La juste route

In the immediate aftermath of WWII, the arrival of two Jewish men turns a small Hungarian village upside down. The whole village profited from the deportation and extermination of their former Jewish neighbors, and now everyone fears exposure and ruin.

The petty vindictiveness and corruption of the villagers is their own undoing. All sorts of dire consequences ensue at the merest whiff that the villagers might be forced to take responsibility for their wartime misdeeds. This panic of the natives almost borders on slapstick; it stands in sharp contrast to the methodical, dignified simplicity of the outsiders whom the natives fear.

Great photography, great editing, great acting, great story. I highly recommend 1945.

Almost to the end of "1945", writer/ director Ferenc Torok keeps the audience in the dark regarding the rationale of the players. It is a masterful screenplay, full of mystery and expectation, which makes the pacing seem sluggish. Gradually, however, the pieces and clues all fit together in this post-WWII story of past betrayal and cupidity.

The picture was shot in black and white and with an authentic feel of a 40's film. Torok assembled a cast of talented actors, most unknown outside of Hungary, and there is not an amateur performance among them. The star is Peter Rudolf who plays Istvan, the town clerk mainly responsible for what has befallen the town, as the two Hasidic men walk slowly into town with their 'cargo'. I am not going to tip off the reasons behind the plot, but "1945" may be the best film that has played on American soil this year. Be prepared to use your best powers of deduction as the tantalizing story unfolds, because this one will require all your concentration.

This film tells the story of the arrival of two Jewish men in a quiet Hungarian town just after the Second World War. Residents react according to the ghosts of their past, creating a butterfly effect of a disastrous magnitude.

1945" is a beautiful black and white film. Every frame is well thought out. It fits the era of 1945, and enhances the haunting atmosphere of the film.

The story is captivating because it makes you think hard. It tells some aspects of the story through dialogues, but does not tell the entire story plainly. Viewers have to think and recreate the complete story, and that story is a haunting one that leaves a long lasting impact. It is a great film, and I'm glad I had a chance to watch it.

It reminds me "The Visit of Old Lady" by Friedrich Durrenmatt. it reminds the Old Greak tragedies. in special sense. in specific manner. two Jews in a Hungarian village. two hutches. a way. a wedding. memories about dark past. and everything becomes different.

for me, a masterpiece. for the clash between minimalism of the presence of the two strangers and the community storm. for the performances. and impecable craft of story. but, more important, for the status of near story. from the past of grandparents of Central Europe. for the force of cinema to give a sort of social exorcisation. for the art to give the realistic portrait of a world. for define the sin. and the choices behind the deep fears. a film about hidden demons. memories. papers. ambitions of actuary. answer of a husband. indifference of a priest. decision of a son. and the train. in the station of a village.

An unflinching portrait of the power of conscience and the human effect of its avoidance. The post-modern narrative of identity politics and Nietzschean and victim culture here vaporizes into the dustbin of history. Human choices matter. Memory matters. Morality matters. Selfishness and structural, political complicity therewith lead to social disintegration. As C.S. Lewis wrote, revenge is the predictable arc of human affairs. There is only one thing that breaks the cycle of material human history and that is forgiveness. Go. See. This. Film.