Hungarian fictional characters in mainstream cinema, part 2

The international audience usually does not know much about Hungarians except that they love paprika in almost every dish, they drink their incredibly strong spirit pálinka like water, and they are exceedingly pessimistic. Still, they sometimes appear in mainstream blockbusters. In my previous article, I have begun to share some famous examples of Hungarian characters in cinema. Now I am about to finish the list.

The English Patient (1996)

Count László Almásy (Ralph Fiennes) is probably the most famous Hungarian character in Hollywood cinema. The Hungarian linguist figure is relatively credible from multiple points of view: he was indeed a member of an English expedition, and he really discovered historically valuable cave paintings. Still, reality differs from the movie from multiple aspects. First, Almásy was not a count, not even a noble. He did not die due to the complications of a plane crash: he was once called to translate for a Canadian pilot in Africa, who suffered a plane accident and was severely burnt, and this incident served as an inspiration to the film. And last but least, he could not have affairs with beautiful women due to a simple reason: he was homosexual.

Walking with the Enemy (2013)

Hungarians usually play minor roles in American movies, and it is quite rare when the main story revolves around them. One of these rare cases is Walking with the Enemy, which is set in Hungary during World War II, more exactly during its arguably darkest period called the “Szálasi era,” named after the Nazi puppet prime minister Ferenc Szálasi – played surprisingly and frighteningly accurately by Simon Hepworth. The story follows Elek Cohen (Jonas Armstrong), a Hungarian Jew who hid from the Nazis in the disguise of an SS officer, helping his fellow ridden with his powers. Though the film was criticized for its historical inaccuracies, it still gives the deepest insight into the Holocaust in Hungary and the short but horrid German occupation.