Known for Acting
In a rural scenery in the throes of difficult changes lives a humble but promising young farmer girl called Mari Pataki. Her father forbids her from seeing the man she loves. The father, above all preoccupied by work on the fields and prospective wealth, decides to give his daughter in marriage to an old but rich man with whom he does business. Land marries land, he says. This seems to be the unyielding rule of the Hungarian peasantry. But the young lover is ready to stand up to any challenge to keep Maris love.
Imre, secretary of the illegal communist party arrives in Budapest secretly in 1942, in order to start the newspaper of the party in the fight against war. Not even his own mother can see him.
The top management of the co-operative in the rural community at Lake Balaton goes on coaches everywhere to irritate Mrs. Peczöli, the snobbish wife of the only individual farmer. Peczöli would readily join the co-operative, should it not oppose his apple improving experiments.
Venice Film Festival 1954
In May 1919 in a small rural town beside Salgótarján the local high society wants to get the power back with the leadership of dr. Máriáss, exploiting the outside attack launched against the Republic of Councils.
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.
Lugosi works in the locomotive factory, earning little. He does not feel at ease in the world. One reason for his discontent is that his wife - a tractor factory worker - earns more than he does, and another is that she has even had her innovation accepted, while his has not. And because trouble doesn't come alone, poor Lugosi gets involved in a sabotage case.
Jóska has become a Communist in the Csillag prison in Szeged. In the meantime, Gábor successfully talks people in Jóska's native village out of joining the German-led Hungarian army.
Miklós Kátay, a spoiled, peppery gentleman, changes to his advantage when he joins the military. He is helped by his old acquaintance, Sergeant Menyhért, who is courting his cook, and a new recruit, Balázs, who becomes his friend. In the barracks, he chats and chats at first, but at the front, where he is now an ensign, he is a hero. He is welcomed back by his friend Éva, the Colonel's ugly niece, and by another Éva, the beautiful daughter of a retired Colonel.
Lieutenant Gabor's plane drops intelligence officer Benkov behind enemy lines. Benkov is assisted by his sweetheart Marja, also an intelligence officer and partisan, to carry out his mission. The Gábors' next trip also takes them behind enemy lines, to photograph a hidden railway line. They prepare the shots, but are discovered, get into a firefight and have to make an emergency landing. Luckily they reach Marja's hut and Benkov hides them. The partisans discover their hiding place and Marja and Benkov are shot dead. Lieutenant Gabor covers the retreat of his comrades by sacrificing his life, so that the important recordings and Benkov's report reach their destination.
Kató Varga (Klári Tolnay) is unable to play its part in front of the Admissions Committee of the School of Dramatic Art. Geszty (Tivadar Bilicsi), severe President of the Commission maintains that she has no talent for acting and mercilessly tells you will never be an actress. Kató prepares to take revenge and under the false name of Katyi Csiba, dressed as a peasant village, obtains admission to the house Geszty. Turning everything upside down, she makes your life hell.
You can get anywhere in a tailcoat. Viktor Norton, a young man imprisoned by mistake, also knows this. In Viktor’s tailcoat, he can easily get to the Excelsior Hotel, where he will meet the newly wealthy Dupont couple and their daughter Marie.
