"Fényes szelek", or "The confrontation" (1968, better than 1969) is set in 1947-48. Everybody knows which party was at the Government in Hungary in those years (like in all Eastern Europe, by the way). And it is usual, in Jancsó's films, to pay attention at the historical contexts. We will see it here.
So, this is the plot: in those "wonderful" years, a group of young communists (yes, the party in the power) get into a religious high school or so, in order to convince the pupils about Communism. At the beginning, they try to be more or less fair with them. In this part of the film, there are perhaps too many folkloric Hungarian dances and songs, very loved by the filmmaker. The spectators may fear that "Fényes szelek" will be no more than propaganda.
But the quality of the movie increases since then. Because the film shows well how, in every revolutionary process, the most extremist leaders are those who command. So, the film shows the real face of totalitarianism, the abuse of power, lack of religious freedom, arbitrary acts...And all that was filmed under a Communist regime, for those who could understand it! It is true that the end of the film is not so courageous. The most extremist Communist girl is fired. So, there is a Party which is able to control the excesses of its worst members...
Nevertheless, one can understand that this is an interesting movie, better than expected if we have a look at the beginning of the plot and its promised "confrontation". It is also well made with long shots, always with that famous epic style of Jancsó, prone to action instead of words, and which tends to show movements of groups of people instead of "ideological debates".
So, this is the plot: in those "wonderful" years, a group of young communists (yes, the party in the power) get into a religious high school or so, in order to convince the pupils about Communism. At the beginning, they try to be more or less fair with them. In this part of the film, there are perhaps too many folkloric Hungarian dances and songs, very loved by the filmmaker. The spectators may fear that "Fényes szelek" will be no more than propaganda.
But the quality of the movie increases since then. Because the film shows well how, in every revolutionary process, the most extremist leaders are those who command. So, the film shows the real face of totalitarianism, the abuse of power, lack of religious freedom, arbitrary acts...And all that was filmed under a Communist regime, for those who could understand it! It is true that the end of the film is not so courageous. The most extremist Communist girl is fired. So, there is a Party which is able to control the excesses of its worst members...
Nevertheless, one can understand that this is an interesting movie, better than expected if we have a look at the beginning of the plot and its promised "confrontation". It is also well made with long shots, always with that famous epic style of Jancsó, prone to action instead of words, and which tends to show movements of groups of people instead of "ideological debates".