Sunshine (1999 film)

Sunshine is a 1999 historical film written by Israel Horovitz and Istvn Szab, directed and produced by Istvn Szab. It follows three generations of a Jewish family originally called Sonnenschein, a name that literally means sunshine in German, but later changed to Sors, meaning fate in Hungarian during the changes in Hungary from the beginning of the 20th century to the period after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. The central male protagonist of all three generations is portrayed by Ralph Fiennes. The film also stars the reallife mother and daughter team of Rosemary Harris and Jennifer Ehle as well as Rachel Weisz and John Neville.

The 19thcentury patriarch of the HungarianJewish Sonnenschein family is a tavern owner, who distills and makes his own popular liquor in AustriaHungary. From the recipe, the liquor, called Taste of Sunshine, is commercially made by the next generation of the family who gain great wealth and prestige from the business. That generation of the family lives many happy and privileged years and the children are highly educated. The oldest son, Ignatz the first ofgenerational roles played by Ralph Fiennes, a fast rising judge, falls in love and has an affair with his first cousin, Valerie Jennifer Ehle, against his fathers wishes. The second son, Gustave James Frain, becomes a medical doctor. Ignatz is asked by a chief judge to change his Jewish surname if he wishes to be promoted within the judiciary. Ignatz, his brother, and his cousin Valerie all happily change their last name to Sors a more Hungarian name.Ignatz and Valerie marry and give birth to a healthy son. Ignatz struggles with the political battles in start of the 20th century Hungary. He struggles with hiding his Jewish identity in order to rise within his profession and the higher social classes. Ignatz curses his communistic brother for opposing the rule of Emperor Franz Joseph. World War I breaks out and both brothers continue rise within their professional and military ranks. Both the Emperor and Ignatzs father die around the same time, taking a great toll on Ignatz. After the war is over, the liberal monarchy collapses, causing Ignatz to lose his judicial position. Gustave rises to a position of power in the emerging communist government. Compounding Ignatzs conflicts, Valerie announces she plans to divorce Ignatz. In a fit of anger and confusion, Ignatz rapes Valerie. Gustave offers Ignatz a position in the communist government, but Ignatz refuses to be a part of the policies of retribution against the previous members of the monarchy. Ignatz and his family are put under house arrest. Upon hearing th

Source: Wikipedia