A Tolonc (aka The Undesirable) (1915)

In a rural village, a dying father (Andor Szakacs) tells his daughter (Lili Berky) that he's really her Uncle and that her mother (Mari Jaszai) is in prison for killing her real father. Bereft and alone, she sets out to the big city in search of her future. Directed by Kertesz Mihaly, who would later change his name to Michael Curtiz (CASABLANCA) when he moved to America, this early Hungarian effort is more of a curiosity than anything else. Long thought to be a "lost" film, it was only recently discovered in a basement in the Hungarian House cultural center and extensive restoration has been done. The print is stunning in its clarity and detail and all 100 year old movies should look this good! As cinema, it's a hoary old tale based on a popular Hungarian play but Curtiz already shows a strong sense of storytelling that would make him one of the so called Golden Age's most prolific and popular directors. The acting is generally solid though Victor Varconi (who looks like Omar Sharif) as the romantic lead tends to flail his arms about too much. If you're interested in silent cinema, it's a must see. If you're not, I don't know as you'd get much out of it. There's a wonderful newly commissioned score by Attila Pacsay. With Gyula Nagy and Mariska Simon.