| SYNOPSIS: |
Set in Hungary and Transylvania during the turbulence of the 1848
revolutions, this is the love story of an independent-minded Scottish
governess, Katie Kettles, and Lajos Lazar, a peasant-born lawyer and
revolutionary determined to change the world by any means possible. In 1847, with Europe on the verge of revolution, Katie becomes governess
to the family of Count Istvan Szelenyi and accompanies them to Hungary.
On the journey, she first encounters Lajos making illegal speeches from
a Viennese café table, and is drawn to him in spite of his incendiary
politics. But Lajos is not her only distraction from her duties. Katie
has her own vengeful agenda which begins to stutter as she reluctantly
becomes involved with the family's lives and loves, and assists in the
illicit romance of Istvan?s sister Katalin with a penniless Romanian
officer. While Hungary plunges into political upheaval, and Lajos leads
his radical followers in ever more dangerous agitation, Katie faces her
own personal revolution of moral values to resolve both her family
issues and her passionate relationship with Lajos. Through Katie's eyes, we see the euphoria of a bloodless revolution
victorious over an unjust and stagnant Imperial regime. But even the
revolution cannot overcome some deep-seated prejudices and the war
fought to defend the gains of the revolution makes enemies of those who
should have been allies. As the forces of repression sweep back into
power across Europe, Katie?s tragedy becomes personal. |