Summary
In the labyrinthine heart of 1910s Budapest, a young, fiercely intelligent architect, László Farkas – a name that means 'wolf,' a moniker he embodies with his predatory ambition and keen instincts – finds himself irrevocably entangled in the opulent yet treacherous world of the Austro-Hungarian aristocracy. His singular talent is recognized by the esteemed Countess Ilona Károlyi, whose family champions his visionary design for a monumental opera house, a project destined to redefine the city's skyline. As Farkas pours his soul into the edifice, a clandestine affection blossoms between him and Ilona, a dangerous liaison given her betrothal to Baron Gábor Varga, a man whose polished exterior conceals a venal heart. Varga, a master of duplicity, orchestrates a cunning embezzlement scheme, intending to siphon funds from the opera house project and meticulously frame Farkas. The narrative unfurls as a ballet of societal artifice and raw human desire, with Farkas, driven by both love and professional integrity, navigating a treacherous landscape of whispers, betrayals, and public accusations. His 'wolf-like' cunning is pitted against Varga's insidious machinations, leading to a dramatic crescendo where truth and reputation hang precariously in the balance. The film culminates not in a simplistic triumph, but in a poignant, melancholic vindication, where Farkas, though clearing his name, finds himself an outsider, forever marked by his audacious challenge to the established order, his love for Ilona an unfulfilled echo against the backdrop of a society unwilling to bridge its rigid divides.
