it's an epic saga spanning three generations, made by Hungary's greatest filmmaker, Istvan Szabo, with all his assurance and skill. Anyone remotely interested in the recent history of central Europe will find the film riveting, but it's much more than just a history lesson. Szabo's familiar themes, which he previously explored in Mephisto and Colonel Redl, crop up again when a character sells his soul for expediency - abandoning his Jewish heritage. Casting Ralph Fiennes in three roles was a risk which just about pays off, but the outstanding performance comes from Rosemary Harris (mother of Jennifer Ehle), who plays Valerie as an older woman. A rich, rewarding, beautiful film.
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