The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Would you rather be a tyrant or his victim? Accidentally, characters start this conversation. Soon, they will have to choose their roles for real.Seemingly boring typical evening in a bar turns wrong with the sudden arrival of the Arrow Cross (Hungarian gestapo). Our heroes are a typical mix of ordinary people with no interest in big (war) events. But someone's overheard their apparent antipathy for the regime and now they will have to prove on which side they are.Perfect play, almost a piece de theatre. Forces you to think from the first time the difficult question is asked. Then, scene-by-scene gets better and better until the end. Stays in your head for long. Could be easily interpreted as a hidden criticism of the communist regime back in 70's. Absolutely timeless and always actual. A masterpiece.

Who would you like to be: Tomóceusz Katatiki (slave-holder) or Gyugyu (slave)? This question pops up at a casual meeting between regulars in a bar. Everybody tries to figure out his own answer. Meanwhile, the historical events unfold and the characters has to make their real choice in real life.A slow-paced, dialogue driven movie based on a book. Characters played by top actors under good director. Őze Lajos, playing one of the main character, has a really memorable acting here. Music also matches the mood, a little bit grotesque made by a mechanical device, which we can observe at the beginning of the movie. The visuals are usually dark, there are some references and symbols. One of the most noteworthy visual reference is when a Hieronymus Bosch painting (The Garden of Earthly Delights) comes to life.It's a must see movie from Hungary.

*** In 1944 - during a WWII - a fascism regime has came into power in Budapest. Although the hard circumstances few men come to drink and spend every evenings in a boozer together to speak about their common acquaintances and the proper and finest making of the fresh calf's meat. They are Mr. Gyuricza, the watchmaker, Mr. Kiraly, the book agent, Mr. Kovacs, the carpenter and Bela colleague, the innkeeper. One day an unknown photographer come to join them exactly when Gyurizca put a question in his usual satirical method to the company: what if they could rebirth and choose between the roles of the rich tyrant and the tortured slave who's still honorable. What would be? That time they don't know yet that this theoretic question must be answered very soon in a real torture room. ***This movie paints excellent picture how the dictatorship has worked in deed and how the regime has caught and changed the common people into something they never would became. It's not a 1984 like we've seen that in Orwell's powerful but mostly utopian vision, neither it's not really a V for Vendetta which is Hollywood's romantic Zorro-like dream about a totalitarian society. It's the story of the nameless people, the nobody who has the power at will, but no will to use their power. The director, Zoltan Fabri handles the characters properly. The dialogs are great and the filming is amazing. Some people may say it's dark but I think it has more then bright light to show how the regime has manipulated the common people who lived in the country. They didn't print any handout against the regime. They wouldn't explode anything. They just would live in the country. Still. They were hazardous for the regime. Once they got their accordance and reason, they got the power and could not be stopped anymore. Or almost not. This is what the regime never let to happen.I think that the main oppressor character (formed by Zoltan Latinovics - in my opinion he was the one of the greatest actors who has ever lived) has right.'It's tiny issue when somebody drop a bomb to a party house. Some paints things to the walls. It's also tiny issue. Some shoot few friend of ours that's also a tiny issue. Why? Because we are going to catch them and hang up or shoot them. Before or after but finally they will be all dead for sure. So they are all tiny issues. The remaining ones matter! Whose don't explode bomb, don't paint or anything. They live among us. They are the mass. We may have some real problem with them.'Fascism or communism. Doesn't matter. Both has followed the same overwhelming cliché what Ferenc Santa (the writer) put so effectively into his characters' mouth. 'These four men have to learn that you really have the right to tell them that their wife is a whore or beat them as you wish. They must memorize that they can do nothing but you can do anything! Keep them in doubts. Let them fear, including the innocents and criminals... so you will beat them on a pedagogic basis.'I'm wondering that this movie could be created during the 70s of Hungary (for the readers are not native Hungarians, we have a communist regime until 1989). But I'm quite sure that the oppressors of that time didn't recognize themselves in this mirror as they acted right after 1956 in the darkest years of the communism. Maybe Mr. Gyuricza, the watchmaker said properly. 'The tyrant was sure that he is the best ruler in world because he acts according to the morality of the age and he has right reason.'One more thing: in my opinion this movie precisely open up the sad fact that almost all dictatorships have left shame in the nameless survivors' soul for something, to hardly let them speak and trust again to each other. It's one of the oppressors' well crafted advantage.In total: Excellent movie. Deep and touching. Good acting. Honorable question. What is your choice would be?I can recommend this anyone who wish to know more about that psychology of the theme. Unfortunately the DVD release I got has got only Hungarian language. I hope that some dubs or subtitles are available somewhere for other languages to show this great movie for a greater audience.

One of the greatest newage hungarian writer Santa Ferenc's book is digging very very deep into the human being and the human nature. Fabry, the director chose the best actors, and made one on the best hungarian movie. You have to see it more than few times, to pick up everything. Its all about life, about war, with amazing questions you cant even answer...You must read the book!!!egy csodálatos film.