One of most popular Polish TV series of all time, which still has many loyal fans from different age categories…
Iconic characters, beautiful women, daring action, famous theme music and quotes that have made it into everyday use.
The role of Hans Kloss brought Stanisław Mikulski immense popularity, not only in Poland but also abroad.
Adventures of a Polish agent of the Russian intelligence, who during the World War II operates on the enemy’s territory pretending to be a German officer Hans Kloss. The character completes many daring actions, has dangerous adventures and continuously faces new threats. Thanks to his intelligence, skills and cold blood he manages to outsmart the Nazis many times, especially the boorish Gestapo officer – Brunner. He wins the game where the odds are larger than life…
Originally “Stawka większa niż życie” was a series of 14 theater plays. The immense success of the cycle led to making a TV series about the agent J-23. Hans Kloss’s stories were also published as books and comics.
The author of the screenplay is Andrzej Zych, which is a pen name of two writers – Zbigniew Safjan and Andrzej Szypulski.
Kadr Film Studio has 12 episodes of the TV series “Stawka większa niż życie”, which were shown in cinemas as six two-episode sets.
Set 1
”Wiem kim jesteś” (“I know who you are”) A young Pole – Stanisław Kolicki escapes a Nazi camp and gets into the USSR. He takes the identity of a German officer Hans Kloss and as agent J-23 he is to obtain information that can change the course of warfare…
“Ściśle tajne” (“Strictly confidential”). The year 1942. Kloss is ordered to free a Polish engineer whose research may be used by the Germans for military purposes.
Set 2
“Hotel Excelsior” (“Excelsior Hotel”) Hans Kloss arrives in Gdańsk to explain the murder of the head of a Soviet spy network and deal with a possible snitch.
“Cafe Rose” (Rose Café). The year 1942. Kloss gets an order from his German supervisors to suss out a spy in Budapest. He has to fulfill his task and, at the same time, rescue the allies’ agent.
Set 3
“Ostatnia szansa” (“The last chance”). The year 1942. Hans Kloss and members of the resistance movement try to get plans of a new weapon that professor von Henning is working on. They force a German officer Ruppert to collaborate, however their plan is revealed…
“Podwójny Nelson” (“Double Nelson”) Kloss goes to a forest spa as a bodyguard of Hanna Bosel, a major of the Abwehr, who pretends to be a British agent that was arrested by the Nazis.
Set 4
“Wielka wsypa” (“Serious turning in). After his liaison officer has been arrested, Kloss, by himself, has to provide his supervisors with important information and by doing so he risks being unmasked as there’s a traitor in the AL unit.
“Genialny plan płk. Krafta" (“The ingenious plan of Colonel Kraft). The year 1943. Kloss attempts to ruin a clever plan to replace the young Pole Wacek Słowikowski with his twin brother that is loyal to the Nazis.
Set 5
“Edyta” The year 1945. The character meets Edyta, who dated the real Kloss. J-23 has to continue this relationship, however his pretend feelings turn into something real.
“Oblężenie” (“The siege”). A spy game is underway in a city besieged by the Russian troops. The stake is the knowledge of a famous German scientist and the life of Polish forced laborers.
Set 6
“Liść dębu” (“An oak leaf”). Hans Kloss has to prevent the “Oak leaf” operation from a complete failure. Its aim is to help Polish paraschuters take control of a bridge which is in the key part of the front line.
“Spotkanie” (“Encounter”) The year 1945. German troops are retreating. Kloss attempts to acquire an archive hidden by colonel Ring. It quickly turns out that he’s not the only person interested in the valuable documents.
