Moonlighting (1982)

A Polish contractor, Nowak, leads a group of workmen to London so they can provide cheap labor for a government official based there. Nowak (Irons) has to manage the project and the men as ... See full summary »

Director:

Jerzy Skolimowski

Writer:

Jerzy Skolimowski (original screenplay)

Stars:

Jeremy Irons, Eugene Lipinski, Jirí Stanislav

4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeremy Irons	...	Nowak
Eugene Lipinski	...	Banaszak
Jirí Stanislav	...	Wolski
Eugeniusz Haczkiewicz	...	Kudaj
Edward Arthur	...	Immigration Officer
Denis Holmes	...	Neighbor
Renu Setna	...	Junk Shop Owner
David Calder	...	Supermarket Manager
Judy Gridley	...	Supermarket Supervisor
Claire Toeman	...	Supermarket Cashier
Catherine Harding	...	Lady Shoplifter
Jill Johnson	...	Haughty Supermarket Customer
David Squire	...	Supermarket Assistant
Michael Sarne	...	Builders' Merchant (as Mike Sarne)
Lucy Hornak	...	Wrangler Shop Assistant

Storyline

A Polish contractor, Nowak, leads a group of workmen to London so they can provide cheap labor for a government official based there. Nowak (Irons) has to manage the project and the men as they encounter the tempations of the West and loneliness and separation from their families. Nowak is the only one of the group who speaks English, and he uses this as a tool over his team. When the unrest in Poland leads to a military takeover, Nowak is faced with a much more difficult situation than he expected.

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Plot Keywords:

polish | poland | building laborer | london england | apartment | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English Polish

Release Date:

26 September 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

A nagy gázsi

Filming Locations:

Hammersmith Road, Hammersmith, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Michael White Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Three of the Polish builders seen in the film actually in real-life worked on director Jerzy Skolimowski's Kensington house in West London.

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Quotes

Nowak: I can speak their language, this is why the boss chose for me for the job. But I don't know what they really mean.

User Reviews

Left Incomplete!

The story is told by Novak's point of view. Jeremy Irons learns his Polish to play Novak in this story. He is a Polish electrician traveling with three other works to London, England before martial law was enacted in Poland in 1981. Well, anyway as a Polish American, they are believable but are seen as buffoonish and dumb even by Novak himself. If Novak had told his workers the truth, I think they would have gotten along or understood their dire consequences. Jeremy Irons gives a pretty believable performance as the working Polishman. This film resonates a quarter of a century later because many Polish men and women are legally in London and England seeking to better themselves. I understand the Polish mentality because I grew up with Polish immigrants and the notion of Poles coming just to work and earn more money in America. I could see this story actually happening but I don't think they give the other workers credit because we barely see them act as anything other than fools. It's kind of heartbreaking because Novak goes to so much trouble to spare them from the lack of money and the truth of the situation back home in Poland where he is the only one who knows only what's going on but doesn't tell his employees under his command that Poland is in political turmoil. You can't help but wonder what happens when they do go home. Can you imagine walking 6 hours to Heathrow Airport? You felt pity and foolishness for Novak's actions at the supermarket and the stores. Of course, Poles are good at surviving and I know this from my personal experience. They have survived 2 World Wars and communism. Poles' biggest problem is living and to stop worrying about money. The stereotypes of Poles like Novak trying to stretch each pence is to survive nothing more. They didn't complain about the 30 miles to Heathrow. You felt that they were out of place there. Novak wondered about his wife, Anna, and the possibility that she was probably being seduced by his employer who sent him to London in the first place to fix up the apartment. With telephone services cut down and money tight, Novak does everything he can to protect himself and his men from the dangers of the police, immigration, and even Polish government under martial law. We don't know what happens to them when they go home or if they ever do or if they are stranded in London. There are still many unanswered questions about their predicament.