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1.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 1.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. 9:25. Przygoda jednej nocy remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Alright, so '9:25. Przygoda jednej nocy' is *definitely* not for everyone. If you’re into slick, modern pacing or stories that tie up every loose end neatly, you'll probably find yourself a bit lost or even annoyed. 🙅♀️
But for those of us who appreciate a real deep dive into forgotten film history, especially Polish cinema from a bygone era, this one offers some truly peculiar charm. It's a curiosity, a glimpse into a very specific kind of filmmaking, and a decent watch if you're patient.
The whole thing kicks off, naturally, at 9:25. Our main character, played by Nina Niovilla, is just trying to get home, or maybe deliver something. The exact 'what' is a bit fuzzy, honestly.
Immediately, she's swept into this cascade of events. It feels less like a plotted story and more like a series of increasingly frantic encounters.
You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this moment matters as she glances at her watch right before everything goes sideways. ⌚
There's this guy, Jerzy Kobusz's character, who seems to pop up at the most inconvenient times. He’s got this nervous energy, always adjusting his hat.
I kept wondering if he was a good guy or just incredibly clumsy. His timing is impeccable for messing things up.
Then you get Harry Cort, who plays this surprisingly slick, almost too-cool-for-school type. His scenes feel like they belong in a different movie sometimes, a much smoother one.
The way he leans against doorways is quite something. It’s like he knew how to pose even before posing was a thing.
There's a sequence in a bustling cafe that’s just pure chaos. People everywhere, waiters rushing past, and our heroine trying to whisper important information without being heard.
The crowd scenes have this oddly empty feeling, though, like half the extras wandered off for a smoke break. You see a lot of people just sort of… standing.
One reaction shot from Mieczyslaw Cybulski lingers so long it becomes funny. He just stares, wide-eyed, for what feels like an eternity. 😂
Eugeniusz Bodo, even in a smaller role, just lights up the screen. His character doesn’t even have many lines, but his expressions say everything.
He's got this particular smirk when he realizes something. It’s almost a wink to the audience.
The whole 'adventure' element leans heavily on misunderstandings and mistaken identities. It’s a classic trope, but here it feels a bit stretched.
At one point, Niovilla’s character gets swapped into the wrong coat. This leads to a series of escalating mix-ups, which is kind of the backbone of the whole thing.
That scene where she tries to retrieve a lost item from a very stern-looking doorman goes on about 20 seconds too long, and the silence starts to feel awkward rather than emotional.
You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this moment matters. But honestly, I just wanted someone to say something already.
The pacing is… well, it’s a journey. Some parts zip by, full of quick cuts and frantic movement. Others just slow down to a crawl, almost like they forgot where they were going.
It gets noticeably better once it stops taking itself seriously. There are moments where it clearly embraces the silliness, and those are the film’s strongest points.
The music, too, is a bit unpredictable. Sometimes it's perfectly jaunty, other times it just feels a little off-key for what's happening on screen.
There's a specific, almost spooky, violin cue that plays when nothing remotely spooky is happening. I guess it was supposed to add tension?
Iza Norska, in a supporting role, has this one scene where she just *nails* a look of utter exasperation. It’s quick, but it sells the chaos around her.
It’s not a visually stunning cinematic experience, but there’s a certain charm to its grainy, black-and-white aesthetic.
The street scenes, especially, give you a real sense of old Warsaw. The trams, the fashion, it’s all very much of its time. 🇵🇱
Ultimately, '9:25. Przygoda jednej nocy' is a curio. It’s a film that demands a specific kind of viewership – one that’s forgiving of its quirks and appreciative of its place in history.
It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s got a certain heart. A strange, slightly out-of-sync heart, but a heart nonetheless.
IMDb —
1919
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