
"ThestoryofIstvan(GyorgyCserhalmi)whichbeganinthefirstfilmofaprojectedtrilogybydirectorMiklosJancso,MagyarRapszodia,iscontinuedhereinAllegroBarbaro.ThetrilogywasintendedtotellthestoryofHungaryfrom1900toshortlyafterWorldWarII.ThefirstfilmendedshortlyaftertheconclusionofWorldWarI,asIstvanwasbeginningtorethinkhisallegiancetothelandowningclassofhisfatherandcomingtoespousethepeasants'cause.AsAllegroBarbaroopens,Istvanhasjoinedforceswiththepeasants,andinascenerecapitulatingtheonewhichopensthefirstfilm,acelebrationisunderway.However,thistime,itiscomposedexclusivelyofpeasants.Asthestoryproceeds,itisclearthatIstvanisactivelyworkingwiththepeasantsagainsthisfamilyandhisclass.By1944,EndreBajcscy-Zsilinszk,themanwhoselifethisstoryisbasedon,wasexecutedforplottingtokillHitler.Thetwofilms,MagyarRapszodiaandAllegroBarbarowerethemostexpensivefilmsmadeinHungaryuptothattimeandwerepoorlyreceivedbycriticsaswellastheviewingpublic;perhapsthedensityofthesymbolicimageryinthem(aJancsotrademark)detractedfromthestorytelling.Becauseofthepoorcriticalandpublicreceptiontothefirsttwofilms,Jancsonevermadethethirdone."



