Czlowiek z zelaza (1981)

Director:

Andrzej Wajda

Writer:

Aleksander Scibor-Rylski (writer)

Release Date:

27 July 1981 (Poland)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A worker becomes a "man of iron" forged by experience, a son comes to terms with his father, a couple fall in love...

Plot Keywords:

Anti Socialist | Heroism | Nonlinear Timeline | Filmmaker | Footbridge

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins

Cast

Jerzy Radziwilowicz	...	Maciej Tomczyk / Mateusz Birkut
Krystyna Janda	...	Agnieszka
Marian Opania	...	Winkel
Irena Byrska	...	Matka Hulrwicz
Wieslawa Kosmalska	...	Wieslawa Hulewicz
Boguslaw Linda	...	Dzidek
Franciszek Trzeciak	...	Badecki
Janusz Gajos	...	Z-Ca Szefa
Andrzej Seweryn	...	Kapt. Wirski
Marek Kondrat	...	Grzenda
Jan Tesarz	...	Szef
Jerzy Trela	...	Antoniak
Krzysztof Janczar	...	Kryska
Krystyna Zachwatowicz	...	Hanka Tomczyk (as Krystyna Zachwatowicz-Wajda)
Boguslaw Sobczuk	...	Redaktor TV

Also Known As:

Man of Iron

Runtime:

153 min

Country:

Poland

Language:

Polish

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Gdansk, Poland

Company:

Film Polski Film Agency

Trivia:

This was the first, and so far only, sequel to win the Golden Palm at Cannes.

Quotes:

[To Maciek and Agnieszka at their wedding.]
Lech Walesa: I trust you will be a democratic couple, so let me share these flowers democratically.

Movie Connections:

Follows Czlowiek z marmuru (1977)

Poland triumphs...as does Wajda

What you need to know about "Man of Iron":

1. Palme D'Or 1981

2.Wajda's sequel to "Man of Marble"

3.Sweet-a** performances from Poland's acting elite

****NOTE**** Ok, you really do have to have a Warsaw-pact historical/political background when approaching this film, because it's compactly interwoven into flashback sequences recalling various anti-commie events (worker's movements and so on). And yes, that's mustachioed Lech Walesa making a cameo. If you have no idea what the Solidarnost movement was read up before watching this. Of course, the emotional and thus universal element is present (Maciek and Agnieska's love, etc) but this is mostly a story of survival and determination in the face of corruption and political hostilities. Polish people took amazing steps against their government as early as the late 60s, and here we see the triumphant and climactic finish to these efforts. Wajda incorporates interesting documentary footage within the film to make it more effective and appealing to his audience.

See "Man of Iron" and feel nostalgia for the times when Eastern Europe saw change as a forthcoming and hopeful force. Classic.