A Hungarian romance so intense it was written in fever-dream days — will love survive poverty's cruel math?
Zsigmond Móricz wrote his novel Butterfly in just a few days in 1924. Móricz tells the story of a mighty love that triumphs over adversity and is all-powerful in the language of ordinary people. The love of Zsuzsika and Jóska is presented through the "lightning and veil-soft" emotions of the director, László Vitézy's television adaptation. After The Legend of Hortobágy (Komorló) and The Sky Bird, this is the third film made by László Vitézy based on the writings of Zsigmond Móricz.
Acting
Bánovits balances girlish hope with crushing resignation
Cinematography
Hortobágy's vast emptiness mirrors their impossible odds
Direction
Vitézy's third Móricz adaptation shows obsessive devotion
Director
László Vitézy
Vivianne Bánovits
Zsuzsika
Bálint Adorjáni
Jóska
Anna Ráczkevei
Hitves Pálné
Gábor Reviczky
Hitves Pál
Csaba Pindroch
Andris
Irén Bordán
Jóska anyja
György Cserhalmi
Jóska apja
Sándor Gáspár
Bodollai
Ildikó Tóth
Bodollainé
Zsolt Dánielfy
István bácsi
Nóra Trokán
Zsófi, Jóska húga
Sándor Csányi
Siket Darabos
Székely B. Miklós
Katonasapkás
Gábor Koncz
Mari apja
József Szarvas
Darabos Mihály
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Móricz wrote the novel in a creative frenzy, reportedly finishing in 72 hours while broke himself — the desperation bleeds through.
The 'csárdás' tradition of star-crossed peasant lovers dominated Hungarian literature; Vitézy's trilogy is essentially national trauma cinema.
HU
