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The Oak (1992)
"Balanta" (original title)

 -  Comedy | Drama  -  22 January 1993 (USA)
7.7
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Ratings: 7.7/10 from 1,382 users  
Reviews: 18 user | 3 critic

A description of Romania before Ceausescu's downfall, through the story of Nela. Daughter of a former colonel of the Securitate, the romanian political police. She refused to become as her ... See full summary »

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Title: The Oak (1992)

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Nela
...
Mitica
Victor Rebengiuc ...
Village mayor
Dorel Visan ...
Country Priest
Ion Pavlescu
Mariana Mihut ...
Priest's wife
Gheorghe Visu ...
Priest in the train
Dan Condurache ...
Prosecutor
Virgil Andriescu ...
Nela's father
Matei Alexandru ...
Butusina
Leopoldina Balanuta ...
Nela's mother
Magda Catone ...
Mitica's assistant
Ionel Mihailescu ...
Titi
Dorina Lazar
Vasile Popa
Edit

Storyline

A description of Romania before Ceausescu's downfall, through the story of Nela. Daughter of a former colonel of the Securitate, the romanian political police. She refused to become as her sister, an agent of this Securitate, and lives with her father. After he died, she leaves Bucarest, and ends up in a little town, where she meets Mitica, a surgeon, another herself, laughing of everything. Written by Yepok

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

|

Language:

Release Date:

22 January 1993 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

The Oak  »

Filming Locations:


Box Office

Budget:

$3,700,000 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

(Fujicolor)
See  »
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Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Cortul (1998) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

The Essence of Romania
23 August 2000 | by (US) – See all my reviews

At the time I read the book the film is based on, it was a reflection of the reality surrounding us, in Romania, therefore after the first print it was banned by the Ceausescu's communist regime. As time went by, I emigrated in the US, and seen the movie 10 years after I've read the book and although the movie supposedly is a fiction, it played like a documentary in front of my eyes. It is hard, as a Romanian, to disconnect from my personal experiences, but if anybody is interested in what the communism in Romania was like, this movie is the way to find out. The tragic and the comedy are coming together to weave the fabric of a society so sick, that life becomes surreal. For my money this is a great movie, the fresco of a society governed by rules unknown to civilization.


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