Andrzej Mularczyk, the creator of screenplays of films about the past of the Pawlak and Kargul families, made by Sylwester Chęciński, presented in them primarily as a historiosopher, due to the fact that in them he gave his explanation of the past of Poland in the 20th century.
In his "self" (1967), he stated that although Poles survived a terrible war, which seems to have changed everything, the east Borders replaced the Western Borders, but the nation did not. It was created again, although inactive full of defects, but not without virtues to continue. However, it is simply a community able to come out of all oppression, which proves best the main character of the film, Kazimierz Pawlak, for whom there are no strong ones.
"There are no strong ones" (1974) is the title of the second part of the Mularczyk and Chęciński cycle, the most different from the others. Here, Paul’s cunning and integrity must, unfortunately, give way to the regime’s strength. It's a shame this movie was made. It is simply a real shame to see this hero fail, and he is convinced that this is good.
More successful is the 3rd part of the cycle, “Love or Throw” (1976). In this movie Pawlak along with his eternal antagonist Kargul and their joint granddaughter Anna flows to America. There she finds the illegitimate daughter of her late brother, who, despite his black skin color, besides belongs to the family. Ania, then, in broken English, explains to her how before the war the Pawlaks and the Karguls quarreled over a part plowed between.
The films of Mularczyk and Chęciński had to leave much to the viewer's default. In their “self” just after the war, Pawlaków and Kargulów arrive “from behind Bug” to Lower Silesia. However, it is not known why they decided to change their place of residence. This was not allowed to be mentioned in Poland at the time.
After half a century, a prequel was created, “Its own. The beginning” (2024). The script was written by Mularczyk again, but behind the camera was Artur Żmijewski. The film's action takes place mainly in Krużników close Trembowli. And it starts in 1913, which is inactive in the period of partition. It ends shortly after the war – erstwhile a train carrying displaced persons stops in the field, somewhere on the Recovered Lands. Then the inscription appears, “You know the rest.” So the destiny of the heroes takes place in highly hard times for Poland and in various ways are linked to them. The film's creators re-enact these times, but possibly to a lesser degree than before they have been giving historiosophical considerations. Young Pawlak frequently has to fight for his life, and even for the full group, and he manages to save them through his extraordinary thinking. His case can, of course, be generalized. average Poles survived wars, revolutions, resettlements, due to the fact that they had the ability to deal with Satan's servants.
In the 4th part of the cycle, there are plenty of historical threads. any are barely marked and the others are very developed. This most likely has something to do with their presence in modern discourses. So it is not actually in the movie of the First planet War, due to the fact that it has long passed the centenary of its ending. The twentieth interwar anniversary has been shown as a time without any social or political conflict, which is to a lesser degree of interest today. There is besides no question of Ukrainian nationalism, the only individual under its influence is liquidated by the russian Commissioner. most likely the film's creators considered it besides delicate during the Russian-Ukrainian War, in which the Polish state supports Ukraine. There are besides scenes from the Polish-Soviet war, the russian occupation, the displacement of the Polish population after the Second planet War. There is 1 scene from the German occupation. The Holocaust subject has besides been introduced, inactive on various occasions returning, even in media debates.
What was shown in the movie from the past of Poland in the 20th century was shown deliberately in a very circumstantial way. The cruelty of red-armists and the fanaticism of their commissioners is highlighted in all the russian threads. Their usage of Russian suggests nationality. In turn, Germany, their soldiers are shown grotesquely, according to the pattern reproduced in many films. On the another hand, the only Ukrainian nationalist may seem to be the exception. The Holocaust's subject is to hide Jews. Pavlak hides them, and Kargul, knowing that, keeps quiet. Sarka for it Pawlakov, forced to empty potty hiding.
It is besides crucial to note that the film's authors clearly reject the stereotypes that others are popular with today. So it is not here about the monstrous anti-Semitism of Poles. Polish-Jewish relations are correct, possibly not friendly, but undoubtedly good neighbourly. There's no scary clergy either. The parish priest in Krużewniki is simply a affirmative figure, who serves the full community well.
Although this film, like the erstwhile one, uses the comedy convention, Adam Bobik in the function of young Pawlak shows a akin bravado as Wacław Kowalski playing Pawlak the elder, far from being optimistic about those films. Only historical allusions were made in “the self” and its sequels, while Żmijewski's movie shows a past full of unimaginable cruelty. It is so hard to be optimistic. It is hard for him to know what followed.
Will there be a 5th movie about the Pawlaks and the Carguls? Is Andrzej Mularczyk working on the script yet? The main hero would should be Ani's son, and Kazimierz's great-grandson, of course, had his character traits. As a teenager, he would most likely compose anti-communist slogans on walls. During the transition, he would most likely gotta go to the West due to the fact that he would have no work in the country. But he would have come back. And then, like his great-grandfather, he tried cleverly, though exposing himself to the ridiculousness of near-indulgence, to slip through life among the envoys of the powers for whom he was nothing.
You dream of a movie in which Paul will yet defeat these powers.
Prof. Grzegorz Pełczyński
photo of the press material of the movie „Sami swi”
Think Poland, No. 11-12 (10-17.03.2024)