SZEGÉNYLEGÉNYEK

1869. Once the flames of 1848 were put out, there were rebels still going around the poor country regions of Hungary, and they recognized the legendary figure of Sandor Rozsa as their inspiration. Gedeon Raday was appointed government commissioner in charge of repressing the rebels. He used methods laden with an impressive psychological terrorism. He had hundreds of peasants shut up in a little fort on the great plains, but it was not easy to unmask the rebels hidden among them. A widow points out Gajdor as a suspect. He confesses to five homicides, but is granted immunity if he agrees to collaborate. His secret testimony leads to the arrest of Veszelka. Meanwhile, the prisoners' ability to resist is put to a hard test by a series of chillingly geometrical rituals. When Gajdor's betrayal is discovered, he is used as bait. When he is killed, the accomplices of the homicide, in turn, become informers. In the end, a proclamation is read in public that grants a pardon to the absent Sandor. His "desperadoes" then sing an anthem in honor of Kossuth. This is the way they are identified and arrested. The hypothetical pardon, in fact, applies only to their chief.

"Miklos Jancso's disquieting film strikes us hardest for its maturity while it forces us to think hard. This film does not remind us of others neither those seen last year nor those of many years ago. [...] The exciting newness of Szegénylegények comes forth above all in its language mature, clean, and extremely disciplined. Jancso has put aside every decorative quality in an almost ascetic spirit of denial. It also seems that its laconic quality and moderation are able to become the creative force of its style. The reason is probably because its great contrasts and its wide-ranging composition spread out energy enough to make what is being seen allusive and rigorous at the same time." (Yvette Biro, "Filmvilag", 15/1/1966)

Director: Miklos Jancso.
Screenplay: Gyula Hernadi.
Director of photography: Tamas Somlo.
Art director: Tamas Banovich.
Editor: Zoltan Farkas.
Cast and characters: Janos Gorbe (Gajdor), Tibor Molnar (Kabai), Andras Kozak (suo figlio), Gabor Agardy (Torma), Zoltan Latinovits (Veszelka), Béla Barsi, joszef Madaras, Istvan Avar, Janos Koltai, Ida Simonfalvi.
Production company: MaFilm (Studio 4), Budapest.