The Football Star

1957 film

12 September 1957 (1957-09-12)

Running time

92 minutesCountryHungaryLanguageHungarian

The Football Star (Hungarian: A csodacsatár) is a 1957 Hungarian sports comedy film directed by Márton Keleti and starring Imre Pongracz as the football star, Kamill Feleki, László Ungváry and Manyi Kiss.^[1] It features a number of cameos from Ferenc Puskás and other footballers of the Hungarian national Golden Team, who had finished as runners-up at the 1954 World Cup.^[2] It was shot at the Hunnia Studios in Budapest. The film's sets were designed by the art director Zoltán Fülöp.

Main cast

Kamill Feleki as Brunó
László Ungváry as Admiral Duca
Imre Pongrácz as Jóska, the star player
Lajos Mányai as Caprain Venturo
Manyi Kiss as Aurélia
Imre Sinkovits as Riporter
Éva Schubert as Estella
Tivadar Horváth as Filippo
Gábor Rajnay as the president
Gyula Gózon as the prime minister
Zoltán Makláry as the barber
János Makláry as a shoeshiner
Ferenc Puskás as Himself
John Bartha as soccer player

After Puskás defected to Spain following the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, his role was re-shot with Nándor Hidegkuti; both versions of the film were eventually released.^[3]

References

^ Balski p.154
^ Cunningham p.91
^ "A csodacsatárt Puskás disszidálása és a forradalom is csak lelassítani tudta". May 4, 2024.

Bibliography

Balski, Grzegorz . Directory of Eastern European Film-makers and Films 1945-1991. Flicks Books, 1992.
Cunningham, John. Hungarian Cinema: From Coffee House to Multiplex. Wallflower Press, 2004.
Rîpeanu, Bujor. (ed.) International Directory of Cinematographers, Set- and Costume Designers in Film: Hungary (from the beginnings to 1988). Saur, 1981.