Summaries

A lawyer defends her father accused of war crimes, but there is more to the case than she suspects.

Hungarian immigrant Mike Laszlo has done well for himself since arriving in the USA over 40 years ago after WWII's end. He is particularly proud of his daughter, Ann, a successful lawyer. Following the release of some secret WWII records by the Russians, Mike finds himself accused of being a notorious war criminal. He's convinced it's a Communist plot to discredit him and insists that Ann defend him in court.—Col Needham <[email protected]>

Details

Keywords
  • immigrant
  • lawyer
  • war crime
  • cartoon on tv
  • chicago sun times the newspaper
Genres
  • Thriller
  • Crime
  • Drama
Release date Jan 18, 1990
Motion Picture Rating (MPA) PG-13
Countries of origin United States
Language English Hungarian
Filming locations Budapest, Hungary
Production companies Carolco Pictures

Box office

Budget $18000000
Gross US & Canada $6263883
Opening weekend US & Canada $19381
Gross worldwide $6263883

Tech specs

Runtime 2h 4m
Color Color
Sound mix Dolby Stereo
Aspect ratio 2.35 : 1

Synopsis

Some children grow up believing their parents are perfect. This film asks: what happens when a father is accused of being a notorious Hungarian war criminal 40 plus years after the fact? His lawyer daughter wants to prove he's innocent. In that effort a judge, prosecutor and his lawyer daughter travel to Budapest to meet with a "surprise" prosecution witness who will "nail the coffin" of the accused man. But, they find this witness is a liar. The lawyer daughter, happy believing she's vindicated her father, travels to meet the sister of a military friend of her father's on her way home. While visiting the woman, she asks the lawyer daughter to retrieve and send to her a pawned, old and beautiful Hungarian music box. Once in her hands the lawyer daughter discovers a horrifying truth hidden inside.

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