Sunshine (1999 film)
Encyclopedia
Sunshine is a 1999 historical film written by Israel Horovitz
and István Szabó
, directed and produced by István Szabó
. It follows three generations of a Jewish family (originally called Sonnenschein, a name that literally means "sunshine" in German
, but later changed to Sors, meaning "fate" in Hungarian
) during the changes in Hungary
from the beginning of the 20th century to the period after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution
. The central male protagonist of all three generations is portrayed by Ralph Fiennes
. The film also stars the real-life mother and daughter team of Rosemary Harris
and Jennifer Ehle
as well as Rachel Weisz
and John Neville.
Although fictional, the film weaves events drawn from several real sources into the story. The Sunshine family's liquor business was based on the Zwack family's liquor brand Unicum. One of Fiennes's three roles is based at least partly on Hungarian Olympian Attila Petschauer
, but also includes allusions to the early life of Miksa Fenyő
and other famous Hungarians of Jewish origin who suffered from anti-Semitism and the persecution of Jews in World War II Hungary. Another role in the film which is similar to that of a historic person is the character Andor Knorr played by William Hurt
which closely resembles the latter part of the life of László Rajk
.
The film was an international co-production
among companies from Germany
, Austria
, Hungary
and Canada
. It won the Genie Award for Best Canadian Film.
The oldest son, Ignatz (the first of 3 generational roles played by Ralph Fiennes), a fast rising judge, falls in love and has an affair with his first cousin, Valerie, against his father's specific orders. The second son, Gustave, becomes a medical doctor. Ignatz is asked by a chief judge to change his Jewish last name if he wishes to be promoted within the judiciary. Ignatz, his brother, and his cousin Valerie all happily change there last name to Sors - a "more Hungarian" and not Jewish name.
Ignatz and his cousin become pregnant and desire to get married. Ignatz' mother Rose strongly objects, asking Ignatz' father Emmanuel to forbid the marriage. Her justification is Valerie is only their niece and therefore she doesn't deserve equal standing compared to an immediate family member. Her prejudice goes so far as to lead her to curse Valerie and wish she not be able to have children. Ignatz and Valerie marry and give birth to a healthy son. Ignatz struggles with the political battles in turn of the century Hungary. He struggles with hiding his Jewish identity in order to rise within his profession and the higher social classes. Ignatz curses his brother for opposing the Hungarian Monarchical rule.
World War I breaks out and both brothers continue rise within their professional and military ranks. Both the Hungarian Emperor and Emmanuel die around the same time. These losses take a great toll on Ignatz. After the war is over, the liberal monarchy collapses, causing Ignatz to lose his judicial position. Gustave rises to a position of power in the emerging communist government. Compounding Ignatz conflicts, Valerie announces she plans to divorce Ignatz because he changed and did not become the man she thought he would become. In a rage of anger and confusion, Ignatz rapes Valerie.
Gustave offers Ignatz a position in the communist government, but Ignatz refuses to be a part of the policies of retribution against the previous members of the monarchy. Ignatz and his family are put under house arrest. Upon hearing this news, Valerie returns to be with her imprisoned family. Soon thereafter, foreign militaries intervene to overthrow the communist government. The new regime asks Ignatz to oversee trials of retribution against the communists. He declines and is forced to retire. His health deteriorates rapidly and he dies, still regularly fighting with Valerie.
The story turns to the next Sors generation: Ignatz' younger son, Adam Sors (Ralph Fiennes again), is talented at fencing at the Jewish run Civic Club. In order to compete at the highest levels of fencing, Adam must convert to Christianity because no Jews are allowed in the top military fencing club. Adam converts to Christianity and hides his Judaism further, like his father did before him. Adam is obsessed with winning social stature, athletic competitions, and his romantic pursuits, pursuing and marrying Hannah Wippler (Molly Parker), a woman who was already engaged to another man. He struggles with issues of personal pride in the face of constant religious prejudice. Adam wins the national fencing championship 2 years in a row. Adam and Hannah have a son, Ivan Sors.
Adam is offered half a million dollars by a group of Jewish financiers to rejoin his old Civic Club team. Adam refuses, not wanting to give up his chance at competing in the Olympics, not wanting to lose his association with the Christian upper class "gentlemen," and not wanting to be associated publicly with Jews. He responds to the offer by stressing fencing requires the common work of a team, and achievement in the sport cannot be gained from individual effort. The irony in his comments is what is unsaid: In order for him to be a part of a winning team, he must disassociate from the Jewish teams from generations of his family. Adam expresses to his sister-in-law, Greta (Rachel Weisz), his own anti-Semitic prejudicial perceptions and contempt toward "little" Jews who are "all the same." Adam, a Jew by heritage, soon thereafter is reminded that other non-Jewish military members of the Officer's Club fencing team still consider him a Jew and are looking for the first opportunity to harm him because he is a Jew.
Adam wins the decisive Olympic fencing match in 1936 Berlin, giving Hungary an Olympic gold medal and giving his military officer teammates and his countrymen great pride in their "national treasure" and "national hero." After winning, he is offered the chance to move to the U.S., to join a U.S. team. He declines, again preferring to be esteemed as a Hungarian. He is warned that Hungary is following in Nazi Germany's footsteps and he and his family should leave the country before it is too late. Adam chooses to stay in Hungary. Adam has a sexual affair with his sister-in-law Greta. Adam wishes to keep up appearances and his reputation, so he keeps the affair secret.
New Hungarian laws are passed by the parliament discriminating against people with any near Jewish ancestors. The Sors family feels buffeted by the knowledge their military service, Olympic medals, and other characteristics are allowed exceptions, allowing them to not be legally defined as Jews. This initially prevents them from being discriminated against as Jews. However, Adam is soon expelled from the military fencing club. Greta begs Adam to move with his family out of Hungary. Adam decides to stay. Greta then implores her entire family to leave Hungary, in order to save their children. The family decides to stay, wanting to maintain their existing wealth and standing, fearful that other places will not be substantially better than Hungary. Too late, the family is finally persuaded, but quotas are filled, borders are closed and they are not allowed to leave Hungary.
Adam's former military commander, General Jakofalvy, who is not anti-Semitic, realizes Sors' family is likely doomed. He apologizes to Adam, saying, "Sors, there's something I once said to you, that 'assimilation was the right choice.' I'd like to ask your forgiveness for having said that. I was profoundly wrong." Hannah, Adam's wife, likely knowing of the affair with Greta, and knowing her marriage to him creates one more Jewish association, asks Adam if he still wants to be married to her. Adam honorably and honestly says, "Yes, yes."
Germany occupies Hungary and Adam's wife and mother are immediately moved into the Budapest Ghetto. Hannah is killed sometime after being marched toward a concentration camp. Valerie, Adam's mother, escapes and hides in a friend's attic.
Adam and his son Ivan are sent to a labor camp. Adam is called out of the group by a camp guard because of Adam's proud demeanor and defiance, declaring he is a Hungarian military officer and Hungarian Olympic champion. The guards make an example out of him, stripping him naked in the snow, tying him upside down to a log, breaking his bones, and demanding he denounce his declarations of pride and instead cower because he is a Jew. They hose water on him until he dies, frozen in ice. Over a thousand Jewish prisoners, including his son Ivan, sit idle watching him slowly tortured to death. If they had coordinated their efforts, they could have easily overpowered the 13 armed guards and escaped the camp. (The events of the fictional character Adam Sors substantially mirror many real life events of Attila Petschauer, a Hungarian Jew who won an Olympic Gold medal with the Hungarian team and was later killed in a similar fashion, frozen with water while naked at the Davidovka concentration camp in 1943.)
Greta, István, and their son are dragged from their home and shot on the banks of the Danube river.
Valerie, and their long time family servant, return separately to the family home. Gustave Sors, Valerie's long separated brother, returns home to support the new Hungarian pro-Stalin communist government. Ivan also returns home, letting Valerie know her only son Adam was murdered in camp because Adam wouldn't admit he was a Jew. Ivan is ashamed he hid the fact he was Adam's son while he watched his father beaten to death.
Ivan gets a job with a local communist official, Andor Knorr (William Hurt), as a policeman, gathering up members of the previous "fascist" Hungarian political regime for prosecution. He hypocritically prosecutes others who, like Ivan, stood by and did nothing as others were persecuted. Ivan asks his interrogatees to write down names of their colleagues, trying to create an appearance of finding more government opposition members. Ivan rises quickly in the communist ranks. He has a sexual affair with Maj. Carole Kovács, the wife of a high ranking communist official.
Fears and suspicions grow quickly in the new Hungarian communist government, and as with previous regimes, Jews are feared to be inciting conspiracies against the government. Ivan is enlisted to hunt and indict Jews. Andor Knorr, a lifelong communist with Jewish heritage, is accused of being a leader of a Zionist conspiracy. Ivan harshly interrogates Knorr, seeking a confession, knowing that if he cannot obtain a false confession, then interrogation will likely be redirected to Ivan and his family. Knorr will not confess and is tortured to death.
Maj. Carole Kovács, fearing reprisals from being associated with Ivan, leaves him.
Ironically, Ivan is asked to speak at Knorr's funeral, where he shares a quote passed down through his Jewish family: "We are afraid to see clearly and of being seen clearly."
In 1956 the communist regime is challenged. Ivan has left the police force and is a leader of the rebellion. Ivan is arrested after the rebellion fails. He is interrogated in the same way he interrogated Knorr and is imprisoned for his political activities. Upon release, he returns to live with his grandmother Valerie. She tells him, "Politics has made a mess of our lives. Still, life was beautiful. I've enjoyed waking every morning. I've always tried to photograph what's beautiful in life, but it hasn't always been easy." While still looking for the missing family liquor recipe, she has a heart attack and dies soon thereafter.
The recipe book is never found, but when Ivan finally moves out of the family home, as with "Rosebud" in "Citizen Kane," the cloth bound recipe book is disposed of as one more unrecognized piece of family memorabilia. In the final scenes, Ivan changes his name from Sors back to Sonnenschein.
Israel Horovitz
Israel Horovitz is an American playwright and screenwriter.-Theatre career:An American dramatist, Horovitz has written more than 70 produced plays, many of which have been translated and performed in more than 30 languages worldwide . The 70/70 Horovitz Project was created by NYC Barefoot Theatre...
and István Szabó
István Szabó
István Szabó is a Hungarian film director, screenwriter, and opera director.Szabó is the most internationally famous Hungarian filmmaker since the late 1960s. Working in the tradition of European, auteurist art cinema, he has made films that represent many of the psychological and political...
, directed and produced by István Szabó
István Szabó
István Szabó is a Hungarian film director, screenwriter, and opera director.Szabó is the most internationally famous Hungarian filmmaker since the late 1960s. Working in the tradition of European, auteurist art cinema, he has made films that represent many of the psychological and political...
. It follows three generations of a Jewish family (originally called Sonnenschein, a name that literally means "sunshine" in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, but later changed to Sors, meaning "fate" in Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
) during the changes in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
from the beginning of the 20th century to the period after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution
1956 Hungarian Revolution
The Hungarian Revolution or Uprising of 1956 was a spontaneous nationwide revolt against the government of the People's Republic of Hungary and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956....
. The central male protagonist of all three generations is portrayed by Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....
. The film also stars the real-life mother and daughter team of Rosemary Harris
Rosemary Harris
Rosemary Ann Harris is an English actress and a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame. Throughout her career she has been nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and has won a Golden Globe, an Emmy, a Tony Award, an Obie, and five Drama Desk Awards.-Early life:Harris was born in...
and Jennifer Ehle
Jennifer Ehle
Jennifer Ehle is an American actress of stage and screen. She is known for her BAFTA winning role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1995 mini-series Pride and Prejudice.-Early life:...
as well as Rachel Weisz
Rachel Weisz
Rachel Hannah Weisz born 7 March 1970)is an English-American film and theatre actress and former fashion model. She started her acting career at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where she co-founded the theatrical group Cambridge Talking Tongues...
and John Neville.
Although fictional, the film weaves events drawn from several real sources into the story. The Sunshine family's liquor business was based on the Zwack family's liquor brand Unicum. One of Fiennes's three roles is based at least partly on Hungarian Olympian Attila Petschauer
Attila Petschauer
Attila Petschauer was a Jewish Hungarian Olympic fencer.-Fencing career:Born in Budapest, Petschauer was a member of the Hungarian fencing team in the 1928 and 1932 Olympics...
, but also includes allusions to the early life of Miksa Fenyő
Miksa Fenyo
Miksa Fenyő was a Hungarian writer and intellectual, served as a Member of Parliament in the early 1930s, and was appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce under the short-lived government cabinet of Prime Minister János Hadik in 1918.He was also mentor and friend to Hungary's second most...
and other famous Hungarians of Jewish origin who suffered from anti-Semitism and the persecution of Jews in World War II Hungary. Another role in the film which is similar to that of a historic person is the character Andor Knorr played by William Hurt
William Hurt
William McGill Hurt is an American stage and film actor. He received his acting training at the Juilliard School, and began acting on stage in the 1970s. Hurt made his film debut as a troubled scientist in the science-fiction feature Altered States , for which he received a Golden Globe nomination...
which closely resembles the latter part of the life of László Rajk
László Rajk
László Rajk was a Hungarian Communist; politician, former Minister of Interior and former Minister of Foreign Affairs...
.
The film was an international co-production
International co-production
An international co-production is a production where two or more different production companies are working together, for example in a film production...
among companies from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It won the Genie Award for Best Canadian Film.
Plot
The 19th century patriarch of the Jewish Sonnenschein family is a tavern owner who distills and makes his own popular liquor. He is killed in a distilling explosion. His recipe is found in a cloth bound book in the rubble. From the recipe, the liquor, called "Taste of Sunshine," is commercially made by the next generation of the family who gain great wealth and prestige from the business. The family name "Sonnenschein" means "sunshine." That generation of the family lives many happy and privileged years and the children are highly educated.The oldest son, Ignatz (the first of 3 generational roles played by Ralph Fiennes), a fast rising judge, falls in love and has an affair with his first cousin, Valerie, against his father's specific orders. The second son, Gustave, becomes a medical doctor. Ignatz is asked by a chief judge to change his Jewish last name if he wishes to be promoted within the judiciary. Ignatz, his brother, and his cousin Valerie all happily change there last name to Sors - a "more Hungarian" and not Jewish name.
Ignatz and his cousin become pregnant and desire to get married. Ignatz' mother Rose strongly objects, asking Ignatz' father Emmanuel to forbid the marriage. Her justification is Valerie is only their niece and therefore she doesn't deserve equal standing compared to an immediate family member. Her prejudice goes so far as to lead her to curse Valerie and wish she not be able to have children. Ignatz and Valerie marry and give birth to a healthy son. Ignatz struggles with the political battles in turn of the century Hungary. He struggles with hiding his Jewish identity in order to rise within his profession and the higher social classes. Ignatz curses his brother for opposing the Hungarian Monarchical rule.
World War I breaks out and both brothers continue rise within their professional and military ranks. Both the Hungarian Emperor and Emmanuel die around the same time. These losses take a great toll on Ignatz. After the war is over, the liberal monarchy collapses, causing Ignatz to lose his judicial position. Gustave rises to a position of power in the emerging communist government. Compounding Ignatz conflicts, Valerie announces she plans to divorce Ignatz because he changed and did not become the man she thought he would become. In a rage of anger and confusion, Ignatz rapes Valerie.
Gustave offers Ignatz a position in the communist government, but Ignatz refuses to be a part of the policies of retribution against the previous members of the monarchy. Ignatz and his family are put under house arrest. Upon hearing this news, Valerie returns to be with her imprisoned family. Soon thereafter, foreign militaries intervene to overthrow the communist government. The new regime asks Ignatz to oversee trials of retribution against the communists. He declines and is forced to retire. His health deteriorates rapidly and he dies, still regularly fighting with Valerie.
The story turns to the next Sors generation: Ignatz' younger son, Adam Sors (Ralph Fiennes again), is talented at fencing at the Jewish run Civic Club. In order to compete at the highest levels of fencing, Adam must convert to Christianity because no Jews are allowed in the top military fencing club. Adam converts to Christianity and hides his Judaism further, like his father did before him. Adam is obsessed with winning social stature, athletic competitions, and his romantic pursuits, pursuing and marrying Hannah Wippler (Molly Parker), a woman who was already engaged to another man. He struggles with issues of personal pride in the face of constant religious prejudice. Adam wins the national fencing championship 2 years in a row. Adam and Hannah have a son, Ivan Sors.
Adam is offered half a million dollars by a group of Jewish financiers to rejoin his old Civic Club team. Adam refuses, not wanting to give up his chance at competing in the Olympics, not wanting to lose his association with the Christian upper class "gentlemen," and not wanting to be associated publicly with Jews. He responds to the offer by stressing fencing requires the common work of a team, and achievement in the sport cannot be gained from individual effort. The irony in his comments is what is unsaid: In order for him to be a part of a winning team, he must disassociate from the Jewish teams from generations of his family. Adam expresses to his sister-in-law, Greta (Rachel Weisz), his own anti-Semitic prejudicial perceptions and contempt toward "little" Jews who are "all the same." Adam, a Jew by heritage, soon thereafter is reminded that other non-Jewish military members of the Officer's Club fencing team still consider him a Jew and are looking for the first opportunity to harm him because he is a Jew.
Adam wins the decisive Olympic fencing match in 1936 Berlin, giving Hungary an Olympic gold medal and giving his military officer teammates and his countrymen great pride in their "national treasure" and "national hero." After winning, he is offered the chance to move to the U.S., to join a U.S. team. He declines, again preferring to be esteemed as a Hungarian. He is warned that Hungary is following in Nazi Germany's footsteps and he and his family should leave the country before it is too late. Adam chooses to stay in Hungary. Adam has a sexual affair with his sister-in-law Greta. Adam wishes to keep up appearances and his reputation, so he keeps the affair secret.
New Hungarian laws are passed by the parliament discriminating against people with any near Jewish ancestors. The Sors family feels buffeted by the knowledge their military service, Olympic medals, and other characteristics are allowed exceptions, allowing them to not be legally defined as Jews. This initially prevents them from being discriminated against as Jews. However, Adam is soon expelled from the military fencing club. Greta begs Adam to move with his family out of Hungary. Adam decides to stay. Greta then implores her entire family to leave Hungary, in order to save their children. The family decides to stay, wanting to maintain their existing wealth and standing, fearful that other places will not be substantially better than Hungary. Too late, the family is finally persuaded, but quotas are filled, borders are closed and they are not allowed to leave Hungary.
Adam's former military commander, General Jakofalvy, who is not anti-Semitic, realizes Sors' family is likely doomed. He apologizes to Adam, saying, "Sors, there's something I once said to you, that 'assimilation was the right choice.' I'd like to ask your forgiveness for having said that. I was profoundly wrong." Hannah, Adam's wife, likely knowing of the affair with Greta, and knowing her marriage to him creates one more Jewish association, asks Adam if he still wants to be married to her. Adam honorably and honestly says, "Yes, yes."
Germany occupies Hungary and Adam's wife and mother are immediately moved into the Budapest Ghetto. Hannah is killed sometime after being marched toward a concentration camp. Valerie, Adam's mother, escapes and hides in a friend's attic.
Adam and his son Ivan are sent to a labor camp. Adam is called out of the group by a camp guard because of Adam's proud demeanor and defiance, declaring he is a Hungarian military officer and Hungarian Olympic champion. The guards make an example out of him, stripping him naked in the snow, tying him upside down to a log, breaking his bones, and demanding he denounce his declarations of pride and instead cower because he is a Jew. They hose water on him until he dies, frozen in ice. Over a thousand Jewish prisoners, including his son Ivan, sit idle watching him slowly tortured to death. If they had coordinated their efforts, they could have easily overpowered the 13 armed guards and escaped the camp. (The events of the fictional character Adam Sors substantially mirror many real life events of Attila Petschauer, a Hungarian Jew who won an Olympic Gold medal with the Hungarian team and was later killed in a similar fashion, frozen with water while naked at the Davidovka concentration camp in 1943.)
Greta, István, and their son are dragged from their home and shot on the banks of the Danube river.
Valerie, and their long time family servant, return separately to the family home. Gustave Sors, Valerie's long separated brother, returns home to support the new Hungarian pro-Stalin communist government. Ivan also returns home, letting Valerie know her only son Adam was murdered in camp because Adam wouldn't admit he was a Jew. Ivan is ashamed he hid the fact he was Adam's son while he watched his father beaten to death.
Ivan gets a job with a local communist official, Andor Knorr (William Hurt), as a policeman, gathering up members of the previous "fascist" Hungarian political regime for prosecution. He hypocritically prosecutes others who, like Ivan, stood by and did nothing as others were persecuted. Ivan asks his interrogatees to write down names of their colleagues, trying to create an appearance of finding more government opposition members. Ivan rises quickly in the communist ranks. He has a sexual affair with Maj. Carole Kovács, the wife of a high ranking communist official.
Fears and suspicions grow quickly in the new Hungarian communist government, and as with previous regimes, Jews are feared to be inciting conspiracies against the government. Ivan is enlisted to hunt and indict Jews. Andor Knorr, a lifelong communist with Jewish heritage, is accused of being a leader of a Zionist conspiracy. Ivan harshly interrogates Knorr, seeking a confession, knowing that if he cannot obtain a false confession, then interrogation will likely be redirected to Ivan and his family. Knorr will not confess and is tortured to death.
Maj. Carole Kovács, fearing reprisals from being associated with Ivan, leaves him.
Ironically, Ivan is asked to speak at Knorr's funeral, where he shares a quote passed down through his Jewish family: "We are afraid to see clearly and of being seen clearly."
In 1956 the communist regime is challenged. Ivan has left the police force and is a leader of the rebellion. Ivan is arrested after the rebellion fails. He is interrogated in the same way he interrogated Knorr and is imprisoned for his political activities. Upon release, he returns to live with his grandmother Valerie. She tells him, "Politics has made a mess of our lives. Still, life was beautiful. I've enjoyed waking every morning. I've always tried to photograph what's beautiful in life, but it hasn't always been easy." While still looking for the missing family liquor recipe, she has a heart attack and dies soon thereafter.
The recipe book is never found, but when Ivan finally moves out of the family home, as with "Rosebud" in "Citizen Kane," the cloth bound recipe book is disposed of as one more unrecognized piece of family memorabilia. In the final scenes, Ivan changes his name from Sors back to Sonnenschein.
Cast
- Ralph FiennesRalph FiennesRalph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....
as Ignatz Sonnenschein / Adam Sors / Ivan Sors - Rosemary HarrisRosemary HarrisRosemary Ann Harris is an English actress and a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame. Throughout her career she has been nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and has won a Golden Globe, an Emmy, a Tony Award, an Obie, and five Drama Desk Awards.-Early life:Harris was born in...
as Valerie Sors - Rachel WeiszRachel WeiszRachel Hannah Weisz born 7 March 1970)is an English-American film and theatre actress and former fashion model. She started her acting career at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where she co-founded the theatrical group Cambridge Talking Tongues...
as Greta - Jennifer EhleJennifer EhleJennifer Ehle is an American actress of stage and screen. She is known for her BAFTA winning role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1995 mini-series Pride and Prejudice.-Early life:...
as Valerie Sonnenschein - Deborah Kara UngerDeborah Kara UngerDeborah Kara Unger is a Canadian actress. She is known for her roles in the films Crash , The Game , The Hurricane , White Noise , Silent Hill and 88 Minutes...
as Maj. Carole Kovács - Molly ParkerMolly ParkerMolly Parker is a Canadian actress, notable for her roles in Canadian and American independent films and the HBO television series Deadwood.Parker won a Genie Award in 1997 as Best Actress in a Leading Role for Kissed...
as Hannah Wippler - John Neville as Gustave Sors
- Mark StrongMark StrongMark Strong is an English actor, with a body of work in both films and television. He has performed in films as varied as Body of Lies, Syriana, The Young Victoria, Sherlock Holmes, RocknRolla, Stardust, and Kick-Ass...
as István Sors - James FrainJames FrainJames Dominic Frain is an English stage and screen actor. He is possibly best known for his role in the Showtime series The Tudors in which he appeared as Thomas Cromwell from 2007 to 2009, and for his role as vampire Franklin Mott in season three of the HBO drama True Blood, as well as his role...
as Gustave Sonnenschein - Miriam MargolyesMiriam MargolyesMiriam Margolyes, OBE is an English actress and voice artist. Her earliest roles were in theatre and after several supporting roles in film and television she won a BAFTA Award for her role in The Age of Innocence .-Early life:...
as Rose Sonnenschein - Bill Paterson as Minister of Justice
- Trevor PeacockTrevor PeacockTrevor Peacock is an English stage and television character actor. He was born in Tottenham, London, the son of Alexandria and Victor Edward Peacock.-Television and Film Career:...
as Comrade Gen. Kope - William HurtWilliam HurtWilliam McGill Hurt is an American stage and film actor. He received his acting training at the Juilliard School, and began acting on stage in the 1970s. Hurt made his film debut as a troubled scientist in the science-fiction feature Altered States , for which he received a Golden Globe nomination...
as Andor Knorr
Awards and nominations
- European Film Awards:
- Best Actor (Ralph FiennesRalph FiennesRalph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....
, winner) - Best Cinematographer (Lajos KoltaiLajos KoltaiLajos Koltai, ASC, HSC, is a Hungarian cinematographer and film director best known for his work with legendary Hungarian director Istvan Szabo, and Italian filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore...
, winner) - Best Film (nominee)
- Best Screenwriter (Israel HorovitzIsrael HorovitzIsrael Horovitz is an American playwright and screenwriter.-Theatre career:An American dramatist, Horovitz has written more than 70 produced plays, many of which have been translated and performed in more than 30 languages worldwide . The 70/70 Horovitz Project was created by NYC Barefoot Theatre...
and István SzabóIstván SzabóIstván Szabó is a Hungarian film director, screenwriter, and opera director.Szabó is the most internationally famous Hungarian filmmaker since the late 1960s. Working in the tradition of European, auteurist art cinema, he has made films that represent many of the psychological and political...
, winner)
- Best Actor (Ralph Fiennes
- Genie Awards:
- Best Actor (Ralph Fiennes, nominee)
- Best Actress (Jennifer EhleJennifer EhleJennifer Ehle is an American actress of stage and screen. She is known for her BAFTA winning role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1995 mini-series Pride and Prejudice.-Early life:...
, nominee) - Best Actress (Rosemary HarrisRosemary HarrisRosemary Ann Harris is an English actress and a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame. Throughout her career she has been nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and has won a Golden Globe, an Emmy, a Tony Award, an Obie, and five Drama Desk Awards.-Early life:Harris was born in...
, nominee) - Best Art Direction & Production Design (Attila KovácsAttila KovacsAttila Kovács is a former Hungarian sprinter, born in Szekszard. He is 11 times the Hungarian 100 metre Champion, and 4 times the 200 metre champion.-Best performances:* 100 m: 10"09 in Miskolc * 200 m: 20"11 in Miskolc...
, nominee) - Best Costume Design (Györgyi Szakács, nominee)
- Best Director (István Szabó, nominee)
- Best Film (winner)
- Best Music Score (Maurice JarreMaurice JarreMaurice-Alexis Jarre was a French composer and conductor.Although he composed several concert works, he is best known for his film scores, and is particularly known for his collaborations with film director David Lean. Jarre composed the scores to all of Lean's films since Lawrence of Arabia...
, nominee) - Best Overall Sound (winner)
- Best Sound Editing (winner)
- Best Supporting Actor (James FrainJames FrainJames Dominic Frain is an English stage and screen actor. He is possibly best known for his role in the Showtime series The Tudors in which he appeared as Thomas Cromwell from 2007 to 2009, and for his role as vampire Franklin Mott in season three of the HBO drama True Blood, as well as his role...
, nominee) - Best Supporting Actor (William HurtWilliam HurtWilliam McGill Hurt is an American stage and film actor. He received his acting training at the Juilliard School, and began acting on stage in the 1970s. Hurt made his film debut as a troubled scientist in the science-fiction feature Altered States , for which he received a Golden Globe nomination...
, nominee) - Best Supporting Actress (Deborah Kara UngerDeborah Kara UngerDeborah Kara Unger is a Canadian actress. She is known for her roles in the films Crash , The Game , The Hurricane , White Noise , Silent Hill and 88 Minutes...
, nominee) - Best Supporting Actress (Rachel WeiszRachel WeiszRachel Hannah Weisz born 7 March 1970)is an English-American film and theatre actress and former fashion model. She started her acting career at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where she co-founded the theatrical group Cambridge Talking Tongues...
, nominee)
- Golden Globe Awards:
- Best Director (István Szabó, nominee)
- Best Picture – Drama (nominee)
- Best Original Score (Maurice Jarre, nominee)
- Satellite AwardsSatellite AwardsThe Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards.- Film :*Best Actor – Drama*Best Actor – Musical or Comedy*Best Actress – Drama...
:- Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Drama (Jennifer Ehle, winner)
- Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Drama (Rosemary Harris, winner)