Synopsis
In 1970s Romania a rebellious and erratic teenager is vying for his older step brother’s love and attention while envying his fame and lifestyle.
Directed by: Mircea Săucan
Cast: Ion Dichiseanu, Violeta Andrei, Ileana Popovici, Dan Nuțu, Ilarion Ciobanu
Script: Horia Lovinescu
Producers: Beno Merovici
Cinematography by: Gheorghe Viorel Todan
Edited by: Erika Aurian
Sound: Bogdan Cavadia
Music: Anatol Vieru, Richard Oschanitzky
Year: 1973
Category: feature film
Genre: Drama
Duration: 97 minutes
18,891 – Cinepub viewers
PLOT SUMMARY
Not getting along with his parents, Petre (Dan Nutu), a teenager, leaves them for his older brother, Andrei (Ion Dichiseanu), a successful actor. There, he befriends Dora (Ileana Popovici), a young admirer of his brother. When Andrei pays attention to the girl, Petre feels betrayed and leaves him too, even refusing the one hundred lei that he had given him.
WHAT DIRECTOR SAID
“A film about people who don’t have time to get to know and help each other at the right moment. A film in which love is sought in its broadest sense.” (Mircea Săucan)
WHAT CRITICS SAID
“It’s about people who destroy others’ ideals; it’s about two brothers. The refuge is death, resignation, escape. One crosses the bridge, the other prefers to cross the muddy water, cleansing himself. Andrei gives his brother a corner of the couch and 100 lei, but not a bit of warmth.” (Iulia Blaga)
“One of the first Romanian neorealist films, ‘Suta de lei’ tells in very simple images about extremely ordinary things – but taboo for Ceauşescu – such as youth violence, lack of education, and the youth’s failure to adapt to the socialist regime. After an exhausting battle with censorship, the film is arbitrarily shortened, some scenes are re-filmed, leading to a truncated and softened version, disliked by the author but accepted by the higher authorities and then premiered on screens in 1973.” (Marian Rădulescu – Poetic Polyphonies)
ARTICLES
- Cineclub Film: “100 lei”, by Mircea Săucan – Dana Medar – aarc.ro
- The film “100 Lei”, one of the best kept secrets of Romanian cinema. First images – Mariana Iancu – 2021 – adevarul.ro
