The Corporal and Others (1965) User Reviews

One of the best of 'old school' hungarian movies

[Nil_admirari · 9/10 · 7 September 2007]

For me it's clearly the best from director Márton "Mágnás Miska, Beszterce ostroma, Különös házasság" Keleti. It's a bittersweet satire about the last days of World War II and the fate of the Hungarians (cought between nazi and soviet forces). A Hungarian Corporal (Imre Sinkovits) opts to desert and tries to get away with his comrades' acquittance. He joins a group of AWOL soldiers, and 'couse of his clear (?) view of the situation suddenly becomes their de facto leader. This is the moment when the movie gets CULT. The only way to outsmart the enemy is to constantly change the uniforms and philosophies and so, side with them. The tagline is: "The soviets are already in the closet". U-turn after u-turn, but still, even in hard times, they struggle to maintain their humanity and humor. They are not soldiers anymore, but act like a band of brothers (even Albert the butler /Tamás Major/) and try to save the life of Grisa /Lajos Cs. Németh/, the wounded soviet soldier. It gives a good picture of the time, the behavior of the hungarians, and the It-can't-get-worse-but-it-will thing (you know, the Hungarian way of life :) ). Maybe one of the reasons to learn hungarian is to appreciate the voices of the great hungarian actors (like Iván Darvas, Imre Sinkovits). Take a cup of Shakespearian portrays, a drop of Ocean's 11, mixed it with European acting put it in WW II, and there you have "A Tizedes meg a többiek". Bon Appétit!

War comedy emphasizing the value of humanity

[ilovesaturdays · 9/10 · 3 June 2020]

This is an excellent movie full of humor and madcap adventure. The movie is set around the end of WWII. Hungary is going through much political upheaval and mayhem. Its streets now have soldiers storming into and out of the city, wearing many different colors of uniforms. There is a joke regarding the political implications of the same thing in the movie too. Fortunately, the message of the film is not lost in all the levity since many scenes make quite an impact. Thus, even through the fine layers of the comedy, a viewer still feels empathy for this proud country whose innocent citizens are the biggest victims of the war (and isn't it always so in any country). The scene where teenage boys are being loaded onto the army vehicle to get enlisted is a very poignant one. The boys' terrified & beleaguered mothers who've already sent their husbands to the war protest against the injustice of it all, but their pleas fall on deaf ears.

My favorite characters were Ferenc Molnár and Albert. The former has decided that he's seen enough of the war and wants out; possibly with some money to start a little business venture when peacetime comes. During his stint with the army, he's learnt quite a few tricks and isn't afraid to use those to his advantage. He understands that there are no winners in a war, so he's decided that all of his loyalty is only to himself. However, during the course of the movie, he makes many friends, who are also deserters and tired of the war.

Albert, the butler, with his stoic expressions is the exact opposite of Molnar. He's so cultured and proper that he seems like a fish out of water among these war-hardened soldiers. He's a reminder of the bygone era with all its class differences. However, being a working class man, he's still not obsolete. Even in a detention camp, he finds himself in great demand. Besides Molnar and Albert, other characters are quite good too. The war-weary soldiers, wearing different colored uniforms, and having different ideologies form a brotherhood of sorts while living in the mansion. This collaboration proves how friendship can heal people and makes one realize that the most important thing is human life; much more important than national identities and hatred for the so-called enemy.

Watching this interesting and funny movie, I was reminded of another great war comedy, 'The Great Escape'.

Ideal for a boring night

[ram-12 · 10/10 · 6 February 2000]

It is one of the most brilliant comedies I have ever seen with an excellent casting; the late Tamás Major is undoubtedly showing his best form, Imre Sinkovits is also better than average. The script is full of wit and humor (The Russians are already in the pantry). A must to see if you speak Hungarian.

Introduction for foreign viewers

[Gaborka · 10/10 · 17 December 1999]

This movie is an absolute must-see for every fan of wartime action comedies. I can only compare it with Kelly's Heroes, but the Tizedes is a lot better (or is only closer to me). Despite the year it was made in (1965), the atmosphere of the film is surprisingly free and not very Soviet-friendly. Watch it if you can.

A Legend. Best wartime-comedy (and best Hungarian movie) ever!

[kazan-bandi · 10/10 · 22 April 2007]

This is a legendary movie in Hungary, maybe the best and most famous movie ever made here. It is a wartime comedy set in the chaotic times of WWII, 1945. The German are escaping, falling back from Hungary, and the Russian are coming in with great numbers. The "little heroes" of the movie are different people, mostly escaped soldiers, whose only goal is to survive the war - and possibly not without any money. But there are a lot of powers in the chaos of the war in Hungary: the escaping German army, who don't care anything about Hungarian losses; the Hungarian army, for whom these people are fugitives and have to be condemned to death; the special Hungarian fascist forces (called "nyilas" because the Hungarian fascist leader was called Nyilasi); and of course the Soviet army, who they didn't know a lot about because of the propaganda. This movie, despite the many historical informations and interesting facts, is a real European kind of wartime comedy, a bit sad, a bit bitter, but utterly funny and exciting. The movie tells about the hopes and adventures of single ordinary men in the war who are brave and witty but do not want to fight. It reminds the viewer to Svejk, the famous Czech book, and Where eagles dare, the spy-story, because there is a lot of pretending here as well, the heroes trying to act like a Communist when they meet the Soviet force, and trying to act like a real Fasicts among the German and so on. The movie is interesting because the historical set, and even more interesting, knowing that it was made during the Socialism in Hungary, when Sovietunio was not really to criticize. So the German are made more fun of, but there are lots of jokes with the Russian as well!

And a little info for those who are interested: when Hitler came into Hungary with his army to make sure that every command of his will be done even when he was losing the battles and it was not so shiny to be with German in the war anymore, in the occupied countries little political armed forces were formed of only real Fascist people. In Hungary, they were called "nyilas". These people are easy to spot (in the movie) because they wear ed arm-bands with a four-headed arrow. (For example the fat man with the mustache who is collecting young people from a village in the movie.) The mad politician Hitler put "in charge" in Hungary after he came in with force was called Szálasi. Here you can find a pi cs about Szálasi and another about that armband: http://www.holokausztmagyarorszagon.hu/index.php?section=2&type=pi cs&chapter=7_1_4 A wartime-comedy-adventure gem with very-very clever and a little sad and ironic humor. And the main actor called Sinkovics Imre is also brilliant (best Hungarian actor ever IMHO!!!).

all-time favorite

[stenonis · 10/10 · 8 December 2007]

This movie is my favorite movie. That's a fact, that won't change ever! It's undoubtedly comic, but if you think about the happenings, somehow really tragic too. The main hero tries to do his best to survive in a world full of chaos and changes, Russians and Germans, trapped in the middle. And he does it so wittily and funnily, honestly, you can't stop laughing! Imre Sikovits is one of my favorite actors, and he does his best at this film. Changing from soldier to a baron and back, even his demeanor changes. Iván Darvas, who died recently is also wonderful as the disillusioned soldier who'd rather die, than live in this weird world, and Tamás Major, the butler, stoic and knowledgeable to the end. See it, if you can.

about war

[Kirpianuscus · 19 April 2018]

An old fashion comedy. and little more. because it is surprising modern. because it reflects a specific Central European humor who reminds The Private Svejk but, in same measure, the virtues of Hungarian cinematography. a film about war. or survive in time of war. adventures, money, generosity, Germans, Russians , an old mansion and the perfect butler. and the clear, touching, humanist message. a film who must see. time by time. for discover it more refreshing. for understand the meaning of "cultural resistance". and, sure, for all the details, from nationalistic speech to the cliches about the others, from forms of camaraderie to the absurde of each aspect of war. a film like an open window in a summer morning. remembering essential things. proposing subtle image of near reality. and a sort of humor giving the feel of meet with wise solutions. for remainsing. yourself. and, sure, free.