SINBAD (aka: Szindbád)(director/writer: Zoltán Huszárik; screenwriter: based on the novels of Gyula Krudy; cinematographer: Sándor Sára; editors: Zoltán Huszárik/Mihály Morell; music: Zoltán Jeney; cast: Zoltán Latinovits (Sinbad), Margit Dayka (Majmunka), Eva Ruttkay (Lenke); Runtime: 98; MPAA Rating: NR; Kino; 1971-Hungary-in Hungarian with English subtitles)
“A startling original work in imagery.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Hungarian writer-director Zoltán Huszárik (“As You Like It”), who was a suicide in 1981 at the age of 50, tells this sensual Casanova type of story dating from the days of the early 20th century. It’s based on the novels of Gyula Krudy. It features a startling original work in imagery that is greatly aided by the marvelous cinematography by Sándor Sára, and is filled with great period location shots in the country, colorful costumes and a parade of female beauty. Though the story doesn’t have enough traction to be enjoyed throughout and sounds trite when mired in its old-fashioned romanticism, it nevertheless has its delightful moments in flashing around so much female pulchritude, displaying so many enthralling visuals and more than even its obsession with sex it waxes poetic over gastronomic delights as probably man-kinds greatest pleasure.

The privileged aristocratic Sinbad (Zoltán Latinovits) is dying and on his death bed he recalls his love life, as he was a womanizer leaving behind many broken hearts. The rueful Sinbad confesses that he was a self-loathing hedonistic scoundrel, a lover of food and drink, and believes he was so successful with women because he never pretended he loved them. There you have it, the dying man’s secret that he reveals before going to his grave.

REVIEWED ON 2/5/2008 GRADE: B-

Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”

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