Directing
Molnár Karcsi, the former sport-pilot now sprays fertilizers somewhere in the country and feels that his present job is rather inferior. He is dreaming about limitless heights, but he behaves quite arrogantly with the people around him. He becomes estranged from his wife who waits for him patiently whenever he is away.
On the main square of Halmaz a naked sculpture of a boy is unveiled. The editor-in-chief of the local paper launches an attack against the scandalous implementation of "bourgeois pornography". The youth of the town, among them Ancsa, daughter of the editor decide to co-operate against the general sole-licking and prudery.
Pongrácz, an employee of the railway company and participant of the movement called "two thousand tons", is killed in what looks to be an accident. Szabó, his friend, having found the workbook, goes on with the fight.
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 fascists, more or less in that exact chronological sequence. The heavy-handed approach does much to undercut the belief that when socialism finally takes over, the lives of the workers are brought up to a human level. In this instance, audiences might prefer a more nuanced and subtle statement, no matter what the message.
The film, depicting life in the tenement houses of Angyalföld in the thirties joins the neorealist currents of Hungarian film. Ambrus Pista, the good humoured, attractive tram conductor is loved by women for his excellent job as well. With his lover, the street-walker Terus they spy upon the neighbour as he beats his wife in jealousy.
Pataky Elemér arrives in the capital as a victim in his niece's divorce case. Having to meet the lawyer dr. Orbói István is, however, an alibi in an effort to get away from his quarrelsome wife, and to have some fun at the same time. He takes the lawyer with him.
Marci is drafted from a typical block building in the 6th district in Pest. He says good-bye to Juli living in the same house, with whom they are both very much fond of each other, but neither of them makes a confession. Juli works in a factory, and with her friend Gizus she goes out in the evening for dancing and drinking. After a year, Marci comes back for holiday, he is full of love.
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.
Kis Katalin and Varga Jóska are getting married. During their honeymoon they are preparing plans for the future. Katalin, however, seems to lag behind both in her studies and the work competition, becoming a couch potato version of a wife. Jóska, instead of trying to help, does nothing else than his work.
dr. Benedek Gábor, a famous solicitor in Eger, is the defense counsel of a murderer, who killed his wife out of jealousy. Gábor lives in a happy marriage with Anna. One day, however, Szentgyörgyi Péter, a famous pianist, comes to Eger. He once was loved by Anna, who in those days was training to become an artist herself. Gábor has no knowledge of these events of the past. He, therefore, associates the now renewed relationship with the story of the murderer he is the legal representative of.
1944. A band of runaways and orphans of the war scour the countryside in search of food and shelter. They invade and then taken in by a musician and former concert pianist who’s hiding out in a ruined castle. After the initial altercation between them the gang accepts his guidance and he wins their respect by protecting them from the elements.
Vera gets acquainted with Imre on a tram. Later, she learns that he is the brother of one of her pupils. They meet again. Imre's too passionate courting provokes refusal from the reserved school-teacher.
The hero of the story taking place at the end of the twenties is the modest civil servant, doctor Kopjáss who is suddenly appointed to be the chief attorney of Zsarátnok city. He realises slowly that his immaculate name was needed as a cover for the corrupt loan transactions handled by the lords of the city.
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 love with her and therefore he cannot stand her not returning his feelings.
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 well. Love unfolds between Zoltán and Jutka.
When the actress he loves seems to be infatuated with a frivolous count, an actor disguises himself as the count's real interest, a wealthy Spanish woman whom the count has never seen before but wants to hoodwink into marrying him.
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 director of the local state farm asks for Bene's support, but the disillusioned man refuses him.
The first Hungarian spy film ripped the mask off those ministerial officials who, having sold out to foreign agents, sabotaged the rebuilding of Hungarian factories and plants destroyed by the war. In the film, spies and saboteurs with wallets full of dollars and pistols in their hands set fire to Hungarian factories. The former ruling class was reluctant to give up its place in life and had to be fought to the death.
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.
In 1948, when Hungarian industry counts on almost every liter of fuel, the production of Makert, an American oil company in Hungary, is declining by the day. The firm's American owners claim that the oil field is depleted. However, the new government controller, Nerges, discovers that this is sophisticated sabotage by which representatives of American industrial circles want to disrupt socialist construction in the country. With the help of Hungarian state security officers, Nergesz uncovers and neutralizes the saboteurs at the mine and hastens the Hungarian people's decision to nationalize Makert.
