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Dekalog 10 (1988)

A review by Damian Cannon.
Copyright © Movie Reviews UK 2000
A delightful black comedy, Dekalog 10 delivers on the dangers of avarice and stamp collecting in unstinting detail. At an ear-splitting concert by local group "City Death", middle-aged Jerzy (Jerzy Stuhr) wades through the crowd and looks faintly uncomfortable. As he waves frantically, it's clear that he's gesturing to the oblivious singer, his brother Artur (Zbigniew Zamachowski). It turns out that their father has died, though it's not a great emotional loss as he was always rather distant, preferring to spend his time on philately. The full extent of their father's passion reveals itself when they arrive at his steel-doored, multi-locked and alarmed flat. Inside the sparse accommodation, locked cabinets reveal a giant stamp collection and assorted junk, all neatly ordered (compared to the surrounding disorder). To the untrained eye it looks as though they could realise perhaps a 100,000 zloty or more, if they're lucky.

Some pretty zeppelin stamps catch Jerzy's eye, so he takes them home to his son as a present. This is all very fine until the brothers get a vague idea of their worth, by glancing though some of their father's notebooks. Unfortunately, by that time, Jerzy's son has swapped his gift for a stack of worthless stamps (which means that he's been ripped off). Tracking down the new owner of the stamps leads Jerzy and Artur into the stamp-dealing underground, where various shady types engage in under-the-counter deals (to which the brothers are vulnerable). Common-sense keeps them afloat, though even that takes a battering when a dealer lets them know that the entire collection is worth millions (their father was extremely well-known in such circles). Hooked by the thought of all that money, Jerzy and Artur decide that they can no longer afford to sell!

Dekalog 10 is easily the funniest and most straightforward segment of the series, a tremendous way to round off this seminal work. The basis of the film is, in itself, great and ripe with possibility; the pitting of two innocents, totally confident in their ability, against the forces of stamp-buying darkness. The surprise is that Kieslowski takes the narrative in several totally unexpected directions, leaving you on the edge of your seat and gasping at the sheer outrageousness of it all. Such is his control that the film packs a tremendous amount of action into its allotted time yet never feels rushed or overcrowded, just riveting in the way in which the story drives onward. Perhaps even more impressive is that Dekalog 10 gives you an idea of why some people (such as Jerzy) will do anything for a small piece of paper.

Kieslowski's choice of actors, and their skill at portraying the roles, gives Dekalog 10 an energy that it might not have otherwise had. The brothers display just the right level of mutual affection, tinged with the disrespect that comes of having grown up together (their cautious advance into the deserted flat is a magical mixture of reverence and carelessness). They really understand each other, which makes their half-hearted turning on each other even more tragic. It's just fascinating to see how the lure of wealth subtly alters their behaviour, making them obsessive and greedy, desperate not to let the smallest thing get away from them (in effect, both mutate into their father). Sadly though, the pair are just not cut out for a clandestine lifestyle and that's their downfall. With these elements in place, Dekalog 10 is a terrifically entertaining piece of filmmaking and a worthy end to the extraordinary series.

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