Vizi privati, pubbliche virtù

The film is definitely not superficial in terms of content. However, it can be rightly argued that, compared to other films by the director from that time, it lacks a deeper second level in terms of form and work with mise-en-scène. Indeed, the choreographic elaboration of endless long shots, ranging from wide shots to character details depending on their internal and external movement, practically gives up completely in favor of simple long shots of naked bodies. It was (and still is) absolutely legitimate to liberate the female and male groin from the captivity of clothes and place them triumphantly and with the accompaniment of the sound of a band directly in the center of the movie screen – in this regard, it is highly entertaining to watch how the camera, where it would discreetly move away in conventional films, moves directly and gracefully in the opposite direction toward the target. This deliberate mockery of conventional camera work is probably the funniest aspect of the film. At first, the subject also appears simple, and although it is not ultimately profound, it is certainly not as light-hearted as it initially seems. Does the decadence of the protagonists only arise from their generational rebellion against a pedantic father, or does Jancsó primarily present us with an image of the necessary consequences of the behavior of the Austro-Hungarian political establishment, i.e., the necessary transition from binding meticulous bureaucracy to the radical denial engendered by IT, which ultimately led to a different destructive decadence – the massacres of the First World War? (28.05.2015)

The historical setting suits it quite well, and the fact that it has some plot, even if it's just the journey of one character, constantly followed by the camera, adds to its appeal. The film is not explicit, but on the other hand, some shots can surprise quite pleasantly, and not only the male audience. But it's as if the film doesn't know whether it wants to be erotic or narrative. (02.05.2017)