Cultural Studies paper by Kovács, Steven
Hungarian Plays into American Films (Accepted)
Type of Abstract (select):Abstract (max. 250 words):
It is generally known that Hollywood in the interwar years boasted a large Hungarian colony, with émigrés working in all capacities, but they were especially prominent as playwrights and screenwriters. Some of the most popular movies were based on Hungarian plays. For various reasons the contributions of Hungarians has been downplayed. Ernst Lubitsch's writing collaborator Samson Raphaelson dismissed the plays, saying he did not even read them. Billy Wilder, first a screenwriter then a director in his own right, repeated the maxim that Hungarian plays have no third act. In this presentation I will examine three important films and how and why they were changed from stage to screen. Aladár László's A becsületes megtaláló was realized as Trouble in Paradise, Miklós László's Illatszertár became The Shop Around the Corner, and László Bús-Fekete's Születésnap was the basis for Heaven Can Wait, all directed by the legendary Ernst Lubitsch. To my knowledge, this is the first time that such a comparison of the Hungarian plays with their American film versions has been attempted.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Steven Kovács is a filmmaker and professor emeritus of film at San Francisco State University. Author of a book on French Surrealist film and dozens of articles on film, art, and politics, he is a producer and director of feature films and documentaries, including ’68, ANGEL BLUE, THE LADY IN RED, and Academy Award Nominated documentary ARTHUR AND LILLIE.