The film by Zoltán Várkony was made in July 1956, during a restrictive period just before the revolution. Based on a report published by a newspaper, it is considered a typical portrait of the epoch. The report dealt with the director of a construction firm who – due to some prestige reasons – insisted on continuing with a project, even though he knew it was going to end up in tragedy.

In the film János Sztankó, the newly-appointed director of an agricultural building firm meets his former classmate, Palócz. Palócz just left the prison where he was in detention due to false charges. Sztankó decides to employ his friend, who is an engineer, in order to achieve spectacular, quick results in building a silo. The work progresses too fast and a wall of the silo has a crack in it. Palócz wants to stop the construction, but Sztankó, dazed by success and power, decides to go on. The silo collapses leaving damage and victims in its aftermath. Sztankó lets Palócz be placed under arrest as responsible for the accident. While the loudspeakers in the city are announcing his appointment as general director, his wife leaves him and the orphaned dog of Palócz barks at him.

Zoltán Várkony – who was also considered a prominent personality as theatre director – was especially creative in drama genres. Despite its schematism, The Bitter Truth was the first film to present intellectuals as victims of the ruling power that tried to morally demolish them as professionals. The collapse of the silo became a real symbol and the film was banned by the censorship for 30 years. It was first released on the 30th anniversary of the revolution in 1956. The restoration of the film was made possible by the original negative held in the archives of the Magyar Filmintezet.