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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Csak egy kislány van a világon remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you are a film nerd who likes seeing how movies learned to talk, yes. If you want a fast-paced thriller, you will probably hate this with a passion.
It’s mostly for people who like old-fashioned romances or want to see a very young Pál Jávor. It’s definitely not for anyone who gets annoyed by crackly audio.
So, the movie starts with these two guys coming home from war. It’s that classic 'returning hero' thing, but they look exhausted.
The village they go back to looks so authentic. You can almost smell the dust and the old wool coats everyone is wearing.
The plot is about Gyorgy getting engaged to Katinka. She’s the 'unspoiled' niece, which in movie language means she wears her hair in braids and looks sad a lot.
Then Gyorgy goes to the city. Big mistake. Huge.
He meets a rich girl who is basically a 'vamp'. She’s flirtatious and shiny, and Gyorgy loses his mind immediately.
It’s a bit like the plot of The Gold Rush if you swapped the comedy for heavy-handed drama. Very predictable but sort of sweet in a dusty way.
This is what they call a 'part-talkie'. It’s very strange to watch now.
Sometimes the characters are talking and you just see text on the screen like a regular silent movie. Then, suddenly, someone starts singing and the sound kicks in.
The sound quality is... well, it’s 1930. It sounds like someone is frying bacon right next to the microphone the whole time.
When the title song starts playing, you can tell it was meant to be a huge hit. It’s catchy, but the way it’s shoved into the movie feels a bit forced.
The movie really wants you to hate the city girl. She’s flashy and wears hats that look like they belong on a different planet.
But honestly? Gyorgy is the one who is kind of a jerk. He forgets Katinka the second he sees a silk dress.
The way he 'discovers the truth' later is very melodramatic. Lots of staring into the distance and looking regretful.
It reminds me of the pacing in Paid where everything feels very heavy and serious. Every look lingers about five seconds too long.
"There is only one little girl in the world..."
That’s the song. It’s everywhere. By the end of the movie, you’ll be humming it, whether you want to or not.
The movie is a bit of a mess. It doesn't know if it's a silent art piece or a loud musical.
But there’s a real soul to it. It feels like a time capsule that someone dug up from a backyard in Budapest.
It’s not as polished as something like Business Is Business, but it has more heart. It’s clunky and the audio is terrible, but I didn't turn it off.
I think I liked it more because of the mistakes than in spite of them. It feels human.
Don't expect a masterpiece. Just expect a very old, very sincere story about a guy who makes a mistake and a girl who deserves better. 🍷
IMDb —
1931
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