Popiól i Diament (1958)
Genre: War / Drama
Duration: 105 minuten
Alternative titles: Ashes and Diamonds / As en Diamant
Country:
Poland
Directed by: Andrzej Wajda
Stars: Zbigniew Cybulski, Ewa Krzyżewska and Wacław Zastrzeżynski
IMDb score:
7,7 (14.732)
Releasedate: 3 October 1958
Popiól i Diament plot
"Touched with the fire and rebellion of a new generation of Polish film makers"
During World War II, Maciek belonged to the Polish army led by the government-in-exile from London. In the 24 hours after the liberation, a civil war broke out between new communist rulers and remnants of the official right-wing army. Maciek is ordered to kill a Communist district leader; but he knows him from his past as a soldier and now faces an important choice.
Actors and actresses
Maciek Chełmicki
Krystyna Rozbicka
Szczuka
Andrzej Kossecki
Drewnowski
Portier
Pieniazek
Kotowicz
Staniewiczowa
Waga
Reviews & comments
Spetie
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- 38871 messages
- 8252 votes
It's a good movie, but I had a hard time getting into it. The characters remained aloof for me for a long time, but in the end the film got me along at the end, partly because the end of the film is just incredibly strong. Zbigniew Cybulski also plays a strong leading role and plays a nice character, who sometimes comes across as a bit annoying at first, but who I came to understand better as the film progressed. His development, his love for a beautiful barmaid, his doubts and his desire for a peaceful life, are portrayed very captivating, especially in the second part of the film. The many supporting roles sometimes only distract from the main story and are also a lot less interesting.
In terms of cinematography, the film is also fine, which produces some strong scenes, such as the moment when Maciek and his girlfriend arrive in a bombed-out church, where the statue of Christ seems to be hanging upside down. That looks looks very nice and perhaps unintentionally gives the scene something surreal. The moment when the music takes the upper hand a little too emphatically and people walk the polonaise is beautifully made. The music at that point doesn't seem to fit the movie. The choice is justifiable, however, since it is music by Chopin, who was himself a Pole.
Last night I was doubting between a three and a half or four stars, but because the film lingers like this, I round up to the last. A strong piece of Polish cinema.
4.0*
Translated from Dutch · View original
wibro
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- 11590 messages
- 4098 votes
Very different from the other two films of the war triptych. This film was also set in Warsaw, at least what was left of it. For we are writing the day of the German capitulation; May 8, 1945. This movie doesn't like the plot from me. A civil war between the new communist rulers and remnants of the official right-wing army? Never heard of it. It would also have been pointless. After all, it was decided at the Yalta conference that Poland would belong to the Russian sphere of influence. Maciek's behavior is therefore frankly completely idiotic. No, for me this film has to rely entirely on the beautiful atmospheric images and atmospheric music in the pub where people danced as if there had been no war. In addition, there were the romances between the very charming Krystyna and the resistance fighter Maciek. Well, life goes on and isn't it the case that you can usually enjoy life intensely if it follows a period of terrible misery.
4.0*
Translated from Dutch · View original
BBarbie
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- 12893 messages
- 7675 votes
It seems like ages since I first saw this movie. I remember being quite impressed at the time. Now a little less. Perhaps that is because the impact of Zbigniew Cybulski as the Polish James Dean has now faded. Nevertheless, still a strong film by Wajda about the disorder in Poland at the time of the liberation for the Red Army.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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