Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod (Gloomy Sunday – A Song of Love and Death, Hungarian: Szomorú vasárnap) is a 1999 film, a German/Hungarian co-production.
Although the movie centers on a romantic love triangle with tragic consequences, it has a strong historical background, set in Hungary during World War II.
The film is based on the novel by Nick Barkow, co-written and directed by Rolf Schübel and tells a fictional story connected to the creation of the infamous song "Gloomy Sunday".
In the present day, German industrialist Hans Wieck returns to Budapest with his family on the occasion of his 80th birthday, having been stationed there during World War II.
The resulting song "Gloomy Sunday" is recorded and though very popular at first soon becomes feared by the public for its melancholy melody which seems to trigger a series of suicides.
During Operation Panzerfaust, the Nazis invade Hungary and Hans returns as an SS officer responsible for organizing the deportation of Budapest's Jews to the death camps.
In the closing scene of the film, the middle-aged waiter at Szabó's pours two glasses of champagne and returns to the kitchen, where his elderly mother (Ilona) is washing out András' now empty bottle of poison.