The Bad Doctor
(A rossz orvos)
(1995, feature, 35mm, colour, 79 min.)
Director:
György Molnár
Screenplay:
György Molnár
Writer:
Dezső Kosztolányi
Story editor:
Katalin Benedek
Director of photography:
Sándor Kardos
Editor:
Éva Palotai
Music:
Ferenc Darvas
Sound:
György Kovács
Visual design:
Rita Dévényi
Costumes:
Judit Szekulesz
Production manager:
László Tiszeker
,
István Fabók
Producer:
Éva Schulze
Production company:
Magyar Filmiroda Ltd.
,
MTV
Cast:
Anna Kubik
,
Sándor Gáspár
"He was a bad doctor", the parents say accusingly after their young child's death. Doctor Gasparek was an inept practitioner indeed, an appalling diagnost, who failed to recognize even the most obvious illnesses - but they had known that. Then why was it him they called? because he was so near, so easily available. Their real life seems to begin after the funeral. What was before, their regular, established middle-class existence, has fallen into pieces. They decide to get a divorce. After some time, however, they start seeking each other's company so that they can talk about their child. Torturing themselves and blaming each other, they search the past until they realize their shared responsibility for the tragedy. though their sin is irreparable, but moment is cathartic as they both accept their being guilty. They long for forgiveness and reconciliation, but they can only make the harsh judgement: they were incapable of parental love, they were bad parents. Lack of love is the worst disease of marvellous and terrible 20th century. This story of tragic beauty written by Dezső Kosztolányi in 1921 still offers a valid diagnosis.