‘An American Rhapsody’

One girl’s escape from communism is recounted in this real-life Cold War saga.   [PG-13]

By: Kam Williams
   Eva Gardos was born in Hungary in the 1950s during the Cold War Era, a time when the oppressive shadow of communism hung heavily over her native land. While she was still an infant, her parents, wanting a better life for their family, decided to emigrate to America. At the first opportunity, they attempted a daring escape across a tightly guarded border under the cover of night.

"Natassja
Natassja Kinski, Mae Whitman and Tony Goldwyn star as Hungarian immigrants in An American Rhapsody.

   Unfortunately, the Gardos ended up paying a steep price for that freedom as a portion of their plan went horribly wrong, forcing them to leave little Eva behind with her grandmother, temporarily at least. While the rest of the family went on to the land of opportunity, their baby ended up being raised for six years behind the Iron Curtain. Eva’s formative years were spent as a peasant in a remote, rural village without the benefit of television or other electric appliances.
   Meanwhile, her mom, dad and older sister were acclimating themselves to a California culture complete with middle-class modern conveniences. By the time Eva finally was allowed out of the communist bloc, she had a difficult time adapting to the unusual language, technological advancements and the virtual strangers in her biological family.
   An American Rhapsody, then, is Eva Gardos’ poignant, very personal memoir about her transformation from refugee waif into resentful teen rebel. Gardos makes an impressive writing and directorial debut with what she admits to have been more of an emotional than technical challenge. As a veteran film editor who worked on such Hollywood features as Mask, Barfly and Agnes Browne, she was perhaps more prepared to ascend to the director’s chair than to share her little-known life story.
   "Often during shooting, memories would come flooding back," Gardos admits. "A scene would bring tears to my eyes and I realized I was getting a chance to grieve over things I’d never had a chance to grieve before."
   The movie revolves around the tense mother-daughter relationship between fictionalized characters Margit (Natassja Kinski) and Suzanne (played first by Kelly Endresz and later by Scarlett Johansson). Kinski shows considerable range as a woman who must first abandon, then reacquaint herself with her child. Johansson, who turned in a fine job as a ne’er-do-well in the cult hit Ghost World, is even more impressive as the teen-age version of the rudderless, repatriated Suzanne.
   Tony Goldwyn, grandson of legendary producer Sam Goldwyn, co-stars as Peter, Suzanne’s father, while Mae Whitman, and later Larisa Oleynik, appear as her older sister, Maria. Most of the film’s tension emanates out of the contrast in the two sisters. Maria has no trouble assimilating smoothly into a typical American, but the resistant Suzanne continually acts out. Her overprotective mother responds to the rage in an infuriating fashion that only fans the flames.
   An American Rhapsody, unfortunately, leaves one a little unsatisfied when it lingers at this level of teen angst, because it doesn’t make for sympathetic subject matter. Overall, however, the harrowing tale of escape is a compelling one, even though it doesn’t end up in happily-ever-afterville. The painstakingly re-created L.A. and Budapest locales effectively contrast the extremes of indulgent American hedonism and stark communist subsistence, offering food for thought in these trying times.
Rated PG-13. Contains violence, alcohol abuse and other adult themes.