# Hyppolit, the Butler > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Hyppolit%2C_the_Butler > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Hyppolit%2C_the_Butler.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyppolit%2C_the_Butler > Source revision: 1342816116 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1931 Hungarian comedy film Some of this article's listed sources may not be reliable. Please help improve this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Unreliable citations may be challenged and removed. (March 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Hyppolit, the Butler Original title Hyppolit, a lakáj Directed by István Székely Screenplay by Károly Nóti Based on Hyppolit, a lakáj (play) by István Zágon Produced by Béla Keleti Albert Samek Starring Gyula Csortos Gyula Kabos Pál Jávor Cinematography István Eiben Eduard Hösch Edited by László Benedek Music by Mihály Eisemann Production company Sonor Film Distributed by Kovács Emil és Társa Release date 1931 (1931) Running time 77 minutes Country Hungary Language Hungarian ***Hyppolit, the Butler*** ([Hungarian](/source/Hungarian_language): *Hyppolit, a lakáj*) is a 1931 black-and-white [Hungarian film](/source/Cinema_of_Hungary) [comedy of manners](/source/Comedy_of_manners) about an upwardly mobile family hiring a butler who previously worked for aristocratic families. It was the second full [sound film](/source/Sound_films) produced in Hungary, and at first it generated little interest (due to the flop of the first sound movie *The Blue Idol*, also in 1931) but later became a favorite and is still a beloved oldie.[1] The film was chosen to be part of the [New Budapest Twelve](/source/Budapest_Twelve), a list of Hungarian films considered the best in 2000.[2] The film was shot at the [Hunnia Film Studios](/source/Hunnia_Film_Studio) in [Budapest](/source/Budapest). The screenplay was written by prolific Hungarian screenwriter [Károly Nóti](/source/K%C3%A1roly_N%C3%B3ti) AKA Karl Noti,[3] based on a stage play by István Zágon.[4] It was directed by [Székely István AKA Steve Sekely](/source/Steve_Sekely),[5] who earlier worked in [Germany](/source/Germany) and later worked in [Hollywood](/source/Cinema_of_the_United_States) and [Great Britain](/source/Great_Britain). The music was composed by Mihály Eisemann.[6] It was remade in 1999 as *Hippolyt, a lakáj* (with the y and the i interchanged).[7] ## Plot Mátyás Schneider (Gyula Kabos) is a typical [parvenu](/source/Parvenu), an ignorant transportation entrepreneur who has become very rich quickly. Despite their humble origins, his wife (Mici Haraszti) strives to live a 'sophisticated' and '[aristocratic](/source/Aristocracy)' lifestyle. When she engages a butler, Hyppolit (Gyula Csortos) - who was an educated man, and who has served in the household of a late count for 27 years and traveled around the world with the late Count - their whole life is turned upside down: Schneider has to shave off his mustache, wear a [dinner suit](/source/Dinner_suit) for dinner and eat French food instead of his beloved onions and roasted goose, while his wife is bullied by the butler into engaging in gymnastics and a rather meagre diet. In the meantime, the Schneiders' spirited daughter, Terka (Éva Fenyvessy), falls for their good-looking manager, the former driver István Benedek (Pál Jávor), who keeps secret that he is in fact an engineer with a college diploma. Her mother, however, would prefer the good-natured, but quite stupid Makáts (Gyula Gózon) as a suitor, because Makáts's uncle (Sándor Góth), a city councillor, may help them to get a lucrative contract. Things begin to turn upside down, when Schneider follows Hyppolit's suggestions to start dating Mimi (Mici Erdélyi), a singer and dancer at a sleazy night club. When he fails to show up at a date with her, the girl enters the Schneiders' villa, where a dinner party with important guests - including Makáts's uncle - is taking place, and causes a scandal. Meanwhile, Terka follows her own plans to get the man she wants... ## Cast Éva Fenyvessy, Gyula Gózon, Mici Haraszti and Gyula Kabos in *Hyppolit, the Butler* - [Gyula Csortos](/source/Gyula_Csortos) as Hyppolit - [Gyula Kabos](/source/Gyula_Kabos) as Mátyás Schneider - [Mici Haraszti](/source/Mici_Haraszti) as Schneider's Wife - Éva Fenyvessy as Terka, Schneider's Daughter - [Gyula Gózon](/source/Gyula_G%C3%B3zon) as Makáts, Terka's suitor - Mici Erdélyi as Mimi, a Night Club Dancer - [Pál Jávor](/source/P%C3%A1l_J%C3%A1vor_(actor)) as István Benedek - Sándor Góth as City Councillor - [Ernõ Szenes](/source/Ern%C3%B5_Szenes) as Tóbiás - [Marcsa Simon](/source/Marcsa_Simon) as Julcsa - Jenő Herczeg - István Bársony - Lajos Gárdonyi - Ferenc Pázmán - [Andor Sárossy](/source/Andor_S%C3%A1rossy) - Elvira Horváth as Physical Instructor - [Zoltán Makláry](/source/Zolt%C3%A1n_Makl%C3%A1ry) - László Rehberger as Cook - [Gusztáv Vándory](/source/Guszt%C3%A1v_V%C3%A1ndory) ## Subsequent history The film was shown again in Hungarian cinemas in 1945, 1956 and 1972.[8] It is also shown regularly on the small screen and is still popular with viewers. Almost eighty years after its premiere, in 2008, the original film was digitally restored by the Hungarian National Film Archive.[9][10][11] The restored version erroneously awarded director Sekely a writing credit that does not appear in either the original film titles[12] or in any subsequent documentation. It has been released on [DVD](/source/DVD) and [Blu-ray](/source/Blu-ray). ## Notes 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["A kék bálvány"](https://www.mmalexikon.hu/kategoria/film/kek-balvany). MMA Lexikon. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Új Budapesti Tizenkettő"](https://www.filmvilag.hu/xista_frame.php?cikk_id=2851). *Filmvilág*. **XLIII** (3): 2. March 2000. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Károly Nóti"](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0639130/). *IMDb*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["István Zágon"](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0951866/). *IMDb*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Steve Sekely"](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0782804/). *IMDb*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Mihály Eisemann"](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0251945/). *IMDb*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Hippolyt"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212233/) – via www.imdb.com. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** According to the booklet of the DVD edition of the restored version (2008). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Hungarian National Film Archive"](http://www.filmintezet.hu/uj/english/). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["News Archive — filmarchives online"](http://www.filmarchives-online.eu/news-2/news-archive/view?set_language=it). *www.filmarchives-online.eu*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["European Film Gateway News"](https://www.efgproject.eu/news.php?area=News&pag=46). *www.efgproject.eu*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4fB55M3R4o) on [YouTube](/source/YouTube_video_(identifier)) ## External links - [*Hyppolit, a lakáj*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021985/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) - [*Hyppolit, the Butler*](https://web.archive.org/web/1/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/554812/enwp) at the [TCM Movie Database](/source/Turner_Classic_Movies#TCMdb) (archived) - [1933 review](https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9A06E3DE1738E333A25757C0A9679C946294D6CF) in [The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) - [https://easterneuroepeanfilms.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html](https://easterneuroepeanfilms.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html) v t e Films directed by Steve Sekely The Great Longing (1930) Hyppolit, the Butler (1931) Flying Gold (1932) A Tremendously Rich Man (1932) Rouletabille the Aviator (1932) Miss Iza (1933) Romance in Budapest (1933) Scandal in Budapest (1933) The Rakoczi March (1933) Cornflower (1934) Emmy (1934) Purple Lilacs (1934) Romance of Ida (1934) Ball at the Savoy (1935) Cafe Moscow (1936) Danube Rendezvous (1936) Be True Until Death (1936) Half-Rate Honeymoon (1936) Sensation (1936) A Girl Sets Out (1937) An Affair of Honour (1937) Help, I'm an Heiress (1937) Beauty of the Pusta (1937) Number 111 (1938) Young Noszty and Mary Toth (1938) Two Prisoners (1938) Miracle on Main Street (1939) Behind Prison Walls (1943) Women in Bondage (1943) Revenge of the Zombies (1943) Lady in the Death House (1944) Lake Placid Serenade (1944) Waterfront (1944) My Buddy (1944) The Fabulous Suzanne (1946) Blonde Savage (1947) Hollow Triumph (1948) Amazon Quest (1949) Stronghold (1951) The Empress of China (1953) Desert Desperadoes (1959) The Day of the Triffids (1963) Kenner (1969) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Hyppolit, the Butler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyppolit%2C_the_Butler) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyppolit%2C_the_Butler?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.