The Witness
Movie • 1969 • Drama
ReportKnown as the best satire about communism, banned for over a decade in Hungary. 'The Witness' has become a cult classic, well received by critics and general audiences when it was finally released outside of Hungary. 'The Witness' takes place during the height of the Rákosi Era, which was closely modeled after the ruthless and brutal Stalin regime. The film follows the life of an ordinary dike keeper, József Pelikán, who has been caught for illegally slaughtering his pig, Dezsõ. Instead of doing hard time for his "heinous" crime, Pelikán is elevated into an important position, generally reserved for the communist elite. His new benefactor, the mysterious Comrade Virág, is reluctant to reveal the real reason behind Pelikán's preferential treatment. Thus, begins Pelikán's hilarious adventure deep within the "sophisticated" communist society... Until one day, when he gets called for to return the "favour" by falsely testifying against his long-time friend in a mock-up show trial.
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Are animals abused?
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Several animals are killed, but not in a cruel or abusive way.
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A child is hit over the back of the head by his father, but not particularly hard.
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Is there eye mutilation?
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There is a character with an eyepatch, but the reason for it never comes up.
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Is someone tortured?
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Several mentions of torture, but nothing happens onscreen.
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Does someone die by suicide?
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Are there incestuous relationships?
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Is there genital trauma/mutilation?
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Brief mention of electrocuting someone's genitals.
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A character threatens to commit suicide, but it's obviously an empty threat intended to manipulate another character.
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A child is hit over the back of the head by his father, but not particularly hard.
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Are any teeth damaged?
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The main character has several teeth missing from being tortured. The actual torture isn't shown.
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Are there abusive parents?
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A child is hit over the back of the head by his father, but not particularly hard.
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Is someone burned alive?
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A house burns down, but no one is hurt.
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Is there shaving/cutting?
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A character is shaved onscreen using a razor.
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Is there a hanging?
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A character is sentenced to death by hanging. The empty gallows is shown, but there's no noose, and the character isn't actually hanged in the end.
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Is someone gaslighted?
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A character accuses another character of hallucinating to try to discredit what he is saying, but it's not really gaslighting.
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Does someone say "I'll kill myself"?
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A character threatens to commit suicide, but it's obviously an empty threat intended to manipulate another character.
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Does the abused become the abuser?
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Does a woman get slapped?
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Does someone cheat?
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A character's wife is mentioned to have run away with another man offscreen.
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A character's face is shaved with a razor onscreen.
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Does someone abuse alcohol?
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A lot of alcohol is drunk, but it isn't presented as problematic or in the context of addiction.
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Is there a hospital scene?
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A character has a brief medical examination in a clinic. No actual medical procedures take place.
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Is religion discussed?
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A few mentions of Christianity but no real discussion.
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A lot of alcohol and tobacco use throughout.
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Are there ghosts?
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A few obviously fake skeletons/ghosts in a ghost train at an amusement park.
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Are there mannequins?
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There is a statue of a woman in one scene.
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Is there incarceration?
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Incarceration is a recurring theme of the film.
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Are there natural bodies of water?
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Several shots of the Danube. There is one scene where the river has flooded and several characters are stranded up a tree by the floodwater.
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Is there a dead animal?
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Several dead animals, including a pig in the process of being made into sausages.
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A pig is slaughtered offscreen, its screams are audible. Two gophers are killed with a shovel. A pheasant is shot.
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Is there gun violence?
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Guns are shot at/around people, but nobody is hit. A pheasant is shot while hunting.
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Is someone homeless?
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A character's house is destroyed, but then immediately rebuilt.
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