The Wind Is Whistling Under Their Feet (Talpuk alatt fütyül a szél) 48 years old

György Szomjas’s first feature—made after a decade of short documentaries—is a bold attempt at a goulash western, set on the puszta, or Great Hungarian Plain, in 1837. Mixing Miklós Jancsó imagery and a Sergio Leone narrative, this ballad-like saga opens with image of a lone horseman on the empty plain, riding past a rude gallows. The film concerns the vengeful return of a legendary betyár (outlaw), briefly a hero to the local herdsmen who oppose the state building a canal across their grazing land. Although Szomjas works from ethnographic records and archival material, it is hardly surprising that this violent, primitivist film would be more popular with Hungarian audiences than critics. Replete with young guns, crooked sheriffs, tavern brawlers and hardbitten plug-uglies, this widescreen film is strikingly shot by Elémer Ragályi (cinematographer for most of Gyula Gazdag’s films)—a feast of loamy, autumnal colors.

Credits

The Wind Is Whistling Under Their Feet Cast

Name Character
Đoko Rosić He was 44, 81 years old when he died
György Cserhalmi He was 28, now 76 years old as Jeles Matyi hangja
Reviczky Gábor He was 27, now 75 years old as Babák Ferkó
Irén Bordán She was 22, now 71 years old as Parti Bözsi
Ferenc Bessenyei He was 57, 85 years old when he died as Mérges Balázs

The Wind Is Whistling Under Their Feet Crew

Name Department
Elemér Ragályi as Director of Photography. He was 37 (now 85) years old Camera
Zsuzsa Vicze as Costume Design. She was 45 (52) years old when She died Costume & Make-Up
Éva Kármentõ as Editor. She was 38 (now 86) years old Editing
Sebő Ferenc as Original Music Composer. He was 29 (now 77) years old Sound
György Szomjas as Director. He was 35 (now 83) years old Directing
György Szomjas as Writer. He was 35 (now 83) years old Writing
Péter Zimre as Writer. He was 38 (67) years old when He died Writing
The Wind Is Whistling Under Their Feet poster
The Wind Is Whistling Under Their Feet (48 years)

  • Release day: Thursday, August 26, 1976
  • Runtime: 90 minutes