Movie Reviews by Members:

Sunshine

Several years ago, a co-worker and movie buff suggested this film to me. He said I should try it because, “it had some fencing in it”! The co-worker advised it would be best to watch it on a rainy weekend. Many months later, when it came up on Netflix on a cold rainy Saturday, I finally sat down to watch Sunshine. I was not disappointed.

The film chronicles a Hungarian Jewish family through three generations of racial strife and political extremes. The film, being a wonderful piece of historical fiction, spans two world wars and sixty years. Hungary was ravaged after the fall of the monarchy to communism, and then by the Nazi’s and finally the Soviets. In the middle of all of this, Hungarian fencing clearly led the world. And many of the very finest were Jewish Hungarians who fenced to gain acceptance in their own country.

“I have to please my brother who wants to turn the world upside down, and my father who wants to keep the world exactly as it is!” said Ralpf Fiennes playing one of three characters of different generations. The title ‘Sunshine’ translates roughly to ‘Sonnenschein’, the families’ original name. To avoid the persecution of growing anti-semitism in Hungrary, Ignatz, Gustave, and their cousin Valerie all change their surname to Sors. Sors pronounced with a missing ‘c’ after the S.

This burdens Ralph Fiennes with three roles: that of the grandfather Ignatz, the father Adam, and grandson Ivan Sors. It is sometimes a little confusing; especially so when there is the occasional voice-over narration by grandson Ivan, clearly in the voice of Fiennes. But strangely it all seems to work, putting Fiennes in the role of the tragic figure who loses all but emerges alive and wiser. Except in this case the tragic figure is the Sonnenschein family. Fiennes manages it well, delivering three sharply etched roles.

Another casting trick includes Jennifer Ehle, the real-life daughter of Rosemary Harris, to play the young Valerie Sors, leaving her mother to play the older Valerie that lives on through much of the story.

Never stoic and certainly not a delivery of cold history, Sunshine is a flesh and blood story with much of the human element in the film. There is a steamy relationship and marriage between cousins. Very difficult to get approval for that in those days. Others have adulterous relationships and you may wonder why Szabó includes it. Perhaps he put it there to never let us forget they were not a statistic but human in every way.

At a grand length of 181 minutes, it’s not a short film. It has the feel of the epic films of the sixties, while the subject matter, in a modern style, is filmed raw and unabated. What followed that Saturday was a film that relates most poignantly and strikingly similar to our own modern times. Yes, there was fencing in it, but there was so much more. Written and directed by successful film maker István Szabó, Sunshine was one of several notable achievements that included, Mephisto, Colonel Redl, Taking Sides, and Being Julia.

The production does have a powerful fencing story in it, and it’s particularly relevant. Past the mid-way point I realized the fencing part of this film reminded of a story I had already heard. Not exactly the same story, but a reminder nonetheless. Looking back at the film, the whole thing feels like a poignant reminder.  Something that should never be forgotten, but sadly will. As generations race forward, leaving history in their wake, some of the same mistakes will tragically be repeated.

The Fencing Story behind Sunshine:

Atilla Petschauer

Atilla Petschauer won gold in the 1928 Olympics for team sabre and individual silver. He won again in the 1932 Olympics for Hungarian team Sabre. He was, through the twenties, regarded as one the finest Sabre fencers in the world.  Not a movie about fencing, Sunshine tells us a powerful story of fencing with chilling scenes that will haunt the viewer once the full tale is revealed. The fencing character of Adam Sors, who is the middle son of three generations of Sors, is generally agreed to be modeled after the famous fencer Atilla Petschauer. Viewers will no-doubt remember the scene in the prison camp that depicts the fate of Sors. According to a witness in the prison, this scene closely describes the fate of Petschauer and how he died.

Endre Kabos

Not always afforded the benefit of fencing at the best Military clubs, Hungarian Jewish fencers rallied around the instruction of the famous Italian master Italo Santelli to achieve a record in fencing that may never be equaled.  Endre Kabos, from all accounts, was an excellent person as well as an excellent sabre fencer. He was also lost during this time as well. And also at the hands of the Nazi occupiers. Kabos won team Gold and Individual Bronze at Los Angeles in the 1932 Olympics. He beat that record in 1936 with Individual Gold and team Gold in Berlin. The role of Adam Sors also works allegorically to highlight many Hungarian Jewish athletes whose lives were lost or destroyed during the Nazi, and later Soviet, occupations.

We’re fortunate to have had some of this story come to us directly from, one of Italo Santelli’s best students, Dr. Francis Zold.  Zold knew Kabos and Petshauer well, and spoke with Kabos just minutes before his death on the Margarit bridge. As many of you know, Dr. Zold was Ben Little’s coach and mentor at USC.

György Piller

Winner of the 1932 Olympics Gold medal in Sabre, and the man who would captain the Hungarian team in later years, was György Piller.

An outstanding video of his life and summary of his fencing career is presented by the West Coast Fencing Archive.

György Piller - The Last Captain

Using the best of the Hungarian and Italian methods, the Hungarians continued to be a dominant world power in fencing for years after the 1936 Olympics.  In 1956 as Soviet troops and tanks rushed into Hungary, to quickly put down acts of revolution, the Hungarian fencing team was making good their escape to attend the Olympic games in Melbourne Australia. 

With the help of Piller (center), the Hungarians won team Gold at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.  Daniel Magay on the the left and Eugene Hamori stand alongside their captain.  Along with Tom Orley on the far left and Csaba Pallaghy on the far right, all would immigrate to America and continue fencing.

American sabre fencing was transformed overnight by the Hungarian presence.  With coaches like György Piller, Istvan Danosi, and Csaba Elthes things were certainly looking up for American sabre fencing.   Alex Orban, Tom Orley, Atilla Keresztes, Eugene Hamori, Csaba Pallaghy, George Domolky – all finished up and down the list of National Sabre finalists for the next 15 years.

Reflections

Eugene Hamori looks with fondness at a picture of the Hungarian team at the 1932 Olympics.   In the center is his old instructor Piller flanked by Petshauer and Kabos.

Ben Little, A student of yet another generation, looks on.

A few of the many links on this subject:

https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2000/10/19/duels-in-the-sunshine/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attila_Petschauer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endre_Kabos

https://www.westcoastfencingarchive.com/2019/04/29/daniel-magay-part-2/

https://tulanegreenwave.com/news/2004/7/30/Prof_Remembers_56_Olympics

Olympic Fencing Records

Men's Sabre events 1928

Men's Sabre events 1932

Men's Sabre events 1936

Men's Sabre events 1956
 

Book Reviews by Members:

Swordspoint, The Privilege of the Sword and The Fall of the Kings: Emil Luft:  

The books are: Swordspoint, The Privilege of the Sword and The Fall of the Kings. The first two are written by Ellen Kushner and the last one is by Ellen and Della Sherman.

Swordspoint is a tale of intrigue and danger, of romance and power, of nobles, students  and pickpockets in a city that settles disputes by the sword. The romance and some love scenes are between males, so it may not be for everyone. I would give it an R rating. I believe it won some book awards
The Privilege of the Sword (what a great title!) was the first book I read and I re-read it again after I read Swordspoint.  It is a witty and wonderful book with great characters. It introduces Katherine, a well-bred country girl versed in the rules of conventional society into Riverside where the aristocratic and ambitious battle for power in the city's ball rooms, brothels and boudoirs. Katherine's uncle Alec Campion, a.k.a. the Mad Duke Tremontaine, to whom rules do not apply, decides it would be more amusing for his niece to learn swordplay than to follow the usual path to marriage and her world changes forever. Blade in hand it is up to Katherine to navigate a maze of secrets and scoundrels and to gain the self-discovery that comes to those who master The Privilege of the Sword. 

 

The Fall of the Kings is the follow-up.  It is about Theron Campion the heir to an ancient house. It is set in the same world of intrigue against a rich tapestry of artists, scholars, students, strumpets and spies. 

Normally there is no PG-14 or R rating on books.  I think these 3 books should be rated R, but maybe I am too conservative.

(HEMA) Fencing -- Swordplay tactics and practical movements

Recommend using VLC Media Player (free download)

Note: Video download may take a few minutes.

Archer vs Fencer (youtube)

Understanding fencing actions (HEMA Powers part II) (youtube)

Fior_Di_Battaglia (The Guards of the Sword) (youtube)

The Parry by Chad Scales:

Click to View

Huntsville Fencing; Always a flurry of activity!

Check out repair article by Dave

epee_troubleshooting.pdf