The Cruise (1970 film)

Rejs

DVD cover of a recent Polish movie edition
Directed by Marek Piwowski
Written by Andrzej Barszczynski
Janusz Głowacki
Jerzy Karaszkiewicz
Marek Piwowski
Starring Stanisław Tym
Zdzisław Maklakiewicz
Jan Himilsbach
Music by Wojciech Kilar
Cinematography Marek Nowicki
Edited by Lidia Pacewicz
Release dates
 1970
Running time
 65
Country Poland
Language Polish

Rejs, known in English as The Cruise (or The Trip Down the River), is a Polish comedy film released in 1970, directed by Marek Piwowski who also co-wrote the screenplay with Janusz Głowacki. The score was composed by Wojciech Kilar.

Rejs is considered as a masterpiece by many and as the earliest cult film in Polish cinema. Shot in a quasi-documentary style, with a cast featuring not more than two or three professional actors, the absurd plot parodies life in the People's Republic of Poland, reducing a weekend river cruise to a hilarious parody of the entire communist system.

Screenshot from the movie

A stowaway (Stanisław Tym) sneaks aboard a ship departing on a cruise down the Vistula River. The captain takes him for a Communist Party cultural coordinator and the intruder gladly adapts to his new role, immediately setting to work at manipulating the passengers and crew into silly and vaguely humiliating games. Before long, Tym has got everyone under his thumb and created his own comedic dictatorship. A memorable performance was given by Jan Himilsbach, an amateur actor who formerly carved tombstones.

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