Sunshine (1999) User Reviews

Once, twice, three times a Ralph Fiennes

[Quinoa1984 · 7/10 · 14 July 2000]

This film gives Ralph Fiennes his best performance since Schindler's List here in a triple play as three characters in a 3 hour film. The story follows three generations of Hungarian jews, the first a traditional one, the second changing to Catholic, and the third to Communist, but all in the spirit of Hungarian ways. Exceptional film with Fiennes giving the control of the film by making it interesting for 3 hours (the second time he's done that). One of the better films (top 10-20) of the new year. A

A real winner!

[gazineo-1 · 8/10 · 2 August 2001]

Poignant, compelling and thoughtful movie about the story of a Jewish family in Hungary; the story starts in the beginning of the 20 century and cames along until the final years of the fifties. Almost perfect reconstruction in images of a time full of prejudice, hate and misunderstandings which made the Europe known for some historians as the "Dark Continent". Svabo manages to give a superb and passionate direction and all the cast is terrific, especially Fiennes and Harris. A bit too overlong, maybe, but extremely rewarding. I give this a 8 (eight).

Thought provoking

[ArizWldcat · 6/10 · 14 February 2003]

This movie never did come to theaters near me, so I had to settle for renting the DVD when it finally came out. The cast was outstanding...Fiennes and Ehle especially, but James Frain was also good. This was a thought provoking story, if a bit dark...realistic. Sunshine was a hard movie to watch yet the story was absorbing. I can recommend this, but be cautioned that it's not a cheerful story.

One Hundred Years of Sunshine

[Galina_movie_fan · 9/10 · 11 October 2005]

This historical epic/family drama from the master of Hungarian cinema, Istvan Szabo (Mephisto, 1981; Being Julia, 2004) is a wonderful and memorable film that has been overlooked, underrated and sadly under-seen.

This is a moving and always engrossing drama about one Jewish-Hungarian family that rises and falls throughout the 20th century. Ralph Fiennes is outstanding as the grandfather, the father and the grandson. All three - complex and tragic characters, victims of their times, politics and wars. I think it was a brilliant idea to cast one actor as a face of three generations of one family. If ever anyone attempts to adapt Marquez's "One Hundreds Years of Solitude", that's how it should be done, IMO.

"Sunshine" is three hours long but never for a minute had I felt it was too long or it was losing its power. It is a serious, thought-provoking film which is also a superb work of art.

9.5/10

An amazing historical portrait

[luby_matt · 10/10 · 3 September 2003]

I enjoy European history a great deal, but when my European history class tried to find a good modern European history movie this year, all we could think of was a bunch of war movies. Obviously, there is a lot more to modern Europe than watching snipers creep around Stalingrad and other such things.

In "Sunshine," I found an answer to my search. It is undoubtedly the best historical portrait of Europe from the late 19th-mid 20th century that I have ever come across. It does an EXCELLENT job of showing the emotions and realities of the progressions of Europe during this time. Since it is in Hungary, we are exposed to monarchy, fascism, and communism, all of which are portrayed vividly.

As if the history was not enough, the movie is wonderful in other ways as well. Ralph Fiennes has the opportunity to showcase an amazing range of emotions and personalities in this movie, as he plays three different characters. It was also pure genius on the part of the movie staff to cast a real life mother and daughter to play the same woman at various stages of her life.

Great movie, I highly recommend it.

Ralph Fiennes.

[thechosen1 · 29 November 2002]

Ok, this is my third comment about a Ralph Fiennes movie in just under a week...five days to be precise. If there ever was a role on this earth that he could not play, I haven't seen it yet...or putting it simply, such a role has never been written. Ralph Fiennes is extraordinary as all three characters that he plays in this film. Characters who are completely different from one another, with different ideals and different beliefs. His dialogue delivery, his expressions, everything is marvellous. His eyes say it all. This role should've given him an Oscar nomination. When he smiles, you smile, when he cries, you cry. He is just a brilliant, brilliant actor.

The movie was very interesting, though very depressing at times. It gave some interesting views on the treatment of the Jews during World War II and the progression of Fienne's character from one generation to the next and how the current situation of the world in each character's time contributed to his thinking and views of the world.

Supported by an exceptional cast... Rosemary Harris, Rachel Weisz (I wanted her role to be a little longer), Jennifer Ehle, William Hurt. Very good movie. Highly recommended. ****/*****

A Big, Gussied Up Soap Opera

[evanston_dad · 7/10 · 8 August 2007]

Istvan Szabo's "Sunshine" aspires to be an epic, but it doesn't have the ideas to support its epic length.

It's a decent enough movie, and Ralph Fiennes gives a characteristically good performance in a monster-sized role, but the subject matter (which covers family strife, revolutions, war and the Holocaust) gives the movie an aura of importance that it doesn't deserve. What Szabo has given us more than anything else is a grand soap opera, a kind of modern-day "Doctor Zhivago." Nothing necessarily wrong with that, but it's not a movie that screams classic.

Grade: B+

Compelling, powerful and insightful

[FlickJunkie-2 · 9/10 · 13 August 2001]

`Sunshine' is a forceful and wonderful film that follows four generations of a Jewish Hungarian family through seventy tumultuous years of Hungarian history. The story is extremely well done with rich finely etched characters. The screenplay is better suited for a miniseries than a three hour film simply because there is so much material to cover. Three hours is both too long and too short; the story is emotionally exhausting making it too long for one sitting, yet the total length is not long enough to do the subject matter justice.

Hungarian Writer/Director Istvan Szabo captures Hungary's turbulent transition from empire to fascist state to soviet satellite weaving the history of the times into the lives of this extraordinary family. He puts a human face on the historical facts giving us a disturbingly real look at what it might have been like to live through it, especially from the Jewish perspective.

Despite a whirlwind pace that requires years to be spanned in minutes, Szabo manages to conjure deep and insightful character studies of the members of each generation. His period renderings are exquisite from costumes to props to locations. This is a wonderfully textured presentation with history layered over the human stories, addressing the many indignities suffered by Jews in Hungary during the period, and the many concessions made to merely stay alive. It is a story that contains both triumph and tragedy, presented with amazing candor.

Ralph Fiennes gives three incredible performances as the grandfather, father and son of the patriarchy. Szabo has endured criticism for casting the same actor in three roles, but in this case it is an excellent choice. Fiennes is a versatile artist and personalizes three radically different characters, slipping on their personalities like a glove. He loses himself in each, rendering them all passionately but appropriately based on the motivations established in Szabo's careful character development. With Szabo's guidance, it is clear that Fiennes has an inherent understanding of the psyche of his three characters and plays them with believable nuance.

Two different actresses play Valerie and each is splendid. Jennifer Ehle plays the young Valerie and endows her with ardor and vivacity. She establishes Valerie as the strongest continuing character in the film, providing linkage between the past and the present. In another stroke of casting brilliance, Szabo selects Ehle's real life mother, Rosemary Harris as the elder Valerie. The clear resemblance linked with Harris' magnetic performance adds fullness to Valerie's later years. William Hurt and James Frain lead an ensemble of strong supporting actors that give the film great intensity and depth of talent.

This thoughtful and emotionally provocative character study is engrossing and compelling. I rated it a 9/10 only because I wish Szabo would have gone deeper and divided it into two or three installments. On a dramatic and artistic level, this film is first rate.

Very moving but flawed

[Daniel Karlsson · 6/10 · 25 May 2003]

I found this movie very enjoyable, with quality above average but not masterly. Maybe mostly because I am half Hungarian I found this film extremely moving. The story is ok and I disagree that it's overlong. Some parts were very good, and I looked the historical material. But there are also several flaws. It doesn't feel entirely genuine. In the first part everything's too clean to be believable and so are the costumes and other things. The acting is ok but nothing special. I just disliked the grandmother who was way too British and 0% Hungarian, happy when her grandson's in jail and all and with that annoying smile it felt like I was watching the commercial for Werther's Originals. And the love stories...fine but did they all have to be on the theme 'already married with your brother'? I also terrible missed Hungarian dialogues...I guess this way it gets bigger audience, but artisticly...

3/5.

Three hours of treat

[Macrofun · 9/10 · 1 February 2002]

Now I am sorry that I missed to see this film on a big movie screen. Beautiful cinematography, great story and excellent performances. During watching the movie, being Hungarian, I kept asking myself: A complete, intriguing story - but is it as appealing to people from other countries, particularly outside Europe as it is for me to watch my country's history throughout the 19th and 20th century? I was pleasantly surprised and flattered that people from Colombia or New Zealand have found interest in the history of this small nation although, considering the length of it as well as the fact that this tale is limited to follow a story of one small country, I can understand the reviewers who found it boring. But then again the fact that the story is being taken place in Hungary is only one side of the coin and the rest of the strong messages can be applied to any people in any nations.

A masterful but bloated "white elephant" epic.

[=G= · 7/10 · 11 May 2001]

"Sunshine" follows a Jewish-Hungarian family through its 19th century generations, leapfrogging through time, and serving up history along with its tale of ambition, success, persecution, infidelity, etc. A masterful production which attempts to cram too much into its 2.6 hr run time such that nothing is done sufficiently. The result is a "jack-of-all-trades" film which masters none and should be relegated to the grave yard of white elephant films. Nonetheless worth a watch for film buffs, fans, and anyone interested in 19th century Hungary.

wonderful movie depicting the tragic history Hungary

[alex_sternchen · 10/10 · 28 October 2006]

Sunshine wonderfully depicts the waves of politics that have affected Hungary and led to its tragic history as well as how these political regimes affected Hungarians.

Even if specifically focusing on a Jewish family I do think many of the struggles can be universally applied to Hungarians or Central/Eastern Europeans.

This is however not just a history lesson but a touching and emotional account of a family's struggle through the times. The acting is impressive and choosing Ralph Fiennes for the leading role was a great move as he has already studies the culture and the meaning of being Hungarian for the English patient.

Definitely worth watching!

The holocaust a a hungaian family eoic

[barevfilm · 7/10 · 24 February 2019]

The big Hungarian film of 1999 was the latest offering from veteran helmer Istvan Szabo, the historical drama Sunshine (A napfény ize ). This was a large scale international production featuring such distinguished non-Hungarian actors as Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weiss, and William Hurt. Szabo was back in top form and clearly aiming to break out of the strictures of the Hungarian film world to hit the international market. At a running time of 3 hours this was an epic in every sense. Ralph Fiennes delivers three incredible performances as the grandfather, father and son of an influential Jewish family, and was particularly outstanding playing the Hungarian Olympic fencer, a Jew who converts to Christianity for personal convenience. A tripartite tour de force. Szabo must be given extra credit for turning foreign actors into believable Hungarians. Not an easy task. Mr. Fiennes was on a roll throughout the decade of the nineties with such landmark films as Schindler's List (1993) and The English Patient (1996) to his credit. Sunshine follows a Jewish family whose original Surname is "Sonnenschein" (Sunshine, later changed to "Sors"which means Fate in Hungarian) through three generations. Rising from humble beginnings to a position of wealth and power in the crumbling Austro-Hungarian Empire the patriarch of the clan becomes a prominent judge but is deposed when the government sanctions anti-Jewish persecutions. His son converts to Christianity to advance his career as a champion fencer and Olympic hero, but is caught up in the Holocaust. Finally, the grandson, after surviving war, revolution, loss and betrayal, realizes that his ultimate allegiance must be to himself and his family heritage. Sunshine premiered at the 1999 Toronto film festival where it picked up numerous Canadian Genie Awards and then circulated successfully in the States but for some reason, perhaps the multiple nationality of the production making it hard to place, was not entered in the Oscar competition for Best Foreign Film.

sunny intervals, prolonged cloud

[paul2001sw-1 · 4/10 · 16 February 2003]

Sazbo's film Sunshine is an old fashioned family epic, telling the story of five generations of middle-class, physically attractive Hungarian Jews, from the last days of empire up until the present. The men of the family (three of them played by Ralph Feinnes!) are invariably emotionally repressed; the women both sensual and strong. The same dilemmas repeat themselves over and over: to what extent to assimilate and compromise; whether to conform or revolt. The grand historical sweep helps maintain interest; but inevitably leads to an absence of tautness in the plot, which unfolds linearly for over three hours.

The film has other problems too. A largely Anglophile cast struggles to convince as central Europeans; the dialogue is wooden and didactic; while potentially mighty tales are clumsily reduced to a few sequential scenes presenting merely a schematic outline, often in a heavy-handed and obvious manner. In some ways this is history as written in the textbooks; slightly impersonal, with emblematic characters chosen to accentuate each lesson. It's thus powerful as a reminder of the truth; less so if viewed as fiction.

I liked the understated use of Schubert in the soundtrack. But a film this long needs more coherence and passion. File under "worthy but dull".

Magnificent, an epic portrayal of the twentieth century

[robert-temple-1 · 10/10 · 13 July 2008]

This superb film by Istvan Szabo is everything one could have hoped for from him. He and Marta Meszaros have been the leading Hungarian film directors for decades. This is his masterpiece. Nearly three hours long (although eight minutes have been cut from the released version for the DVD version), it still seems incomplete, as if it should have been a six-hour television series. It is in the great tradition of German and Central European 'family saga' stories, of which the most famous is the novel 'Buddenbrooks' by Thomas Mann. Although the family in this film is Jewish, named Sonnenschein ('sunshine'), this is absolutely not a holocaust film. There are no scenes in concentration camps, but one extremely harrowing scene at a round-up point for Jews bound for one. If the Jewish theme is anything, it is that of the futility of attempts at assimilation. The Sonnenscheins of Hungary do everything they can to assimilate, changing their name to Sors (a Hungarian name), and even converting to Roman Catholicism. But it is all to no avail. The anti-Semitism is so ubiquitous, so relentless, so maniacal, that all efforts are dashed. However, the Nazi era is just one era in this family saga. We are taken through the Imperial era, and later the Communist Era both pre-1956 and post-1956 up to 'the present'. Ralph Fiennes accomplishes one of the greatest feats possible, of playing three successive generations of men of the same family! He does this with total success, and thereby proves himself a true acting genius. Valerie Sonnenschein/Sors is played when young by Jennifer Ehle, and when old by her real-life mother, Rosemary Harris. It is hard to remember a finer performance by either. Szabo must be a truly inspiring director for his actors. This film was very personal to him, and the huge flat where the Sonneschein/Sors family live is the one where Szabo himself grew up as a child. Bill Paterson delivers a wonderful performance, and as someone who is so quintessentially British, to appear successfully as a Hungarian was an astonishing feat. Rachel Weisz gives an intense and passionate performance, as one would expect from her. The story is original from Szabo, who did the first version of the script, but the final screenplay was evidently by that friend of my youth, Israel (Artie') Horovitz. I still have the hand-mimeographed copy he gave me of what I believe was his first one-act play, 'The Hanging of Emmanuel', asking for my opinion at the time. I can give him one of this film now: if he had done nothing else in his lifetime but write this magnificent screenplay, he could walk tall and proud through all of his days. If only this film could be shown in schools, to educate the ignorant young who now know nothing about what happened more than five minutes ago! This film is a testament, and testaments are what we need above all today when he have a failure of collective memory in society, and when people live only in a present of a few minutes' duration, oblivious of both past and future as if they were dumb beasts or even insensate plants.

Significant, powerful, and brilliantly/beautifully executed

[ebyrne · 27 August 2000]

One of the best films I've seen in many years. Long by current standards, but my interest/involvement never lagged for a moment. It works on many levels, all of which examine and ultimately show the futility of assimilation, given how unstable and unreliable is any governmental structure with which one attempts to identify. Effort to assimilate across generations in Hungary becomes increasingly demanding as the lived world becomes ever more dehumanizing and brutal. Fiennes has never been better in cross-generational roles, and others excellent as well. But a woman is the censor and conscience across time.

Holocaust Fatigue?

[[e-mail] · 9/10 · 8 February 2005]

Schindler's List was apparently enough for most film goers. "Sunshine," superior to "Schindler" in many respects, got fewer accolades and much less attention. Why do I think "Sunshine" is superior to "Schindler?" Primarily because it tells the story of the Holocaust through the lens of a single family whose pre-Holocaust history gives a dimension and depth to the tragedy of that family that "Schlinder" is incapable of providing because of its quite different narrative strategy and focus. To be sure, "Schindler's" narrative sweep affords a greater sense than "Sunshine" of the scope of the slaughter. But "Sunshine" stands in relation to "Schindler" as a novel stands to a work of history. One brings the insights offered by individual tragedies, the other brings more of a societal perspective. The best "Holocaust" film, however, remains in this viewer's opinion, "The Pawnbroker" with Rod Stieger, which had an even narrower focus than "Sunshine" and brought the horror of the Holocaust to life by exploring the emotional desolation/death suffered by a single survivor. A truly great film.

too much for one sitting

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 15 November 2015]

12 year old Emmanuel Sonnenschein left his village in the Austro-Hungarian Empire after his father died in a distillery explosion. Using his father's recipe, he creates a successful brew called "Taste of Sunshine" in Budapest. He has two sons Ignatz (Ralph Fiennes) and Gustave (James Frain). He also adopts his orphan niece Valerie (Jennifer Ehle). Ignatz becomes a prominent judge and marries Valerie. Gustave becomes a communist. The family struggles continue over the years as Ralph Fiennes plays different characters in each generation of Sonnenschein.

This is a big ambitious movie. The idea of playing three generations within the same family may be compelling to Fiennes but they may be better off doing a trilogy. This could be also be a good TV series. There is simply too much material to contain in one sitting. Nevertheless Ralph Fiennes does a great job and the sweep of the whole experience is quite compelling.

A movie for the ages.

[mwahlber2001 · 9/10 · 20 April 2003]

Can't believe this movie isn't more widely known. An epic drama that covers 5 generations of one family and ultimately delivers a powerful message about the true "recipe" for sunshine in life, and the importance of standing up for who and what you are.

Fiennes shines as a hungarian in in triple role

[barevfilm · 7/10 · 28 September 2018]

The historical drama Sunshine (A napfény ize ) was a large scale international production featuring such distinguished non-Hungarian actors as Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weiss, and William Hurt. Szabo was back in top form and clearly aiming to break out of the strictures of the Hungarian film world to hit the international market. At a running time of 3 hours this was an epic in every sense. Ralph Fiennes delivers three incredible performances as the grandfather, father and son of an influential Jewish family, and was particularly outstanding playing the Hungarian Olympic fencer, a Jew who converts to Christianity for personal convenience. A tripartite tour de force. Szabo must be given extra credit for turning foreign actors into believable Hungarians. Not an easy task. Mr. Fiennes was on a roll throughout the decade of the nineties with such landmark films as Schindler's List (1993) and The English Patient (1996) to his credit. Sunshine follows a Jewish family whose original Surname is "Sonnenschein" (Sunshine, later changed to "Sors"which means Fate in Hungarian) through three generations. Rising from humble beginnings to a position of wealth and power in the crumbling Austro-Hungarian Empire the patriarch of the clan becomes a prominent judge but is deposed when the government sanctions anti-Jewish persecutions. His son converts to Christianity to advance his career as a champion fencer and Olympic hero, but is caught up in the Holocaust. Finally, the grandson, after surviving war, revolution, loss and betrayal, realizes that his ultimate allegiance must be to himself and his family heritage. Sunshine premiered at the 1999 Toronto film festival where it picked up numerous Canadian Genie Awards and then circulated successfully in the States but for some reason, perhaps the multiple nationality of the production making it hard to place, was not entered in the Oscar competition for Best Foreign Film.

This epic crowns the legendary career of Istvan Szabo

[cubano · 10/10 · 1 July 2000]

SUNSHINE, the latest epic from arguably Central Europe's greatest living director of his generation, crowns a distinguished career. Many details of his earlier work, including the Sonnenschein name for the Jewish family (from the name of the Hungarian Imperial Jewish Doctor in COLONEL REDL) are evident; particularly themes and period touches from his brilliant trilogy, MEPHISTO, COLONEL REDL, HANUSSEN). OK. So Klaus Maria is missing. He is really unique. But who better than the brilliant Ralph Fiennes (awarded the 1999 European Best Actor "Oscar" for this performance last December)as the lead "Sunshine" patriarch? Make that three "Sunshine/Sors/Sonnenschein" patriarchs, all with their own nuances, all very in tune with his period, and character. And who better to play the "Sunshine" matriarch than the recent Tony winner Jennifer Ehle, as the younger Matriarch, followed by her own (obviously look alike) mother, the great Rosemary Harris, as her older self? The film is full of masterful strokes like these. After an Oscar-qualifying run in late December, the film was just re-released (I saw it in New York ten days ago), and will be expanding throughout America soon. Don't miss this masterpiece on the big screen, where it can really be appreciated.

Pleasant, but long blend, you don't see everyday.

[vasco_cid · 6/10 · 7 February 2002]

To all of those who like to see family dramas, epic stories and Ralph Fiennes fanatics. The Best: The performances (play close attention on Rachel Weisz's character Greta), the script, the directing... The Worst: The director didn't maintain the rhythm, while some scenes and sequences are strong, powerful and beautiful as some others are lousy and slow, which may drive some viewers confused or bored. Rating: 6 out of 10

Life vs. Politics

[madshell · 10/10 · 29 April 2002]

An astounding film about a Hungarian family with the recipe for the spice of life, and how the changing times force them on both sides of political dogma to try and retain their pride. Ralph Fiennes is amazing, going from character to character in different times, showing emotional range, yet thematic continuity.

TV mini-series on the big screen

[davek28 · 6/10 · 14 May 2000]

It has its moments, but I'd have preferred this film to be broken up into three parts and shown on TV. I probably wouldn't have tuned into parts 2 and 3, though. Each time Ralph Fiennes came to the end of a life, he was resurrected again for another go. The end credits should have read "Game Over".

I'm sure it has a great deal of meaning for those with families which lived through these turbulent times, but as entertainment it was a mediocre movie with symbolism laid on with a trowel (thorns in feet - broken dishes, etc).

I was also expecting Dr.Zhivago in Budapest, and wasn't disappointed when it came to composer Maurice Jarre, as he almost repeated parts of his 1960's film score.

I hope I never see Ralph Fiennes in a film again. I find him cold and soulless.

Beautiful Looking Didactic View of History

[noralee · 5/10 · 8 October 2005]

During the almost 3 hours of "Sunshine" I had plenty of time to think about how Ralph Fiennes seems to be made to make period pictures unlike say Harvey Keitel and Kevin Costner who were wincible in theirs.

Fiennes bares all for penance for his "Schindler's List" character in this lavish look at 3 generations of a Jewish family in Hungary as they try to assimilate vs. never-ending anti-Semitism. Fiennes plays all 3 generations of males in the family as they accommodate with imperialism, fascism and communism-- and gee not once does anyone say "You look so much like your father!", though the all senior citizen audience guffawed by his 3rd appearance. But then they also guffawed that all the repetitive sex is the same through the century, lustful attacks on the sly with much frantic clothes removal, and unflattering camera angles up the nose.

Tony-nommed mother and daughter team Jennifer Ehle and Rosemary Harris breathe tremendous life into the movie as the younger and older self of a fulcrum character, which Fiennes did less often because his characters were so repressed. I'm not sure if it was intentional that each of the 3 generations had the same personality so that the viewer tells them apart by their facial hair and costumes (well, when he's wearing clothes).

In more ways than one this reminded me of "The Marriage of Maria Braun," a bitingly satirical German film that made similar points with humor on the same theme as "Meet the New Boss, same as the Old Boss."

The script, co-written by the director and Israel Horowitz, I assume the playwright, is too didactic in making its points, but the philosophical decision points it focuses on in history are interesting, trying to identify when and about what people should take a stand or go along.

The look is even beyond Merchant/Ivory retro feasts, absolutely beautiful settings, costumes, a visual feast. For example, a scene from the 1936 Olympics mingles newsreel film with ersatz recreated newsreel film and new color scenes as the camera follows the crowds in Nazi uniforms.

I stayed through all the credits but the locations weren't identified -- where is that sumptuous Ministry of "Justice"? (originally written 6/25/2000)