MOZI HÍREK – István Bujtor returns to the big screen in the role of the Hungarian super-agent “Menő Fej” in the film The Lion is About to Jump, which parodied the James Bond 007 films. The film’s restored version will be screened at the Budapest Classic Film Marathon.

Although he became really famous in the 1980s in the role of Csöpi Ötvös, the brave and skillful, all-conquering action hero in the first Hungarian spy film, The Lion is about to Jump, which was also shown at the Budapest Classic Film Marathon, he first brought it to life in the 80s. István Bujtor was born in The public can see the restored version of the film for the first time at the festival.

The world is in great danger: the hunt is on for the serum of a recently released war criminal doctor capable of using a weapon of mass destruction. An ex-Nazi commander and his sadistic agent surround the professor, who is being blackmailed with his daughter’s life. It’s lucky that the super agent of the Hungarian police, Menő Fej, is also on the case. He disposes of the gangsters who come after him with a slap or two, and always has enough time for the ladies.

György Révész’s work is admittedly a parody of James Bond films, in which the Hungarian secret agent Menő Fej, played by István Bujtor, confronts a criminal group of Nazis on the side of the Yugoslav police in order to obtain a mass-murdering ampoule hidden in a rock near Dubrovnik. In the 1960s and 1970s, the films about the popular 007 did not pass the filters of the socialist censors, the action-comedy enriched with spectacular car chases on the beach, boat trips between islands and helicopter aerial shots showing the historic old town was therefore particularly popular in Hungary in front of an audience.

The idea for the film was born when director György Révész and chief production manager Ottó Föld saw the rock, which looks like a lion about to jump, while walking on the beach in Dubrovnik. The crime fiction idea of ​​two Yugoslav authors was bought and filming could start in Dubrovnik, Split and Mostar, among others. As the action scenes in the film follow each other, the actors were subjected to severe physical challenges. However, even the crew members were surprised by the energy with which Andor Ajtay, who played Dr. Klauberg and was 66 years old at the time, ran on the rocky beach, jumped into the motorboat, rowed, and even fought. Ilona Medveczky, who played her daughter, had trouble with the swimming pool, as she could not swim.

The 26-year-old István Bujtor is perfect in the role of the superhero secret agent. The actor also risked his physical health on the set. For the scene when Menő-Fej jumps from one side of an opening bridge to the other, the Yugoslav partner, the Avala film factory, secured stunts. The stuntman showed up, but he said he wouldn’t do it when he found out what it was about. István Bujtor ended up doing the life-threatening scene himself, exclaiming “I was a basketball player after all!”

The real specialty of the cast is that Irén Psota shines as the main villain, the sadistic Helga, and in addition to Andor Ajtay, József Szendrő and Margit Dajka, such stars as the entire Illés band or Ilona Medveczky also appear. The multiple Olympic and European champion boxer László Papp also appears in the film. He plays a gangster named Piko, who clashes twice with the main character Cool-Head. István Bujtor initially thought it was ridiculous that his character would knock down the famous boxer, but Pappo was not bothered by it and even taught him quite a few moves. During the recording, Bujtor caught his head from a slap a little too late, but to the great relief of the crew, he was not seriously injured. The next day, when Laci Papp appeared with a limp, it only became clear that she also received a good deal from the actor. However, as a world-famous boxer, he had no reason to complain.

By the way, a short comic was also prepared as a prelude to the film, which you can watch it here.

The freshly renovated version of The Lion is About to Leap will be screened on September 18 in the Budapest Classic Film Marathon program.

Source: GoodOptionPR press material