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Eroica (1958 film)
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Wikipedia article
'Eroica' (released in some territories as 'Heroism') is a 1958 Polish film by Andrzej Munk, and his second feature film after Man on the Tracks (1956). 'Eroica' is composed of two separate stories, presenting satirical critiques of two aspects of the Polish character: acquisitive opportunism, and a romantic fascination for heroic martyrs.Niemitz, 2014: In 'Eroica', Munk criticizes both the opportunism and the national romantic tradition that demanded heroic sacrifice, showing how crippling these attitudes, two sides of the same coin, were to Poles throughout history
The films title is an ironic reference to Ludwig van Beethovens Third Symphony, which the composer initially dedicated to then French head Consulate Napoleon Bonaparte. When Napoleon declared himself Emperor, Beethoven, a devout republican, withdrew the dedication in disgust and titled the work simply Eroica.Niemitz, 2014: Ending both portions of the film with the irony of success turning into failure, coupled with a reference to Beethovens Third (Eroica or Heroic) Symphony, shows Munk to be a master of tragicomedy.
'Eroica' premiered on Polish Television in 1972 and depicts wartime couriers crossing the Tatra Mountains.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090207090835/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/743247 BFI.org]
Eroica won the FIPRESCI Award at the 1959 Mar del Plata Film Festival.
Synopsis
'Scherzo Alla Pollacca'
The first part is a bitter, tragicomic story of Dzidziu ("Babyface"), a street-wise bon-vivant, drunkard, and coward who unwillingly joins the Home Army during the Warsaw Uprising. Dzidziu' wife, Zosia, is having an affair with a Hungarian officer and Dzidziu reluctantly becomes the messenger between the Home Army and the Hungarian unit, which is considering changing sides.Niemitz, 2014: ...Babyface'Ostinato Lugubre'
The second part is set in a POW camp for Polish soldiers. Lt. Zawistowski, one of the internees, decides to attempt to escape. While none of his fellow inmates are sure whether he succeeded, his absence upsets the guards and provides hope and inspiration for the prisoners. Soon his legend grows, making him a hero within the camp and helping to boost the prisoners' morale. However, it turns out that Lt. Zawistowski didn't actually follow through on his escape plans, but is hiding in the attic of one of the barracks. It turns out that he was hiding from his colleagues, whose ostentatious patriotism he simply could not stand.Niemitz, 2014: The pride and honor of the movies heroes are contrasted with the submissiveness of the majority of the prisoners, who, protected by the Geneva Convention, manage to normalize life in the camp through food-eating contests and festivals.Cast
* Edward Dziewoski as Dzidziu
* Tadeusz omnicki as Lt. Zawistowski
* Barbara Poomska as Zosia
* Ignacy Machowski as the Home Army Major
* Leon Niemczyk as the Hungarian officer
* Kazimierz Opaliski as the Home Army commander of Mokotw
* Kazimierz Rudzki as Lt. Turek
* Henryk Bk as Lt. Krygier
* Roman Kosowski as Szpakowski
* Bogumi Kobiela as Lt. Dbecki
* Stanisaw Bareja as a Home Army soldier
* Witold Pyrkosz as Kardas
* Wojciech Siemion as Lt. Marianek
Critical Assessment
Historian Dorota Niemitz offers this on the cinematography of 'Eroica':
See also
*Cinema of Poland
*List of Polish language films
Footnotes
Sources
*Niemitz, Dorota. 2014. 'The legacy of postwar Polish filmmaker Andrzej Munk.' World Socialist Web Site. 13 October, 2014. https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/10/13/munk-o13.html Retrieved 08 July, 2022.
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