An American Rhapsody
An American Rhapsody is a 2001 Hungarian-American biographical drama film that tells the story of a 15-year-old girl from a Hungarian-American family. The film is based on the true story of the director, Éva Gárdos, who also wrote the script.[1]
| An American Rhapsody | |
|---|---|
 Promotional release poster | |
| Directed by | Éva Gárdos |
| Produced by | Colleen Camp Bonnie Timmermann |
| Screenplay by | Éva Gárdos |
| Story by | Éva Gárdos |
| Starring | Nastassja Kinski Scarlett Johansson Tony Goldwyn Mae Whitman |
| Music by | Cliff Eidelman |
| Cinematography | Elemér Ragályi |
| Edited by | Margaret Goodspeed |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Paramount Classics |
Release date |
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Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | United States Hungary |
| Language | English Hungarian |
| Box office | $850,255 |
The film stars Nastassja Kinski, Scarlett Johansson, Tony Goldwyn, and Mae Whitman.
Plot
In 1950, a Hungarian couple, Peter and Margit, are forced to flee from the oppressive Hungarian People's Republic for the United States, taking along their eldest daughter Maria. Unfortunately, they are forced to leave behind their infant daughter, Suzanne, who is raised by a kind foster couple. Five years later, Peter and Margit arrange for the American Red Cross to bring Suzanne to their new home in Los Angeles. There, the perplexed young girl is forced to accept her sudden change in home and country, which leads to a troubled upbringing. At age 15, Suzanne, rebellious and unsure of herself, tries to come to terms with her roots and decides to travel back to Budapest, Hungary, to unravel her past and to find her true identity.
Cast
- Nastassja Kinski as Margit Sandor
- Scarlett Johansson as Suzanne Sandor (age 15)
- Kelly Endrész Banlaki as Suzanne (age 5–6)
- Raffaella Bánsági as Suzanne (infant)
- Tony Goldwyn as Peter Sandor
- Mae Whitman as Maria Sandor (age 10)
- Larisa Oleynik as Maria Sandor (age 18)
- Ágnes Bánfalvy as Helen
- Zoltán Seress as George
- Zsuzsa Czinkóczi as Teri
- Balázs Galkó as Jeno
- Lisa Jane Persky as Patti
- Colleen Camp as Dottie
- Emmy Rossum as Sheila (age 15)
- Éva Soreny as Eva
- Kata Dobó as Claire
- Jacqueline Steiger as Betty
Reception
An American Rhapsody received mixed reviews, currently holding a 51/100 rating on Metacritic based on 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[2] Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 55% approval rating based on 60 reviews, with an average rating of 5.61/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Though obviously a labor of love, American Rhapsody is an uneven, heavy-handed effort, particularly in the second half".[3]