Moonlighting

In December 1981, four Polish men, led by Nowak, fly to London armed with one-month tourist visas. They claim that they are coming to buy a second-hand car with their joint savings of twelve hundred pounds, but in reality their aim is to renovate the house of their Boss. The task proves very difficult, for them and for Nowak, as the house lacks basic amenities, the men are harassed by their neighbours and the money is insufficient to buy materials and food, which makes the workers disaffected, angry and rebellious. Moreover, during their stay martial law is announced in Poland.
Moonlighting, probably the first feature film to deal with the martial law of 1981, was read as a metaphor of the situation in Poland. The distant and powerful Boss, played by Skolimowski, was identified as Poland’s Big Brother – the Soviet Union – with Nowak playing its inept and unconfident younger brother – the Polish government, trying to subjugate the Solidarity rebels. At the same time, it excellently represents the conditions befallen thousands of Polish emigrants during this period. It can be also read as a Polish-British version of Robert Bresson’s Pickpocket (1959). Thanks to the overlapping layers of meaning, good acting (especially Jeremy Irons as the hapless Nowak) and excellent use of colour, with red signifying danger, Moonlighting stands the test of time. (EMK)