''Semmelweis'' is a 1940 Hungarian

biographical A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

André De Toth Endre Antal Miksa DeToth, better known as Andre de Toth (born Endre Antal Mihály Tóth; May 15, 1913 – October 27, 2002), was a Hungarian-American film director, born and raised in Makó, Austria-Hungary. He directed the 3D film ''House ...

and starring

Tivadar Uray Tivadar Uray (9 November 1895 – 22 June 1962) was a Hungarian film actor. He appeared in more than 40 films between 1917 and 1962. He was born and died in Munkács, Hungary (now Mukachevo, Ukraine). Selected filmography * '' A Vörös S� ...

Gyula Gózon Gyula Gózon (19 April 1885 – 8 October 1972) was a Hungarian actor and comedian. Life Gyula Gózon was born on 19 April 1885, in Érsekújvár, but grew up in Esztergom. With the mentoring of his brother, he could fulfill his dream of lea ...

and

Erzsi Simor Erzsi Simor (Born Erzsébet Mária Terézia Porteller; 1913–1977) was a Hungarian film actress. Selected filmography * '' Segítség, örököltem!'' (1937) * '' The Perfect Man'' (1939) * '' The Relative of His Excellency'' (1941) * '' Dr. ...

.Juhász p.115 It was shot at the

Hunnia Studios Hunnia Film Studio was the largest and most significant sound film studio in Hungary until its nationalization in 1948. Its predecessor, Corvin Film Studio, founded by Alexander Korda in 1917, was the most important Hungarian silent film compa ...

Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...

. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Márton Vincze Marton Vincze or Márton Vincze (1905–1941) was a Hungarian art directorWaldman p.135 who designed the sets for over eighty films during his career. Selected filmography * '' The Old Scoundrel'' (1932) * ''And the Plains Are Gleaming'' (1933) ...

. It is based on the life of the pioneering

nineteenth century The 19th (nineteenth) century began on 1 January 1801 ( MDCCCI), and ended on 31 December 1900 ( MCM). The 19th century was the ninth century of the 2nd millennium. The 19th century was characterized by vast social upheaval. Slavery was abolish ...

doctor

Ignaz Semmelweis Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis (; hu, Semmelweis Ignác Fülöp ; 1 July 1818 – 13 August 1865) was a Hungarian physician and scientist, who was an early pioneer of antiseptic procedures. Described as the "saviour of mothers", he discovered that t ...

. Later biopics include the 1950 East German film ''

Dr. Semmelweis ''Dr. Semmelweis'' (german: Semmelweis – Retter der Mütter) is an East German East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation o ...

'' and the 1952 Hungarian ''

Semmelweis Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis (; hu, Semmelweis Ignác Fülöp ; 1 July 1818 – 13 August 1865) was a Hungarian physician and scientist, who was an early pioneer of antiseptic procedures. Described as the "saviour of mothers", he discovered that t ...

''.

Cast

as Semmelweis *

Juliska Ligeti Stadion Juliska is a multi-use stadium in Prague-Dejvice, Czech Republic. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FK Dukla Prague. The stadium is also used for athletics events, including the annual Josef Odlo ...

as Semmelweis anyja *

as Semmelweis apja *

Margit Árpád Margit Árpád (1903–1980) was a Hungarian stage actor, who also made occasional film appearances. https://www.hangosfilm.hu/filmenciklopedia/arpad-margit She featured at the various theatres in the capital Budapest and elsewhere. During the ea ...

as Mária, Semmelweis felesége *

Tivadar Bilicsi Tivadar Bilicsi (1901–1981) was a Hungarian film, stage and television actor, known for his comic roles. Juhász p.64 He performed in over a hundred film or television productions. Selected filmography * ''The Old Scoundrel'' (1932) * ''And t ...

as Vili *

as Mici *

Artúr Somlay Artúr Somlay (28 February 1883, in Budapest – 10 November 1951, in Budapest) was a Hungarian stage and film actor. Selected filmography * '' Today and Tomorrow'' (1912) * ''Faun'' (1918) * ''Princess Woronzoff'' (1920) * '' The Clan'' (1920) * ...

as Professor Rokitanszky *

Béla Mihályffi Béla may refer to: * Béla (crater), an elongated lunar crater * Béla (given name), a common Hungarian male given name See also * Bela (disambiguation) * Belá (disambiguation) * Bělá (disambiguation) Bělá, derived from ''bílá'' (''whit ...

as Professor Klein *

István Szabó István Szabó (; born 18 February 1938) is a Hungarian film director, screenwriter, and opera director. Szabó is one of the most notable Hungarian filmmakers and one who has been best known outside the Hungarian-speaking world since the la ...

as Koletschka professzor *

Miklós Pataki Miklós () is a given name or surname, the Hungarian form of the Greek (English ''Nicholas''), and may refer to: In Hungarian politics * Miklós Bánffy, Hungarian nobleman, politician, and novelist * Miklós Horthy, Regent of the Kingdom of Hun ...

as Professor Skoda *

József Juhász József Juhász (4 July 1908 – 24 June 1974) was a Hungarian stage and film actor. He appeared in more than fifty films during his career including '' Marika'' (1938). He emigrated to Canada following the defeat of the Hungarian Revolution ...

as Hebra professzor *

Lajos Vértes Lajos () is a Hungarian masculine given name, cognate to the English Louis. People named Lajos include: Hungarian monarchs: * Lajos I, 1326-1382 (ruled 1342-1382) * Lajos II, 1506-1526 (ruled 1516-1526) In Hungarian politics: * Lajos Aulic ...

as Professor Markusovszky *

Lajos Boray Lajos () is a Hungarian masculine given name, cognate to the English Louis. People named Lajos include: Hungarian monarchs: * Lajos I, 1326-1382 (ruled 1342-1382) * Lajos II, 1506-1526 (ruled 1516-1526) In Hungarian politics: * Lajos Aulic ...

as Báró Halpern *

Zoltán Makláry Zoltán Makláry (16 April 1896, Budapest – 12 July 1978, Budapest) was a Hungarian stage and film actor. He was awarded the Kossuth Prize. Selected filmography * '' Stars of Eger'' (1923) * ''Hyppolit, the Butler'' (1931) * ''Spring Showe ...

as Tanácsnok *

Gusztáv Pártos Gusztáv Pártos (18 August 1895, Pusztaszentbenedek – 22 March 1951, Budapest) was a Hungarian actor. Selected filmography * ''Lord Arthur Saville's Crime (film), Lord Arthur Saville's Crime'' (1920) * ''The Black Captain'' (1920) * ''Arsene ...

as Barnum *

Margit Vágóné Margit is a feminine given name, a version of Margaret. People bearing the name include: * Margit of Hungary (1175–1223), Empress consort of Isaac II Angelos, Byzantine Emperor * Saint Margit of Hungary (1242–1271), Hungarian nun and prince ...

as Házinéni

References

Bibliography

* Juhász, István. ''Kincses magyar filmtár 1931-1944: az eredeti forgatókönyvből 1931 és 1944 között létrejött hazai mozgóképekről''. Kráter, 2007. * Ostrowska, Dorota, Pitassio, Francesco & Varga, Zsuzsanna. ''Popular Cinemas in East Central Europe: Film Cultures and Histories''. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017. * Rîpeanu, Bujor. (ed.) ''International Directory of Cinematographers, Set- and Costume Designers in Film: Hungary (from the beginnings to 1988)''. Saur, 1981.

External links

* 1940 films 1940s Hungarian-language films 1940 drama films Hungarian drama films Hungarian black-and-white films Films directed by Andre de Toth Films set in the 19th century 1940s historical films Hungarian historical films Films shot at Hunnia Studios {{Hungary-film-stub