Law should not imitate nature...
but rather improve it
Law is mankind's idea...
to regulate the interpersonal relations
What we are and how we live is the effect of law...
which we either observe or infringe
Man is free
His freedom is restricted by another person's right to freedom
And punishment...
punishment is a revenge,
particularly if it's aimed at injuring the criminal
...and not at preventing crime
But in whose name does law take its revenge?
Is it really in the name of the innocent?
And are the law-maker really innocent?
Mr. Piotr Balicki
Will you come in, please?
Throwing rage away, Mister?
They might still be of use
Somebody threw this at me
And hit you?
No, did you see anybody with a rag like this?
Is it a good film?
No, it's boring
What is it about?
Love, but it's boring anyway
Besides, there's no performance right now, we're making a break
What are you doing?
Plucking the gray hairs out
Do you happen to know where...
the nearest taxi-rank is?
In the Castle Square
A gala concert took place,
organized by the Ministry of Culture and Art...
In fact...
I've taken so much time answering not because I don't know want to say
But I've already been asked this question twice
During my admission exams to the University, the answer seemed very simple
Four years later, in this building
I was not so confident any more
Hey, Madam! We've brought supplies
Quick, Beata!
Good morning
Want a portrait like this one?
No
Is this the way to the Castle Square?
Yeah, straight ahead
I suppose that practicing this profession,
one can correct the errors made by that huge machinery
...called administration of justice
Or at least one can try to correct them
I find another thing interesting, too
Most of all perhaps that I will meet and understand people...
whom I would never meet
if I practiced another profession
Go away! You scare my pigeons!
Go away, will you!
Cad!
Are you free?
Don't you see I'm washing the car?
Could we perhaps wait here? It's so cold...
We all ask ourselves...
whether what we're doing makes any sense
But...
I'm afraid finding the sense is a more and more difficult task
It's more and more often
...that we doubt the sense of our actions
And maybe even of our plans, too
I believe it's a decline of criteria Or worse still, of values
The manageress forgot to charge you for the soup vegetables
How about a life, Miss Beata?
I say, Mister!
Good afternoon
What can I do for you?
I have here...
Are you perhaps one of the specialists who drive pegs into the walls?
No
I thought you might be
I have here a photograph...
Could you enlarge it?
But the bends will be visible
Never mind
All right
Excuse me, Madam...
Is it true that you can tell from a picture...
whether the person is alive or dead?
You've been listening to some non sense
Acting through the prisoner,
or to be more precise, with the prisoner to influence others
I mean deterrence or simply frightening people
It's mentioned among others in Article 50 of the Penal Code
I don't think I like that irony in your voice, the general presentation
...is a doubtful justification of severity of punishment
Not in my opinion only Besides, it's often unjust...
Want some?
The wife's prepared it for us
There, have some
A glass of tea, please
We don't serve teas here
What do you serve?
Coffee and a cake...
I'll take coffee and a cake then
Which one?
A cream puff
No, not this one... This one here
From Cain, no punishment...
has ever improved anybody or deterred him from committing offences
And now, for the news for driver To begin with, the weather forecast
Road conditions are rather bad
Apart from the south-eastern regions, occasional showers possible all over the country
Madzio!
It is my pleasure to inform you that you have passed the examination
From today on, after four years of study and four years of legal training,
please consider yourself our colleague
Eh, Mister...
Excuse me
Are you perhaps going to Mokotow district?
NO, the opposite direction
You see, we're in a great hurry
Motokow, please
Where did that fellow want to go?
The opposite direction
Could you wind the window up?
It's cold
Turn left here
It's easier to reach Fogel street going straight ahead
I prefer it this way
As you wish...
Stop the car, it's over there
You couldn't get through any
I wouldn't even try
Christ...
The glove compartment...
The money...
My wife...
The money...
Give her...
Please...
Let me tell you about a lion A brave golden lion
He got braver and braver every day
All big lions kept telling him
That a lion should have a lion's heart
The session is closed
Is it all, sir?
It is
Yes, it's me...
I lost... yes, completely...
I don't know, have no idea
Maybe I'll go for a walk
No, don't come
How are you?
Slept well? Yes...
Well, bye then
Sir!
Jacek!
Excuse me, Your Highness
I know it isn't customary
You're right
It isn't
But I'd like to know, once it's all over now
Would it help any
...if he had an older
and renowned counsel?
Not at all
The things I said...
Maybe I could have said it differently...
Your speech was probably the best speech...
against capital punishment that I've heard in years
But the sentence had to be what it was
You made no mistakes,
whether as a lawyer or as a man
The circumstances of our meeting were rather unpleasant,
but all the same I'm glad to have met you
Good-bye, sir
This case... could have been tried by a better judge
All this to happen will be my fault Is that no consolation to you?
No, you know, sir
It may be irrelevant,
but remember what that boy said,
about winding a rope around his hand in the coffee bar
in Krakowskie Przedmiescie street
I was...
there
Where?
In that coffee-bar, at that very time
A year ago, that day I passed my lawyer's examination
Perhaps there was something I could have done then?
You're too sensitive to practice the legal profession
It's too late now
You've grown a year older today
The warden will see you presently
How are things doing?
Rather warm, eh?
Good morning?
The curtain doesn't work
Tidy up, will you?
Come in!
Everything's ready, sir
Thank you
I expected this
So did I
Yes, sir You have half an hour time
Half an hour?
All right
Come in!
You wanted me, sir?
Take this gentleman
Hello, counselor
I'm going to see him He wants to talk to me
An unpleasant duty, that
It is... I say, sir
This is my first time
Let's hope it will be the last one
This isn't perhaps the best moment, counselor
But we don't see each other too often, you and me...
I heard you have a son Congratulations
Thank you
You wanted to see me?
Have you seen my mother?
Yes
Was she crying?
She was
Maybe she wanted you to...?
Tell me something, or...
No
She just cried
Sit down
Would you...
Could you...
see my mother...
once again?
Of course I could
After... you know, afterwards...
I'm asking because... back there in the court,
when they were putting me into the prison van...
You called my name You called, Jacek
Yes, I called you
I wanted...
I'm nearly twenty-one
But tears rose in my eyes...
when you called my name
I said during the trial...
I don't know
I didn't listen too much
Only when I heard you calling my name
They were against me
All of them, it's the same here
Against what you did
It doesn't make any difference
You wanted me to see your mother?
Yes
I want her to bury me in father's grave
It's a double grave
Can I be buried in a cemetery?
Yes
A priest visited me here He said it was possible
Yes
Well, in that case Father's grave is a double one
Mother was...
to be buried there It was arranged that way
You see, I'd like her to let me have that place
Yes, yes sir, Warden
The Warden wants to know whether you're ready yet?
Not yet...
You were saying...
I don't remember
But you told me it was a triple grave
Yes, that's right
Marysia's buried there and Father ...and the third place is free
They put Marysia there five years age
Yes, she was run over...
by a tractor five years ago
Back in our village...
She was starting the sixth form of elementary school
This means she was twelve when she died
The sixth form
That tractor-driver, he was an acquaintance
We'd been drinking together
We'd had wine and vodka
And then he drove away, and ran her over
...on a meadow near that forest
There was a meadow there, you know
I've been thinking
Had she been alive, everything would have been different
I wouldn't have to go away I'd have stayed in the village
She was my sister
I had three brothers but only one sister
I was her favourite
And I liked her best, too
Everything could have been different
Perhaps...
Perhaps
Perhaps it would never have happened
Yes
And I wouldn't be here now
The Warden and the prosecutor want to know if you're ready
Tell the prosecutor I'll never say I'm ready
You'll never say you're ready?
Never
We bought that grave...
Have you got the sentence?
I've got all the papers
Let's go
Leave your briefcase in my office
This way, please
Take the prisoner out
Yes, sir
The prosecutor requests that you end the conversation
They give the personal belongings back afterwards
things a receipt from a photographer's in Krakow
I wanted a photograph enlarged and
...didn't have the time to collect it
Please collect the enlarged picture and give it back to Mother
What is in that picture?
It's an old picture I had Made during her first Communion
I stole it from Mother when I was going away and I always had it with me
It got so bent...
Let's go
I say, sir
I don't want to
Hold him! Get him!
Now, gentlemen...
Open the door!
A medical certificate of death
Your name and Christian name?
Lazar, Jacek
Date of birth?
March 17, 1967
Parent's names?
Jan and...
Luc... Lucja
I'll now read to you the sentence...
in the name of the Polish People's Republic
...of November 27, 1987
Having examined the case of Jacek Lazar, accused of having an assault and robbery
...and murder of Waldemar Rykowski on March 16, 1987 in Warsaw
Provincial Court in Warsaw
...has found the defendant
...guilt of the act as charged
And sentenced him on force of Articles 148 point 1
...and 44 point 2 of the Penal Code
...to death penalty and deprivation
...of public rights forever
The Supreme Court has maintained the sentence in force
The Council of State has resigned it's right to grand pardon
In this connection, the penalty will be executed
Want a cigarette?
I'd rather have one without filter
The hands
Execute the penalty
Hold him!
All right, pull it now! Pull it!
Is it O.K. Now?
More! More!
I hate you!