György Illés

Return Ticket (1997)

Five old men and a kid are travelling in a train's cabin without purpose. They travel because it's free and they don't have another place to stay. From their conversations we learn the tragedies of their lives. Also the hidden interlockings of their faith ...

Giddy Vacations (1987)

A family of boisterous children expect their father to organize a really exciting holiday. So when the chance comes up of spending it on a boat, the Ramona, it seems that the problem is solved. ...

The Enchanted Dollar (1986)

Tomboy accidentally found a fake dollar and gave it to detective Droplet. The operation is headed by Maj. Kardos. Now they have to investigate the crime in order to find and neutralize the counterfeiters. ...

The House-Warming (1983)

The elite of political and business life of the country town gather to celebrate the namesday of László in the luxury villa. Everything begins just as usual, but now an incident disturbs the stag party. ...

Run with Me! (1982)

Kohán Imre, an adolescent kid under state care, is taken to the school resort house in the Bükk mountains with tuberculosis. He falls in love with Nurse Katica, not much older than him, and she makes friends with this open and sincere boy. Imre also find ...

Requiem (1982)

When a young boy comes in to see a doctor abourt a red mark on his face, the doctor's wife welcomes him into the consulting room instead. As they talk, she offers him something to eat and then notes that his manner of eating is just like that of her previo ...

Temporary Paradise (1981)

1943. French POWs escape through Hungary towards the Balkan. Jacques and Gérard are caught and taken to an internment camp at Lake Balaton. Jacques meets Klári here, who was abandoned by her military officer husband for her Jewish origin. Both want to ha ...

Bálint Fábián Meets God (1980)

1918. Fábián Bálint is forced to kill humans on the Italian front. At home his sons drown the priest, the lover of their mother, in the river Kraszna. Mrs. Fábián turns insane. Following his arrival home Bálint becomes the liveried coachman of the ba ...

A Bright Star at the Stake (1979)

This film takes place in Paris and Geneva in the 1530s and 1550s. Kálvin János and Szervét Mihály are school mates in Paris. The university students celebrate the victory of the Reformation with Kálvin's "Institution", written under a pseudonym. ...

Hungarians (1978)

A group of landless Hungarian peasants accept work as migrant-laborers on a farm in northern Germany where the wages are good, and the wives and family are allowed to accompany them. Though it is in the midst of World War II, they are relatively well-off. ...

Legato (1977)

The university student couple, Andris and Mari, cross Nemesbérc during their summer vacation, to hasten the laying of a memorial stone to the memory of András's martyr father. ...

Black Diamond (1977)

Iván Berend is a nobleman from the countryside, owner of considerable wealth. If necessary, he duels and plays cards like his fellow gentry, if necessary, he dances and compliments like most cavaliers. But far from him is this high life. He prefers to lec ...

The Fifth Seal (1976)

In 1944 Budapest, one of a group of four friends poses a hypothetical moral question to the others, an act that will unexpectedly alter their lives forever. ...

Legenda a nyúlpaprikásról (1975)

Gazsi, the protagonist of the novel, comes from the very edge of the society of the small village; he is an unliveable, helpless, simple-minded person. The only thing he dreams of is a rabbit paprika. However, when the dream could come true, as he takes pa ...

141 Minutes from the Unfinished Sentence (1975)

This lavishly spectacular film focuses on the character of Lőrinc Parcen Nagy from the 1200-page Tibor Déry novel interwoven with numerous autobiographical elements. Lőrinc Parcen Nagy is the offspring of an upper middle class family, whose life is mar ...

The Pendragon Legend (1974)

Bátky János a 20th century intellectual studies the secret of the Rosicrucians in London libraries during the day and in the evening takes pleasure in the "decent" everyday joys offered by the fair sex. He gets involved in the wildest ghost-story in the ...

Seven Tons of Dollar (1973)

Luciano, the clown of a circus, can predict who will win in the snooker. His mathematical algorithm seems to be working in every gamble provided that the gamma factor is present. This latter is a woman in the bed. He uses his special skill for his country ...

One Day More or Less (1973)

Baradla Géza, war criminal, returns after 25 years, with his ex-accomplice, Obrád Simon, to the village where he burned houses with people inside and executed partisans. The ex squad-leader is chased to this place by his "heroic deed" and the memory of h ...

Fallow Land (1973)

The story of the film with a touch of journalistic atmosphere takes place in the autumn 1919 after the fall of the proletarian dictatorship. The main figure is Zilahy Kálmán, a high-school teacher, very much attracted to Ady's ideology. He is, at the sam ...

Ants' Nest (1971)

The head of the nunnery is dying, and the members are divided in two groups as the election of the new head approaches. Led by Virginia, the younger nuns stand up for changing the strict religious dogmas and would like a modern school with genuine science, ...

It's Me, Jerome (1970)

The main characters of this satiric story poking fun at domestic labour ethic are two cleaners of the mains. Jeromos and his son drop in to doctor Katona's in order to clean the shit pit decorating the end of the garden. During the day work is being done i ...

A Rose Garden of Six Acres (1970)

Aunt Ilka, who likes company, opens her house standing in the middle of a six-acre rose garden in the little town for the golden youth of the town. As a result of her benevolence, the tenants are in the position to adore not only the roses but a nice bunch ...

A Journey Around My Skull (1970)

The film is a story of a double journey. The main character of the first journey is the author himself, who, while sitting in his customary café, suddenly realises that he has hallucinations. The psychologist reassures him that all this is merely repressi ...

The Toth Family (1969)

The Toth family resides in Northern Hungary. The couple has a daughter and a son, the latter a member of the armed forces. When his weary major is ordered to take a vacation, the son talks him into a visit to his family home. Comedy ensues when the Toths g ...

Impostors (1969)

This grotesque historical film is a caricature of the narrow-minded and careerist oligarchs of the 20s. A young military officer stops the young jurist from killing himself and recommends him to his commander, lieutenant-colonel Doborján as a typist. ...

The Lion is Ready to Jump (1969)

SS doctor during the war worked on the serum of cancer, but discovered a terrible poison, one vial is enough to kill 100 000 people. 20 years after the war, the old Nazi gets out of prison, and the hunt for him and his discovery begins. ...

The Boys of Paul Street (1969)

In Budapest, two rival gangs of young boys lay claim to a vacant lot. The hostilities escalate yet never quite boil over into actual violence. ...

The Lost Generation (1968)

The engineer Ambrus has been suspended in his job because he publicly called the attention of the customers to a construction mistake of some goods designed to be exported. His immediate boss learns the news on a business trip to Paris. He meets his old fr ...

Late Season (1967)

Kerekes believes he is wanted by the police when his friends play a practical joke in this unusual comedy drama. He returns to his hometown where he was accused of turning a Jewish druggist and the druggist's wife over to the Nazis. With his friends follow ...

The Golden Kite (1966)

The film is put at the beginning of the century in Sárszeg, following the humiliation and collapse of a high-school teacher. ...

Cyclists in Love (1965)

When András, Albert and Bence are on a cycling tour around Lake Balaton, their dreams come true. Sunshine, beach and pretty girls. András and his younger brother run after the same girl, Eszter. András persuade his brother not to pinch the girl. András ...

Skylark (1965)

Based on a novel by Dezso Kosztolani, this Hungarian drama is set at the turn of the 20th century. A young, homely woman lives at home with her mother and retired father. Because of all the care the girl provides for her parents, the couple becomes detache ...

Twenty Hours (1965)

A crusading newspaper reporter covers the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956. Initially critical of the communists, the feature later espouses the virtues of the social changes implemented since the invasion. The title refers to the period of time the repo ...

His Majesty's Dates (1964)

The chroniclers are diligently scribbling the history of life and deeds of the virtuous and wise King Matthias, who, in the meantime, sneaks out of the palace in disguise. Instead of attending a boring reception of the imperial deputies and papal legates, ...

Collision (1964)

Terpinkó, the bragging man of muscle likes womanising linked with betting: conquering is a great fun for him. He bet one to a hundred on his new boss, Éva. But the wife of the engineer handles all his tricks with annoying benevolence. Terpinkó falls in ...

Dialogue (1963)

The film depicts the period between 1945-60 through the life of a communist couple. Barna Judit, just released from a concentration camp and Horváth László, with an illegal past are brought together by the communist movement. They study and make plans t ...

Every Day - Sunday (1962)

Jirka is a composer, his wife, Jana, a pianist. Jana would like to have an own concert, but so far she has only been selected to accompany Valenta during his concerts in Budapest. After some resentments, she accepts the proposal. ...

The Fanatics (1962)

Bene, tired of the professional battles of engineers and trying to escape a ship-wrecked marriage, asks to be transferred to the country. The gravest problem of the sandy region in Nagyalföld (Great Hungarian Plain) is the shortage of water. The tireless ...

Just a Joke (1961)

The grey hero of grey workdays, the divorced cashier of a cinema who is always willing to sacrifice herself for others, Etelka, is awarded a two-week-holiday at Lake Balaton. Following the advice of her female friend, she tries to live life at full speed. ...

A Girl Was Killed (1961)

During World War I, an ancient feud divides the industrial area in the county of Nógrád. The workers of the steal factory start a strike, but the miners do not support their cause. Sanyi from the steal factory and Ilonka from the mining community fall in ...

Test Trip (1961)

Vetró János, the lorry driver, is an alcoholic. His marriage is in pieces, his wife has a lover. Their son suffers an accident. The next day his wife moves out. In his desperation, Vetró drinks even more, and leaves his work as well. ...

Don't Keep Off the Grass (1960)

Daddy Kárász, the stakhanovist worker, complains in a television interview about the fact that his family, consisting of many members, cannot get a home on their own. Kéri, the chairman of the local authority, promises to help him on the condition that ...

It's a Long Way Home (1960)

Csepel, 1945. The Csűrös family, in addition to their three children, give accommodation to the orphaned Jóska, although they themselves struggle with difficult circumstances. The boy lends a helping hand in the factory during the days. ...

Calvary (1960)

Following his wedding, Feri left the co-operative and is now working on the land of his father-in-law. Tóth is extremely wilful and thrifty, working from early morning to late night, pushing his family as well. ...

Fatia Negra (1959)

The old, sickly Demeter Lapussa is a tyrant in the family. He forces his granddaughter, the beautiful Henriette, to marry baron Hátszegi, although the girl loves the penniless Vámhidy Szilárd. The two lovers attempt to commit suicide, then are torn away ...

Sleepless Years (1959)

The "sleepless years" in this propaganda piece by director Felix Marlassy occur on Csepel Island, an island south of Budapest that is home to an armaments factory. The factory workers are shown being exploited by imperialists, capitalists gone berserk, and ...

The House Under the Rocks (1959)

Three people – a returned prisoner of war, his beautiful second wife, and the possessive, hunchbacked spinster who is his sister-in-law by his first marriage – are isolated in a little house under an extinct volcano, where each strives for personal hap ...

St. Peter's Umbrella (1958)

A comedy about a lost inheritance, love and a red umbrella, which, according to a local legend, belonged to St. Peter himself. ...

Danse Macabre (1958)

Life is on in the old house of Vizváros. Kids play on the ground. The adopted son of the janitor, Matyi, is hopelessly in love with Juli. He would like to emigrate to America with her. She prefers Janó, the driver, a great womaniser. ...

Gala Dinner (1956)

Varsa engineer receives the Kossuth award for his excellent work. His career once began at the family enterprise of his wife, so the woman invites her relatives for a dinner party. ...

The Empire Gone With A Sneeze (1956)

The tyrannical king is afraid of his people. He can only find peace if everyone wishes him well when he sneezes. Catchpoles raid the country and give orders what the king wants. ...

The bridge of life (1956)

The war is over, but the Bodog family is starving. Varg's neighbor takes Mihai Bodog with him to do restoration work. They are well paid for this work and Mihai can finally please his wife Erji and their young son. When the workers are later hired to build ...

Ward No. 9 (1955)

The young worker Tóth Gáspár gets into hospital with stomachache. During the night his state is worsening. The doctor on duty, Málnási does not attend the patient despite the call of the nurse, for he spends the night with nurse Margó. ...

Springtime in Budapest (1955)

At Christmas Eve in 1944 the runaway Pintér and Gozsó get through the Soviet blockade around Budapest. Pintér intends to hide in a flat abandoned by his own relatives, but he finds his relatives called the Turnovszkys, who are hiding the Jewish Jutka as ...

Keep Your Chin Up! (1954)

On the Spring of 1945 the Jackson circus is heading towards the border with the clown Peti and Aida, the elephant. They have to play for the Hungarian Fascists, while Peti is hiding the Jew Annuska and Sanyika. ...

Penny (1953)

The story of a young servant girl who comes to work on the construction site of a large-scale industrial settlement. She decides to embark on an independent life, runs away from her foster parents, gets on a train and sets out to earn money. Modest and shy ...

Young at Heart (1953)

In the vocational school the professionally excellent Dani János works on his own invention in his leisure time, but he does not like learning. However, even his own father learns in the evenings, he will become a teacher. ...

The Storm (1952)

Vörös Hajnal (Red Dawn), a co-operative is the venue of skylarking, while the storm destroys the wheat which is to be harvested soon. Árendás, a middle-peasant, voices severe accusations against members of the co-operative: out of negligence, they fail ...

Try and Win (1952)

Pista Rácz, bearer of the title "outstanding workman" is opposed to all forms of sport, and is especially antagonized by Jóska Teleki, a first-class sportsman, who seems to be a drawback for Rácz's brigade in terms of work quantity performance figures. ...

Tüzkeresztség (1952)

This propaganda film from the early years of socialist transformation in Hungary depicts kulak sabotage in production cooperatives. The prosperous peasant Ignatz Hato, one of the best farmers in the village, joins the Two Octobers cooperative, and soon all ...

Liberated Land (1951)

Jóska has become a Communist in the Csillag prison in Szeged. In the meantime, Gábor successfully talks people in Jóska's native village out of joining the German-led Hungarian army. ...

We Took Over the Cause of Peace (1950)

One of the earliest works of the outstanding Hungarian director Miklós Jancso was filmed by him in collaboration with Dezho Koza and Gyula Meszáros as a documentary short film dedicated to the propaganda of building socialism in Hungary. ...

Anna Szabó (1949)

A female worker in Socialist Hungary gains the acceptance of her male colleagues. ...

Védjük meg üzemeinket (1956)