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A soldier comes home from war and accidentally starts a cult. Polish chaos ensues.
TMDB
90

Playing with the Devil (1980)

absurdistsmall-town mayhemfolk comedy

Overview

ComedyTV Movie

The fearless soldier, Marcin Kabat, returns to his hometown from a long war.

Flag of PLPLPolish
Content warning

Standout Aspects

Acting

Kociniak's deadpan soldier playing straight man to lunatic villagers.

Writing

Satirical script mocking both religious fervor and military bureaucracy.

Best for:Solo: Weird gem you'll want to pause and Google Polish cultural references.·Friends: Drunk viewing with people who appreciate communist-era absurdism.
Heads up:Triggers: Brief war flashbacks played for uncomfortable laughs.
T

Director

Tadeusz Lis

ReleasedJan 14, 1980
Runtime1h 30m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacesteady
Intensitymedium
Tonelight
Feellight
Telewizja Polska

Top Cast

Marian Kociniak

Marian Kociniak

Marcin Kabat

Magdalena Zawadzka

Magdalena Zawadzka

Kasia

Barbara Wrzesińska

Barbara Wrzesińska

Disperanda

Krzysztof Kowalewski

Krzysztof Kowalewski

Sarka-Farka

Wojciech Pokora

Wojciech Pokora

Scholastyk

Tadeusz Kondrat

Tadeusz Kondrat

Belzebub

Jerzy Kamas

Jerzy Kamas

Solfernus

Marek Kondrat

Marek Kondrat

Lucjusz

Jan Prochyra

Jan Prochyra

Karborund

Janusz Gajos

Janusz Gajos

Omnimor

Zdzisław Wardejn

Zdzisław Wardejn

Belial

Jan Kociniak

Jan Kociniak

Teofil

Andrzej Fedorowicz

Andrzej Fedorowicz

Łowczy

Jan Jurewicz

Jan Jurewicz

Diabeł

Janusz Rewiński

Janusz Rewiński

Diabeł

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Cultural

Made during Poland's Solidarity crackdown, the film's religious satire slipped past censors who missed its political subtext about manufactured heroes.

Trivia

The village was a real location where locals genuinely believed Kociniak was a visiting dignitary, adding accidental documentary footage to the fiction.

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