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Dekalog 9 (1988)

A review by Damian Cannon.
Copyright © Movie Reviews UK 2000
A fascinating parable of how love and marriage can go wrong, Dekalog 9 unearths several uncomfortable truths. On a brief visit to his medical friend, Roman (Piotr Machalica) discovers the horrible truth; he has a sexual dysfunction that isn't going to improve. This being Roman's new reality, the suggestion is that he divorces his beautiful young wife Hanka (Ewa Blaszczyk) and starts a life alone. His love for her is too great though to take this option, which doesn't act to prevent anger and frustration boiling over as Roman drives home. Hanka is very understanding, accepting just how difficult it's going to be to come to terms with this problem. However, even she feels that it's going too far when Roman intimates that she should take a lover.

The big problem is that Hanka already has a boyfriend, Mariusz (Jan Jankowski), whom she takes for sex sessions in her mother's flat. As far as she's concerned the relationship is purely physical, an outlet for her needs. However, the danger is that Roman could discover what's going on and become irrational, despite his words to the contrary. As might be expected, Roman does come to wonder if something is going on when mystery men start phoning for Hanka and he discovers Mariusz's notebook in the car. Jealous, despite intellectual reasoning to the contrary, Roman starts to creep around, bugging the phone and making duplicate keys. What he should really be doing is concentrating on his job as a heart surgeon, even as he starts to obsess about somewhat different matters of the heart.

Following the trend set by earlier films in the series, Dekalog 9 casts light on a particular example of human interaction, staying with the events until some form of conclusion is reached. Here a very complex situation is rendered clearly, pivoting on a man who doesn't wish to deprive his wife of sex merely because he's no longer able to perform. Out of love Roman verbally offers Hanka the opportunity to discover satisfaction elsewhere, giving her the option because he believes he should. Yet so deeply ingrained is the idea of fidelity that just by saying the words out loud Roman tortures himself, never mind whether Hanka follows through. What Roman really wants is for Hanka to forsake all others for him, whatever the cost, while the dilemma is that this is plainly asking so much of her (when he already feels disadvantaged enough by his malady).

Kieslowski seems to have a lot of fun with Dekalog 9, playing with set-ups familiar from so many suspense thrillers and notching up the tension in a very Hitchcockian fashion. As Roman starts to lurk in the shadows and eavesdrop on phone-calls, the possibilities send a shiver up our spine. When the traditional fare of missed chances (such as the telephone which rings just a second too late) are mixed in, the stage is set for a cracking denouement. Fortunately the characters are as well written as ever, with several scenes sketching extra depth for the roles (such as Roman's conversations with a young woman who possesses a voice that could kill her). The camera-work is also fine, with several excellent shots shutting down the characters freedom of movement by pinning them with scenery (implying a great deal about the constraints binding Hanka and Roman). In the end what's truly ironic is that Roman can save the lives of others yet he can't help himself.

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