The Fifth Seal

The Fifth Seal

Year: 1976

Runtime: 107 mins

Language: Hungarian

Director: Zoltán Fábri

WarDrama

In wartime Budapest, 1944, a group of four friends confront a chilling moral dilemma when one of them proposes a hypothetical question about guilt and innocence. Their discussion forces each to consider the cost of fear and responsibility, setting events in motion that will irrevocably change their lives.

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Timeline & Setting – The Fifth Seal (1976)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Fifth Seal (1976). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

December 1944

The events unfold in the last winter of World War II, when Budapest was under Arrow Cross control. The narrative hovers around the daily life of ordinary citizens who navigate fear, betrayals, and acts of courage under a brutal regime. The December setting intensifies the sense of chill and impending danger.

Location

Budapest, Hungary

Set in a city under Arrow Cross rule during winter 1944, the film centers on a bar where friends drink amid fear and suspicion. The surroundings are shaped by the regime's oppression and the looming threat of arrest. Streets of the city crumble as the story progresses, reflecting the moral decay and the political violence of the time.

🏙 Budapest Hungary 🕰 War-torn city 🧭 Under occupation 🎭 Tense atmosphere

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:50

Main Characters – The Fifth Seal (1976)

Meet the key characters of The Fifth Seal (1976), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Miklós Gyuricza (Lajos Őze)

A watchmaker who hides Jewish children in his flat, Miklós grapples with a painful, morally fraught dilemma. He articulates a stark question about guilt through a hypothetical tale, revealing a conscience that wants to do right yet is continually tested by fear and complicity. His actions and reactions expose a man torn between self-preservation and humanitarian duty, especially when confronted with regime brutality.

🧭 Moral conflict 🕊️ Courage 🧠 Intellectual struggle

Haldokló kommunista (György Cserhalmi)

A dying communist who has endured the war's brutality joins the circle of friends and serves as a foil to their earlier bravado. His presence sharpens the existential questions about guilt and survival under the Arrow Cross regime. He embodies the fragility and resilience of those living under occupation, and his status underscores the stakes of the characters' choices.

🧠 Thoughtful 🕯️ Fragile 🌫️ Tense atmosphere

Civilruhás (Zoltán Latinovits)

An Arrow Cross officer who exerts coercive power to extract obedience from the group. He embodies state brutality and uses a chilling method—forcing a dying partisan to be slapped—to demonstrate control. His presence ratchets up the tension and forces the protagonists to confront the consequences of their actions.

🏛 Authority 🔪 Brutality 🔎 Interrogation

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:50

Major Themes – The Fifth Seal (1976)

Explore the central themes of The Fifth Seal (1976), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕯️ Moral Dilemma

A philosophical exchange about a master and his slave triggers a deeper look at guilt and conscience. The hypothetical choice serves to reveal each character's true moral core. The film uses this dialogue to expose how people justify cruelty or protect innocent lives under oppression. As secrets spill out, the characters confront what they are willing to become to survive.

⚖️ Guilt & Complicity

The Arrow Cross regime tests personal responsibility as friends must decide how far they will go to save themselves. Forcing a dying partisan to be slapped becomes a chilling measure of loyalty and fear. Hidden acts—like Miklós sheltering Jewish children—highlight moral complexity and the risk of collaboration with evil. The story shows that survival can demand morally costly choices.

🛡️ Resistance & Sacrifice

The film frames acts of quiet courage—hiding children, protecting others—against the brutality of the occupying power. The bar becomes a tiny arena where ordinary people weigh risk against humanity. Arrests, interrogations, and the city's collapse underscore the price of dissent and the cost of standing up to oppression. Sacrifice appears as both individual risk and communal resilience.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:50

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The Fifth Seal Summary

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The Fifth Seal Summary

The Fifth Seal Timeline

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The Fifth Seal Timeline

More About The Fifth Seal

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