The Punishment (1976) User Reviews

A great movie about the way of the world

[Ana_Banana · 10/10 · 10 July 2005]

"Osanda" means Sentence, or Damnation. A former soldier and convict returns to his village after World War I and is suspected and rejected by everyone (his wife included), with the exception of a young widow. The local aristocrat is murdered by bandits and the former convict runs for his life. Though simple as this premise may seem, the story (adapted from a novel by Victor Ion Popa) grows more and more intense as it goes on. Tough characters, great love, stubborn hate, realistic acting (most of the cast!), deep and concentrated dialogs, formidable music, powerful images.

Some memorable scenes: the convict and the widow silently meet again in his mountain refuge (just watch it, this is one of the greatest scenes on screen ever, I mean it), the burial, the ending with a farewell swearing to the world while falling with the wooden cross.

This is the best Romanian movie ever and one of the best around, too. It would be great for any viewer. Deep, focused, direct and intense.

Amza Pellea

[Vincentiu · 11 January 2013]

it is his film. great performance and force of a character who it has script as root. many nuances. few extraordinaries scenes. and a cross. as axis of a redemption without limits. or sense. a delicate love story. and an injured. prejudices of a community. and a murder as mirror for everybody. short - must see it ! not for its beauty - it is really touching. not for wise measure - it is a truth. not for cast - it is remarkable. but for Amza Pellea as sign of passing silhouette. and for last scene. or, only for ball of questions front with a film about sin and pain and hope and dark gestures. must see it ! as isle of memory. because it remains a little more than an adaptation.

the cross

[Kirpianuscus · 31 December 2018]

A novel by Victor Ion Popa. The mark of Sergiu Nicolaescu. Amza Pellea in the lead role. Ioana Pavelescu giving a beautiful performance. A parable about life and pain and love and choices. Portrait of after world and the deep traces of past.And few beautiful scenes. It is a film of its period and this could be the fair start point to define it. So, "Osanda".

The usual low quality

[ersbel · 17 February 2016]

Sergiu Nicolaescu was liked by Nicolae Ceausescu. That was his only outward quality. Bad scripting. Ugly costumes. Bad acting. Bad direction. Clumsy editing. But these were only a vehicle to waste the state money. And the only promise they had to make was to serve and enforce the ultra nationalistic state directives.

The state propaganda stated the peasant is the source of the Aryans of the Eastern Europe. So they are well manicured even when working in the dirt. They also are dressed by the same factory that has made the costumes for the national standard of costumes. There is no road, yet they seem to be well connected.

And the acting... don't start me about it. The same old party members. They are confirmed to be politically right and they are well connected so who cares about acting?

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