Synopsis
“Iancu Jianu, the Tax Collector” (1982, dir. Dinu Cocea) is the first part of the saga of the outlaw Jianu (Andrei Pintea), a historical character transformed into a hero of a cinematographic epic, through his acts of rebellion and his spirit of social justice. The film focuses on his protagonist’s transition from the son of a wealthy family to a tax collector against the backdrop of a tumultuous period in the history of the the country at the beginning of the 19th century.
Directed by: Dinu Cocea
Script: Mihai Opriș, Vasile Chiriță, Dinu Cocea
Cast: Adrian Pintea, Mihai Mereuță, Radu Beligan, Stela Furcovici, Mărioara Sterian, Elena Sereda, Ilarion Ciobanu, Ion Marinescu, Draga Olteanu Matei, Jean Constantin, Mihai Pălădescu, Florina Cercel, Geo Nune, Dinu Petrescu, Emanoil Petruț, Dan Nasta, Cornel Coman, Ion Angelescu-Moreni, Constantin Guriță, Ioana Ciomîrtan, Virgil Platon, Alexandru Lungu, Mihai Badiu, Dorina Done, Ion Punea, Costache Diamandi
Producer: Casa de Filme Unu
Cinematography by: Constantin Păduraru
Edited by: Magda Chise-Ghincioiu
Sound: Constantin Ciuca, Dan Ionescu
Music: Ștefan Zorzor
Year: 1980
Category: Feature film
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Duration: 90 minutes
36,182 – Cinepub viewers
PLOT SUMMARY
Iancu, the son of a nobleman, serves his lordship honestly as a tax collector, while Tudor Vladimirescu waits only for a sign to raise Oltenia. When the outlaw Mereanu steals Caragea’s caravans of gold, the harsh and ruthless Iancu makes sure that no one breaks the law. But soon he realizes that the law is made to put the scruff of the poor man’s neck and his sense of duty gives way to the cult of the law.
CRITICAL REVIEWS:
“lancu Jianu, our most legendary outlaw, was from a lineage of Oltenian boyars. Before being a chief of the rebels, he had been a tax collector and future son-in-law of the boyar Calafeteanu. As the main function of these lords was to collect taxes; and as taxes were often collected two or three times; and as peasants had nowhere to pay them – the most important job of the Phanariot lords was to put them in the punishment, torture. Iancu Jianu, as the tax collector, tried to enforce the law without any abuse and violence. He will not succeed. That’s why he goes to the other side of the barricade. But he does so only after the failure of his tireless efforts to apply the law, to prevent injustice.” (D.I. Suchianu)
TRIVIA:
- “Iancu Jianu, the Haiduk” and “Iancu Jianu, the Tax Collector” were made with the same team.
- Adrian Pintea fondly remembers the moment he got the role of Iancu Jianu: “It was towards the end of winter when I got that news. In the evening I was already on the train on my way to Transfagarasan. The first filming location was at Balea Waterfall, where the credits of the movie were shot. I was looking stupidly around me and I couldn’t believe that in just a few hours I had left the civilized world”.
- Filming took place in The Curvature Carpathians, in Dumbrava Sibiului. Surprisingly, the locals weren’t frightened by the fire shots – on the contrary, they came out to the gates and greeted the movie team with cheese, grapes and wine.
- Iancu Jianu’s role imposed an image of the romantic and the rebel on romanian national culture.
- Adrian Pintea did not accept roles that propagandized communism.
- The actor recounts how he found the „Iancu Jianu” films in the library of a hotel in Sweden, where they could be viewed for a fee.
- His first feature film “The Outlaws” (1966) was a great success and he went on to make many genre films that made him a household name: “Răpirea fecioarelor” (1968), “Răzbunarea haiducilor” (1968), “Haiducii lui Șaptecai” (1971), “Săptămâna nebunilor” (1971), “Zestrea domniței Ralu” (1972), “Iancu Jianu, Zapciul” (1981) and “Iancu Jianu, haiducul” (1982).
- The director Dinu Cocea had a particular fondness for adventure movies about historical facts and heroes, legendary characters from the Romanian past. Just as Americans evoke their old cowboys on film, Dinu Cocea has revived the memory of the Romanian haiduk, being called “the director who resurrected the outlaws”
LINES:
“Mongophilia… no disease. I just didn’t feel like kissing his hand.” – Iancu Jianu (Adrian Pintea)
“The landlords… creeps, ready to kiss the tip of any stranger’s slipper.” – Tudor Vladimirescu (Emanoil Petruț)
“My sister-in-law dreams only of Vienna!” – Iancu Jianu (Adrian Pintea)
“Nothing can stop man from meeting evil with evil.” – Tudor Vladimirescu (Emanoil Petruț)
“Everything is for sale, my boy, in the poor Romanian country. All the little peasant who makes a few bags of gold runs to the King and kisses his hand to make him a boyar, to give him who knows what kind of dregorship.” – Tudor Vladimirescu (Emanoil Petruț)
“I also bought the tax collector job, as is the custom. But I didn’t kiss anyone’s hand.” – Iancu Jianu (Adrian Pintea)
“The law is the law. We should obey it.” – Iancu Jianu (Adrian Pintea)
“That’s why we ended up where we are. This blind obedience to righteous laws and masters brought by the wind have put the yoke on our necks!” – Tudor Vladimirescu (Emanoil Petruț)
“I cherish you too much, mr. Tudor. I would have stopped that word in another man’s throat.” – Iancu Jianu (Adrian Pintea)
“You won’t let me live even dead! The fire would consume you and the impenetrable darkness would swallow you!” – Luta (Draga Olteanu Matei)
“( I want) him not to be hanged without judgment. So is the law.” – Iancu Jianu (Adrian Pintea)
“The heavier you put on the peasant’s back, the better you keep him in check.” – Boyar Calafeteanu (Ion Marinescu)
“I don’t fight innocent people!” – Iancu Jianu (Adrian Pintea)
“Only he who knows how to master himself can master others. (…) If you want to become great, you must make yourself small.” – Boier Calafeteanu (Ion Marinescu)
“Have you ever seen a dead devil and an old woman bride?” – Iancu Jianu (Adrian Pintea)
“I feel you have a good soul. But you are a nobleman… we will never be together. That’s the way it’s given to man – each to graze the grass he knows.” – Ionica (Stela Furcovici)
ARTICLES:
- Adrian Pintea in the role of Iancu Jianu, at “Romanian Film Sunday” – film.tvr.ro
- “I was poor from morning till night” – jurnalul.ro
- Portrait: Adrian Pintea, an overwhelming talent, an artist adored by the public – radioromaniacultural.co.uk
- “Behind the scenes of cinematography”. How director Dinu Cocea, a former lieutenant colonel in the Interior Ministry, fell into the disgrace of the communist regime – adevarul.ro
- Donu Cocea – the father of the outlaws in Romanian cinematography – independentaromana.ro
- Romanian theater and films: the “Iancu Jianu” series – agerpres.ro
