Ashes and Diamonds

1958

1h 43m

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

242

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Drama

War

Romance

A young academy soldier, Maciek Chelmicki, is ordered to shoot the secretary of the KW PPR. A coincidence causes him to kill someone else. Meeting face to face with his victim, he gets a shock. He faces the necessity of repeating the assassination. He meets Krystyna, a girl working as a barmaid in the restaurant of the "Monopol" hotel. His affection for her makes him even more aware of the senselessness of killing at the end of the war. Loyalty to the oath he took, and thus the obligation to obey the order, tips the scales.

Directors

Andrzej Wajda

Writers

Andrzej Wajda(screenplay by)

Jerzy Andrzejewski(novel by)

Jerzy Andrzejewski(screenplay by)

Stars

Zbigniew Cybulski

Ewa Krzyżewska

Wacław Zastrzeżynski

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Videos2

Trailer
Watch Ashes And Diamonds aka Popiól i diament (1958) Trailer
Featurette
Watch Ashes and Diamonds Newsreel.avi

Photos84

Top cast

Maciek Chełmicki

Krystyna Rozbicka

Szczuka

Andrzej Kossecki

Drewnowski

Porter

Pieniążek

Kotowicz

Staniewiczowa

Waga

Slomka

Stefka

Święcki

Lili

Jurgieluszka

Puciatycka

Hanka Lewicka

Maj. Wrona

Directors

Andrzej Wajda

Writers

Andrzej Wajda(screenplay by)

Jerzy Andrzejewski(novel by)

Jerzy Andrzejewski(screenplay by)

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User reviews4

Review

Featured review

7/10

You might have thought that on May 8th, 1945 the population of Poland would have been united in celebrating the defeat of their Nazi invaders. Instead, though, this film quite deftly illustrates a mixture of joy and trepidation as those who had fought together to free their country now found themselves on opposite sides of a new societal order that was going to pit the freedom-loving Poles on one side with those more Soviet-minded Communists on the other. This polarity is epitomised by "Maciek" (Zbigniew Cybulski) and "Andrzej" (Adam Pawlikowski) who are charged with getting shot - literally - of the communist leader and new minister "Szczuka" (Waclaw Zastrzezynski). They manage to screw their assassination attempt up, though, and innocent people are killed - not the first who die as the infighting between the hitherto allies becomes more violent and potent, with even the strongest of family loyalties severely tested. There's still time for a little romance as "Maciek" takes a shine to "Krystyna" (Ewa Krzyzewska) and as that burgeons, he yearns for a peaceable life in which to live, work and bring up a family. Thing is, can he just stop caring about the politics and settle, or is it too ingrained in him and by staying, might he actually be endangering that which he has come to love? This is one of the more poignant “winning the peace" kind of post WWII stories, with the characterisations ripe with contradictions and challenges, and the director (Andrzej Wajda) also taking a broader look at the remnants of Polish society as a whole from which rebuilding is not going to be easy. This previously devout nation is much less though. The people are weary, depressed and all too ready to sink their sorrows and ambitions in a large glass of vodka. On that last point, there's space for a little bitter humour and that largely comes thanks to an on-form Stanislaw Milski and his professorial-looking "Pieniazek" and we have some devious jostling for position and privilege in the new order to engage us too. The grimness of their situation is well captured by the stylish, almost eerie at times, photography that prevails throughout this authentic looking drama. History tells us what did happen, indeed what was already happening when this was made in 1958 - and that makes this junction box of political and personal choices all the more compelling to watch. It's essentially about people and ideals, and is well worth a look at.

Geronimo196717 Aug, 2024