A Bird of Heaven (1958)
A Hungarian drama of love, poverty, and impossible choices set against the backdrop of rural village life.
A Bird of Heaven - Movie Information
- Original Title: Égi madár
- Release Year: 1958
- Directed by: Imre Fehér
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama
- Runtime: 1h 34m
- Original Language: Hungarian
- Spoken Languages: Hungarian
- Release Date (Theatrical): March 20, 1958 (Hungary)
- Production Companies: Hunnia Filmstúdió
- Production Countries: Hungary
A Bird of Heaven - Plot
Panni, coming from a landless family of ten and Miska have loved each other for a long time. The pretty Panni, however, has another suitor as well: Komáromi, the big farmer. The two men fight from time to time, but then, during the time Miska is serving his military duty, Panni marries Komáromi to end the tremendous squalor of her family.
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A Bird of Heaven - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Imre Fehér
Main Cast
- Ildikó Szabó
- Ádám Szirtes
- Erzsi Somogyi
- László Bánhidy
- Manyi Kiss
- Éva Vass
- Gábor Agárdy
- Ferenc Kiss
- Béla Barsi
- Katalin Berek
Writers
- Tibor Cseres
- Zsigmond Móricz
A Bird of Heaven - FAQs
What is A Bird of Heaven about?
A Bird of Heaven follows Panni, a young woman from a desperately poor Hungarian family of ten, who is caught between her true love Miska and a wealthy farmer named Komáromi. When Miska leaves for military service, Panni makes a heartbreaking choice — marrying Komáromi to lift her family out of grinding poverty.
Why does Panni marry Komáromi instead of Miska?
Panni chooses Komáromi, the prosperous farmer, not out of love but out of desperation. With Miska away on military duty and her family of ten living in extreme squalor, marriage to a wealthy man offers the only realistic escape from poverty — a deeply human and tragic compromise at the heart of the film.
Who are the main actors in A Bird of Heaven?
The film stars Ildikó Szabó as Panni and Ádám Szirtes as her true love Miska, with Ferenc Kiss playing the rival farmer Komáromi. The cast also includes Erzsi Somogyi, László Bánhidy, Manyi Kiss, Éva Vass, Gábor Agárdy, Béla Barsi, and Katalin Berek.
Is A Bird of Heaven based on a true story?
The film is not based on a single true story, but it draws on deeply rooted Hungarian rural life and social realities of the era. The screenplay was co-written by Tibor Cseres and Zsigmond Móricz, the latter a celebrated Hungarian author known for his authentic portrayals of peasant life and social hardship.
Who directed A Bird of Heaven?
A Bird of Heaven was directed by Imre Fehér, a Hungarian filmmaker working during the late 1950s. The film was produced by Hunnia Filmstúdió, the prominent Hungarian state film studio, and released in Hungary on March 20, 1958.
Does A Bird of Heaven have a happy ending?
Without giving too much away, the film leans into the bittersweet tradition of Hungarian rural drama. Panni's choice to marry for security rather than love sets in motion a chain of consequences that the story explores with honesty and emotional weight — expect a deeply human resolution rather than a tidy happy ending.
What are some movies similar to A Bird of Heaven?
If you enjoy A Bird of Heaven's themes of love, sacrifice, and social circumstance, you might also appreciate Maria's Lovers (1984), The Magic of Ordinary Days (2005), Ali and Nino (2016), or My Neighbor Adolf (2022). These films share a similar emotional intimacy and focus on characters navigating difficult personal and social choices.
When was A Bird of Heaven released?
A Bird of Heaven premiered in Hungary on March 20, 1958. Produced by Hunnia Filmstúdió, it is a product of the Hungarian film industry during a particularly rich period of national cinema, when filmmakers were exploring rural social themes with growing artistic ambition.
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