The Decalogue (Dekalog)

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