Based on the stories of Hungarian writer Gyula Krúdy, this iconic film is a lush and sensuous depiction of the life, loves and memories of serial seducer Szindbád.
This drama about a boorish non-conformist takes place in Hungary after the war and is dulled a little by political overtones but is still an engaging story. The setting is the countryside, where an independent, landowning farmer busies himself in his free time by bedding down the women on his farm and then tossing them aside. One such ill-treated lass ends up marrying a young man who is in charge of a communal farm, a farm the womanizing "beast" of the title is later forced to join. The arrogant, formerly independent farmer does not reform his ways and is soon chasing after the young manager's wife, the woman he dropped not that long ago. The results are disastrous.
The top management of the co-operative in the rural community at Lake Balaton goes on coaches everywhere to irritate Mrs. Peczöli, the snobbish wife of the only individual farmer. Peczöli would readily join the co-operative, should it not oppose his apple improving experiments.
The story of balladistic intonation takes place at Lake Balaton, in a fisher village. The love of Kovács Mária and Szabó Mihály is hopeless due to a long animosity between their families. Mária is married by her father to his adopted son Kovács Jani. The unhappy young woman is unable to hide her love for Mihály and therefore her angry father sentences her with the traditionally suitable penalty of unfaithful women, she is put on the stormy waters of Balaton in a boat without oars or scull.
