HungarianRhapsodyMagyarRapszodiaisthefirstchapterofdirectorMiklosJancso'stwopartdramatizedhistoryofHungary,fromtheturnofthecentury,toWorldWarIIThestoryistoldfromthevantagepointofGyorgyCserhalmi,thesonofawealthylandownerDuringWorldWarI,CserhalmiisinstrumentalinquellinganarmymutinyUponrealizingthathehasbeenresponsibleforthedeathsofseveralpeasantconscripts,Cserhalmivowstobea"manofthepeople"whenhostilitiesceaseHejoinsacommunistcell,butfindsheiswoefullyoutofplaceThroughoutthe1920sand1930s,Cserhalmi'spoliticalviewpointisgovernedalmostexclusivelybyhisvacillatingemotionsThefilmisenhancedwitha"RussianRoulette"leitmotif,notunlikethefatalisticthroughlineofMichaelCimino'sTheDeerHunterDirectorJancsofollowedHungarianRhapsodywithAllegroBarbaro;bothfilmswereoriginallyreleasedintandem,thenredistributedasseparatefeaturesHalErickson,AllMovieGuide