Music Box (film)

Music Box

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	1989
Founder	Costa-Gavras (director), Joe Eszterhas (screenwriter)
Products	Film

Music Box is a 1989 motion picture directed by Costa-Gavras that centers on a Hungarian-American immigrant accused of war crimes, with his attorney daughter defending him in court. The screenplay, authored by Joe Eszterhas and helmed by Costa-Gavras, features performances by Jessica Lange, Armin Mueller-Stahl, among others. This film received the prestigious Golden Bear award at the 40th Berlin International Film Festival.

Inspired loosely by the true story of John Demjanjuk, the script was penned nearly ten years prior to Eszterhas uncovering his own father’s hidden affiliation with Hungary’s fascist Arrow Cross Party during the Second World War, which subsequently caused a personal rift.

Plot

Michael J. Laszlo, a Hungarian immigrant living in the United States, stands trial facing accusations related to war crimes committed during World War II and risks losing his American citizenship. His daughter, Ann Talbot, a defense lawyer based in Chicago, takes on his case.

Jack Burke, a prosecutor from the Office of Special Investigations, contends that Laszlo is actually "Mishka," an Arrow Cross death squad leader implicated in the torture and murder of Hungarian Jews and Roma amid the Siege of Budapest. Financial documents reveal payments to Tibor Zoldan, another immigrant who recently died in a hit-and-run incident; Laszlo insists these were unpaid loans rather than illicit transactions.

Several survivors identify Laszlo as their tormentor, supported by an Arrow Cross identification card bearing his photograph under the alias "Laszlo Miklos." Laszlo maintains that these accusations are fabricated by Hungary’s secret police (ÁVO) as retaliation for his opposition to a Hungarian dance troupe’s tour in the United States.

Ann discovers testimony from a Soviet defector describing KGB involvement in forging documents to implicate anti-Communists, suggesting ÁVO’s participation in framing her father. This revelation casts suspicion on prosecution witnesses still residing within a police-controlled state.

When a crucial witness is unable to travel from Budapest, Ann, Burke, and Judge Irwin Silver journey to Hungary. Laszlo declines to return due to fears of Communist assassination. Ann obtains documents containing affidavits that identify three different individuals as "Mishka," prompting Judge Silver to dismiss the charges.

Burke emphasizes the importance of honoring victims, referencing executions carried out on Budapest’s Chain Bridge during the Red Army’s advance. Ann visits Magda Zoldan, Tibor’s sister living in Budapest, who provides a pawn shop ticket found in Tibor’s belongings.

Back in Chicago, Ann redeems a music box belonging to Tibor from the pawn shop; inside are photographs showing Laszlo wearing an Arrow Cross uniform while committing atrocities. When confronted with this evidence, Laszlo denies any wrongdoing and attributes the accusations to Communist conspiracies.

In the film’s climax, Ann renounces her father and shares the evidence with Burke. Media coverage exposes Laszlo’s alleged war crimes as Ann discusses the situation with her son Mikey.

Production

This project marked the second collaboration between director Costa-Gavras and screenwriter Joe Eszterhas following their work on 1988's Betrayed. Both Walter Matthau and Kirk Douglas were considered for the role of Mike Laszlo; however, Costa-Gavras ultimately selected Armin Mueller-Stahl, who had admired Gavras’s previous film Missing. Mueller-Stahl, an East German defector himself, encountered difficulties obtaining a U.S. visa due to suspicions regarding Stasi affiliations.

Jessica Lange, known for her method acting approach, took a different route for this role by combining imaginative techniques with research into Hungarian culture and Holocaust history rather than relying on personal experience. Filming began in Chicago before moving to authentic settings in Budapest, Hungary.

The film closes with Mária altatója, performed by Márta Sebestyén.

Critical reception

Roger Ebert, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, awarded the film two stars, describing it as a typical courtroom drama that superficially employs Nazism as a mere narrative element. He also noted the character of Mike Laszlo lacked complexity.

Peter Travers of Rolling Stone expressed stronger disapproval, implying the movie primarily served to earn Jessica Lange an Oscar nomination and labeling it as an exploitative melodrama.

Caryn James from The New York Times commended Lange's acting but criticized the screenplay and direction for their superficiality, ultimately stating that the film did not effectively delve into the concepts of innocence or evil.

In contrast, Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Elie Wiesel regarded the film as a poignant and significant contribution to Holocaust-related cinema, setting it apart from less earnest depictions.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film maintains a 76% approval rating based on 21 critical reviews.

Awards and nominations

• Winner of the Golden Bear at the 40th Berlin International Film Festival
• Nominee for Academy Award for Best Actress – Jessica Lange
• Jessica Lange nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Actress
• Lukas Haas nominated for Young Artist Award in the category of Best Young Actor Supporting Role

See also

• List of Holocaust films
• Laszlo Csatary