Budapest Classic Film Marathon 2025: Deadly Spring

The film version of Lajos Zilahy’s novel is a standout work of Hungarian film noir, which started a wave of sombre films in Hungary in the early 1940s. The protagonist is a man who loses control of his own life and the woman who, with her irresistible charm, sets him off on a downward spiral. The film’s novel choice of topic and steamy eroticism sparked huge interest and controversy at the time of its release, and its popularity has not waned since. Katalin Karády made her screen debut as the Hungarian femme fatale, captivating the hearts of the audience and establishing her own later legend.