The Promised Land (1975 film)
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| The Promised Land | |
|---|---|
 Polish promotional poster for the theatrical release of The Promised Land (Ziemia Obiecana) | |
| Directed by | Andrzej Wajda |
| Written by | Andrzej Wajda |
| Starring | Daniel Olbrychski, Wojciech Pszoniak, Andrzej Seweryn |
| Cinematography | Wacław Dybowski, Edward Kłosiński, Witold Sobociński |
| Edited by | Zofia Dwornik, Halina Prugar |
| Music by | Wojciech Kilar |
Release date |
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Running time | 179 minutes |
| Country | Poland |
| Languages | Polish, German |
The Promised Land (Polish: Ziemia obiecana) is a 1975 Polish drama film directed by Andrzej Wajda, based on a novel by Władysław Reymont. Set in the industrial city of Łódź, The Promised Land tells the story of a Pole, a German, and a Jew struggling to build a factory in the raw world of 19th century capitalism.
Wajda presents a shocking image of the city, with its dirty and dangerous factories and ostentatiously opulent residences devoid of taste and culture. The film follows in the footsteps of Charles Dickens, Émile Zola and Maxim Gorky, as well as German expressionists such as Knopf, Meidner and Grosz, who gave testimony of social protest.
Plot
Karol Borowiecki (Daniel Olbrychski), a young Polish nobleman, is the managing engineer at the Bucholz textile factory. He is ruthless in his career pursuits and unconcerned with the long tradition of his, now financially declined, family. He plans to set up his own factory with the help of his friends Max Baum (Andrzej Seweryn), a German and heir to an old handloom factory, and Moritz Welt (Wojciech Pszoniak), an independent Jewish businessman. Borowiecki's affair with Lucy Zucker (Kalina Jędrusik), wife of another textile magnate, gives him advance notice of a change in cotton tariffs and helps Welt to make a killing on the Hamburg futures market. But more money has to be found, so all three characters cast aside their pride to raise the necessary capital.
On the day of the factory opening, Borowiecki has to deny his affair with Zucker's wife to a jealous husband who, himself a Jew, makes him swear on a sacred Catholic object. Borowiecki then accompanies Lucy on her exile to Berlin. However Zucker sends an associate to spy on his wife; he confirms the affair and informs Zucker, who takes his revenge on Borowiecki by burning down his brand new, uninsured factory. Borowiecki and his friends lose all that they had worked for.
The film fast forwards a few years. Borowiecki recovered financially by marrying Mada Müller, a rich heiress, and owns his own factory. His factory is threatened by a workers' strike. Borowiecki is forced to decide whether or not to open fire on the striking and demonstrating workers, who throw a rock into the room where Borowiecki and others are gathered. He is reminded by an associate that it is never too late to change his ways. Borowiecki, who has never shown human compassion toward his subordinates, authorizes the police to open fire nevertheless.
Selected Cast
- Daniel Olbrychski as Karol Borowiecki
- Wojciech Pszoniak as Moritz Welt
- Andrzej Seweryn as Maks Baum
- Kalina Jędrusik as Lucy Zucker
- Anna Nehrebecka as Anka
- Bożena Dykiel as Mada Müller
- Andrzej Szalawski as Herman Bucholz
- Stanisław Igar as Grünspan
- Franciszek Pieczka as Mr Müller
- Kazimierz Opaliński as Maks' Father
- Andrzej Lapicki as Trawiński
- Wojciech Siemion as Wilczek
- Tadeusz Białoszczyński as Karol's Father
- Zbigniew Zapasiewicz as Kessler
- Jerzy Nowak as Zucker
- Piotr Fronczewski as Horn
- Jerzy Zelnik as Stein
- Maciej Góraj as Adam Malinowski
- Grażyna Michalska as Zośka Malinowska
- Włodzimierz Boruński as Halpern
- Danuta Wodyńska as Mrs Müllerowa
- Marian Glinka as Wilhelm Müller
- Jadwiga Andrzejewska Mrs Bucholz
- Aleksander Dzwonkowski as Zajączkowski
- Zdzisław Kuźniar as Kaczmarek
- Halina Gryglaszewska as Mrs Malinowska
- Jerzy Oblamski as Mr Malinowski
Parts of the film were filmed at the Villa of "Cotton King" Karl Wilhelm Scheibler.[1]
Awards
At the 9th Moscow International Film Festival in 1975, the film won the Golden Prize.[2] It was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.[3]
See also
- Cinema of Poland
- List of Polish language films
- List of submissions to the 48th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Polish submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
References
- ^ eubuildit
- ^ "9th Moscow International Film Festival (1975)". MIFF. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
- ^ "The 48th Academy Awards (1976) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2012-03-18.
Further reading
- Schwartz, Dennis (February 2, 2014). "The Promised Land". Ozus' World Movie Reviews.
The Polish Jewish director Andrzej Wajda ("Ashes and Diamonds"/"Kanal"/"Samson"), Poland's greatest living filmmaker, explores Poland's difficult transition in the late 19th-century from feudalism to the Industrial Revolution.
