László Mensáros

Set during the fading glory of the Austro-Hungarian empire, the film tells of the rise and fall of Alfred Redl, an ambitious young officer who proceeds up the ladder to become head of the Secret Police only to become ensnared in political deception.

Napoleon's army besieges Győr. Mr. Léner, the grain merchant, is deeply hoping for the French emperor's victory, hoping an alliance with him could assure Hungary's independence from the Habsburg rule.

The engineer Ambrus has been suspended in his job because he publicly called the attention of the customers to a construction mistake of some goods designed to be exported. His immediate boss learns the news on a business trip to Paris. He meets his old friend Lendvay, an emigrant from Hungary, and his French wife in a cellar bar. After their talk Benkő starts seeing things in a different perspective. When he returns home, he decides to take a stand for Ambrus against Ferenczi, the general director, despite his wife's and the old director's advice.

1866. The Habsburg monarchy fight a war against the Italians and the Prussians. General Klapka, who emigrated to England after the fall of the 1848-49 freedom fight of Hungary, exploits the situation and organises a Hungarian legion with the help of the Prussians, then attacking the Austrians in their back sets out to return to Hungary.

A light comedy of four love-stories. Mary's search for happiness has always been influenced by history. Her first husband, Halász, makes his point with two slaps in an argument and Mary wants a divorce immediately. But this is not enough to get a divorce, so she asks her boss, Endre Horváth, to prove Maria's adultery by perjury. After a few years, Mari is questioned by the couple about her divorce, but then Comrade Bor comes to her rescue and eventually marries the pretty woman. However, László Bor soon goes to prison and is the victim of a plane crash. Pál Zalán, a journalist, is the woman's soul mate...

The celebrated actor considers his wife a nitwits actress of a mediocre talent. But an influential playwright, a friend of theirs, has written a play with the main role designed for her, Kati, particularly. Its title is "The Most Intelligent Woman in the World". On the day of the first night performance Kati recalls their past, the times she had together with her husband.

20-year-old Gida, having just survived his first amourous disappointment, falls for Katinka, the young widow, at first sight.

The film is a story of a double journey. The main character of the first journey is the author himself, who, while sitting in his customary café, suddenly realises that he has hallucinations. The psychologist reassures him that all this is merely repression. The symptoms, however, appear again. Soon it turns out that the author has a brain tumour. Professor Pötzl in Vienna suggests operation right away. The intervention, through which he is awake, is carried out in a Stockholm clinic.