A film by Wanda Jakubowska, a legendary Polish female film director, co-creator of the pre-war film avant-garde and co-organizer of the structures of post-war cinematography. Her greatest work of art – a partly autobiographical “Ostatni etap” has gone done in the history of international cinema as the first film showing death camps.
The screenplay was based on Tadeusz Hołuj’s novel “Róża i płonący las” and the biography “Ludwik Waryński” by Jerzy Targalski, who was also a historical consultant during the film-making process.
The film version of the biography of Ludwik Waryński, Polish revolutionary, ideologist of the socialist movement and founder of the labor party – Proletariat was made in collaboration with Mosfilm.
Ludwik Waryński, dying in the Shlisselburg fortress is visited by the tsar Alexander III, who, in vain, attempts to persuade the prisoner to officially condemn acts of terror executed by opponents of the tsar’s rule. Under the influence of this visit Waryński starts thinking about the past. He remembers his young years, the beginning of his revolutionary activities, working in the Lilpop factory where he tried to instill class awareness in laborers, continuous fight against the authorities and building the foundations of the socialist movement. Soon after attaining his goal and establishing the Proletariat party Waryński was arrested and condemned to many years of hard labor. Historical facts complement episodes from the character’s private life.
Wanda Jakubowska wanted to make a film about the creation of Proletariat already at the end of the 40-ties, however she only managed to get the screenplay ready.
“Biały mazur” hit the screens on the 90th anniversary of Waryński’s death and 30th anniversary of uniting the Polish labor movement.
Hundreds of extras were involved in the filmmaking process, including laborers from Warszawskie Zakłady Maszyn Budowlanych im. Ludwika Waryńskiego (Warsaw Construction Machinery Plant of Ludwik Waryński).
Excerpt from the movie
