POLISH cinematography in the sixties.

Changes ! The Polish cinematography changed in sixties. Directors still took up the subject of The Second World War and Polish moral suffering during these hard times but new trend had come. Film-makers wanted to entertain the public and they created the greatest dress-movies in Polish history. Screenplays were based on the most important classical novels of Polish writers like Henryk Sienkiewiecz or Bolesław Prus. The films were dedicated to memory of prominent pieces of literature and encouraged people to think about their identity.

The historical and full-lenght movies werevery expensive those days due to the high costs and also economical and political situation. But Polish film industry didn’t contain just feature-movies. The sixties were the time of many alternative and creative young directors like Jerzy Skolimowski or Roman Polański. Unfortunately, they had to move out from Poland due to censorship and communism politics. Their most memorable movies were created abroad.

The most spectacular costume- historical movies of sixties in Poland.

FARAON.

Based on Bolesław Prus’s novel and nominated for Oscar’s Award in “Faraon” tells a story about a conflict between Ramesses II ( he wanted to take control in Egypt) and chaplain Herhor ( his priority was reforming the country). We can also see a plot of friendship with priest Pentuar, love to Sara who is a Jewish and chaplain Kama, history of secret pact with Assyria and eclipse of the Sun which was used for explaining an astronomy. Priests also used eclipse to manage the crowd.

Do you know.. “Faron” was shot in Luxor, Kair and Buchar where the temperature were over 60 degrees Celsius ! So, every day the film-makers, actors and everybody there working, drunk mineral water – “just” 10 thousand of bottles. For instance: dress-makers used 3 thousand pairs of shoes and wigs. During making of the movie, many specialists in history of Egypt like Kazimierz Michałowski and Shady Abdem Salem ( later, he helped by “Cleopatra”) worked there. Thanks to them, the Polish group reconstructed the Egyptian ship from 4000 years ago.

Pan Wołodyjowski. It’s a third part of Henryk Sienkiewicz’s trilogy. The fiancee of the main character died. Mr Michał Wołodyjowski was desperate and he was looking for peace in monastery. Onufry Zagłoba and his friends encouraged Michał to leave the monastery and come back on duty ( Mr. Wołodyjowski was a soldier). During his visit in Warsaw, Michal’s sister arrived with two, beautiful girls: Krzysia and Basia..

Do you know.. The total cost of the movie was 40 milion zlotys and became one of the most expensive Polish movies in the sixties. Many famous, now respected actors and actresses like Daniel Olbrychski ( he took part in “Salt” with Angelina Jolie), Tadeusz Łomnicki ( theatre actor), Magdalena Zawadzka or Barbara Brylska ( she got famous especially in Russia) played in “Pan Wołodyjowski”. Tadeusz Łomnicki had trained horse riding before making the film and he didn’t need a special support of a stunt man. When the director, Jerzy Hoffman was making the scene of battle near Kamieniec, he employed few thousand people most of whom were students/ pupils – 2,500 thousand.

Krzyżacy.

‘The Teutonic Knights’was the first dress-movie in Poland. Film-making met with the 550 anniversary of Grunwald Battle( it happened in 1410 and is a very important date in Polish history)and celebration of millennium Poland. What is more, „Krzyżacy” showed an objection against Konrad Adenauer’s Politics. RFN Chancellor disagreed with Western borders between Germany and Poland. The plot is about conflict between Teutonic Country and Polish during XIV century and relationship between Zbyszko and two girls : Danusia and Jagienka. Movie was based on Henryk Sienkiewicz’s novel and mentioned the question of patriotism. „Krzyżacy” is a black and white film which contains a lot of historical facts due to communism propaganda.

Popioły.

Andrzej Wajda’s production based on Stefan Żeromski’s novel „Popioły”. The beginning of the plot is in summer of 1798, when prince Gintułt was passing by dirty, Polish soldiers who were singing “Mazurek Dąbrowskiego” (later, it became a Polish national anthem) in Italy. After that, he came back to Poland where he met a young nobleman Rafał Olbromski – the prince employed him as an assistant of his journeys. After the premiere the movie was annouced controversial – people and movie critics started one more time to discuss matters connected to being heroes. They talked about Polish trials to get the independence, even when they had to kill and end the dreams about freedom of the Spanish (Battle of Samosierra). “Popioły” was shot in Poland and in Bulgaria. The Ministry of National Defence and Bulgarian Army helped the crew with making battle scenes.

To be continued ;D By Zuza Lamber