An American Rhapsody (2001), the Movie

Occasionally I borrow a DVD or two from the local public library. A couple of weeks ago I picked up one called Wal-Mart, the High Cost of Low Price. I had it a whole week and only watched maybe the first 30 minutes or so. Then last Saturday I went to renew it for another week, hoping to finish watching it. I also picked up An American Rhapsody as well. Well I only watched one of the two before I had to return it today. By the title of this article you probably could figure out which one I watched.

An American Rhapsody is about the struggle of a young child, Suzanne, who is torn between two countries Hungary and America. It is the story of a mother torn by her past and longing for the child she left behind. It is a story of a father who loves his family. It is the story of a family torn apart by foiled escape from an evil and repressive country to freedom. It is based on a true story. It is the story of family.

The jacket of the DVD summarizes the movie very nicely. “Persecuted by an oppressive Communist government, a Hungarian couple . . . makes a daring flight for freedom. The escape is successful, but comes at an unthinkable price – the couple’s baby girl, Suzanne, is left behind. Six years later, Suzanne is uprooted from the loving care of her Hungarian foster parents and reunited with her mother and father in California. She is awed by her new modern lifestyle and wonderful discoveries such as TV, boys and rock and roll. But as she grows, so do the questions about her mysterious past and heritage. Feeling lost and alienated, the teenaged Suzanne. . returns to Hungary, embarking on a personal search that reveals some shocking secrets . . . an the true meaning of family, freedom and home.”

The movie is portrays the real life struggles of a family, as many have before them, legally entering the United States as refugees from an oppressive regime. These immigrants stand in stark contrast to the illegal aliens pouring into our unmanned unsecured borders today.

Suzanne has a foot in both worlds and has a difficult time during the formative years of her life to find who she is, her roots. She is somewhat alienated from her birth mother who she did not know for the first six years of her life. As a teenager, she struggles with coming to grips with her past and present.

It is the story of an intact traditional American family. The vital roles of the mother and the father are dramatically and realistically shown. The love and patience of a family with its deep struggles are worked through effectively. Contrast the traditional, so well illustrated in this movie, with what exists today. Today, more and more the traditional family is not as intact as it once was. Not only is the family not intact it is also being attacked by forces seeking to minimize and to actually destroy this most vital unit foundational to any civilized society. Where the single mother, the alternative lifestyles provide a less than optimal environment for the growth and development of a child.

If you have not seen, or if has been a while since you have seen it, I highly recommend this uplifting, tender true story both for just a good wholesome entertainment and the moral lessons it reinforces. Above all it is a clear depiction and example of a real family. It shows the strengths and weaknesses of both parents. The family is not perfect, but the healthiest environment within which to raise children. An American Rhapsody also is a good depiction of a less polluted picture of true American values and life, which we too often typically see presented in most TV and Hollywood fare.

Rating: Five Stars