Electra, My Love

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Electra, My Love is a 1974 Hungarian drama directed by Miklós Jancsó, with a screenplay by László Gyurkó and Gyula Hernádi. It stars Mari Törőcsik, runs 70 minutes, and is performed in Hungarian. The film uses extremely long takes—only twelve for the whole 70 minutes—and was part of the official Cannes Film Festival lineup in 1975. It’s based on a 1968 Budapest play that reinterprets the Greek myth of Electra.

The story unfolds in an old, mythic world where a tyrant, Aegisthus, rules after murdering Electra’s father, Agamemnon. Electra longs for revenge and is forced to marry a dwarf to humiliate her. Her brother Orestes returns in disguise, claiming to be dead. Electra kills him, but he returns to life, and together with the people they overthrow Aegisthus. They capture, torture, and kill him. A red helicopter then lands, and the siblings fly away, an image that juxtaposes ancient themes with a modern touch and suggests that revolutionary ideas remain relevant.

Jancsó has described the film as a fairy tale and a parable about continually renewing revolutionary force. He altered the ending so Electra is not punished for the murder of Agamemnon’s killer, arguing that ordinary people should not bear responsibility for their rulers’ crimes. The film’s twelve long takes influence its structure and give the work a flexible sense of place—able to feel like medieval Hungary or ancient Greece. The setting was designed as a nomadic‑agricultural mystical atmosphere, filmed in the Puszta near Kunszentmiklós.

Production featured striking visuals, including many shots of naked women in the backdrop. About 500 extras were brought in daily from Budapest, traveling by train and bus to the rural location. Much of the filming involved testing different options, with the crew often shooting scenes four to five times; dialogue was added later, and the final edit was completed in one day.

Critical reception was varied. Some praised the film’s powerful visuals, fluid camera work, and Mari Törőcsik’s commanding performance, viewing it as a strong statement about revolution and truth. Others criticized what they saw as overwrought symbolism. Over time, many scholars have regarded Electra, My Love as a high point of Jancsó’s work in the 1970s, noted for its artistic movement and the bold use of the red helicopter as a dramatic turn.