THE DOGS (THE PIGS) [1992]
year:
- 1992
release date:
- XI 1992
runtime:
- 104 min
directed by:
- Władysław Pasikowski
written by:
- Władysław Pasikowski
director of photography:
- Paweł Edelman
cast:
- Bogusław Linda [Franz Maurer], Marek Kondrat [Olo Żwirski], Cezary Pazura [Lt. Waldemar Morawiec], Janusz Gajos [Gross ], Agnieszka Jaskółka [Angela Wenz], Zbigniew Zapasiewicz [Senator Wencel, chairmanof the verification committee], Zbigniew Bielski [Kaniewski, a Security Service officer], Tomasz Dedek [Wawro, a Security Service officer], Ryszard Fischbach, Marek Frąckowiak [Kazek, a Security Service officer], Tadeusz Szymków [Jerzyk, a Security Service officer], Jerzy Bończak [Roman Bluszcz ], Jan Machulski [Walenda, a Security Service officer], Edward Linde-Lubaszenko [Tadeusz Stopczyk, Security Service Captain], Olaf Lubaszenko [Krzyś ]
edited by:
- Wanda Zeman, Zbigniew Niciński
music by:
- Michał Lorenc
production design:
- Andrzej Przedworski
produced by:
- Studio Filmowe „Zebra”
producer:
- Juliusz Machulski
executive producer:
- Andrzej Sołtysik
awards:
-
• Polish feature Film Festival Gdynia 1992: best director award for Władysław Pasikowski, award for the best male performance in a leading role for Bogusław Linda, award for best supporting actress for Agnieszka Jaskółka, award for best score for Michał Lorenc, award for the best screenplay for Wanda Zeman and Zbigniew Niciński
• Golden Duck 1992
• Cinema of Action and Adventure Festival Valenciennes 1994: award for the best performance for Bogusław Linda, best director award for Władysław Pasikowski
• Golden Duck 2012: award for best Polish thriller and best performance in a Polish thriller for Boguslaw Linda
About the film
A powerful, brutal and masterfully executed crime thriller, based on the Polish reality of the transition period from 1989-1990. Dynamic action, a detailed screenplay and great performances. A blockbuster of the early nineties.
It is 1990. Franz Maurer, a longtime Security Service officer, is transferred to the criminal police. He takes part in an action against an international gang of car thieves. Police officers surround the motel where the criminal is staying. However, they fail to arrest him. He is killed by a rival gang. In the ensuing shoot out, three policemen are killed. Franz, who was commanding the action, cannot get over the death of his colleagues. He contacts Olo who has to help him apprehend the bandits. Olo Żwirski, kicked out of the Security Service, has been recently recruited into a gang of former Secret Service officers. They killed the car mafia man in the motel. In addition to the trade in stolen cars, they also want to control the amphetamine market. The drug is manufactured by the Słaby brothers, who, until now, have been selling it to the West themselves. Olo gets an order to kill Zenon Słaby, as the bandits know that he will never agree to work with them. Słaby’s brother, nicknamed "the Great", can be persuaded. Olo executes the Zenon. The Security Service gang want to have the best amphetamine specialist. Olo asks Franz to keep the “chemist” in custody for a short time. He wants to have him at his disposal. He is planning to set up another drug trafficking group with Maurer. Franz lives with seventeen-year-old Angela, whom he helped to get out of juvie. The girl is cheating on him with Olo.
Maurer rejects his unfaithful lover, and refuses to forgive his friend for the betrayal. He captures the "chemist" and brings him to "the Great" Słąby. He offers to eliminate the gang that killed his brother. He manages to shoot one of its members. Later, he shoots Olo without any scruples. He falls into the hands of the police.
In the finale, he is sentenced to a long imprisonment.
Joanna Piątek, Leksykon polskich filmów fabularnych, Warszawa 1996
