EGY ORULT ÉJSZAKA

"A few minutes before closing time, two men enter a general store. They claim to be inspectors ant] begin to take inventory. They are very effective in pushing the employees to turn against each other, and this sheds a clear light on the fraudolent nature of the management. However, the brutality of the two men makes the director's wife suspicious. She boasts of friends in high places. The presumed inspectors then react by setting the supplies on fire. Thus loads of flour and sugar are burnt up in the heating furnace while the employees are locked in the basement and wonder how to get out of there. The director is relieved that the proof of his thieving has been eliminated, but he now has the problem of getting rid of these unexpected accomplices. It is not easy to shut them up. In fact, they rob the proceeds of the day and disappear. When the police open the store the next day, there is nothing missing and the employees keep their mouths shut. Only Kati, a young appprentice, shows her disgust for the situation and leaves.

"The world of Szegénylegények is a closed world too. […] The only thing is that Jancso works with scenes from Hungarian and world history while Kardos works with the elements making up a Kozért. […] Jancso tries to make a judgment of himself, of his personal world, even when he tangles himself with questions of world history. […] The younger Kardos bathes himself in bright winds. Not given to feel that he is the creator of world history, he creates a great distance between himself and his subject. Ferenc Kardos constructs his film logically. A rational economy has been guiding him as he builds his closed world. […] In any case, there are logical digressions, even breaks, in the plot, and these have prevented this very sound film becoming a masterpiece." (Istavn Eorsi, "Filmkultura", 1/1970)

Director and screenplay: Ferenc Kardos.
Director of photography: Janos Kende.
Art director: Tamas Vayer.
Editor: Janos Rozsa.
Music: Péter Eotvos.
Cast and characters: Adam Szirtes (Lajos), Mari Torocsik (Évike), Ferenc Kallai (primo ispettore), Laszlo Mensaros (secondo ispettore), Beata Tyszkievicz (cassiera), Lajos Oze (Géza), Kati Kanya (Kati), Maria Goor Nagy (Sari), Dezso Garas (Jozsl), Jozsef Madaras (Gyula), Gaspar Jancso (il fidanzato di Kati).
Production company: MaFilm (Studio 3), Budapest.