Promised Land (1974)

Andrzej Wajda’s interpretation of a classic 19th century epic depicts the sweeping change in values ushered in by the industrial revolution. Three friends hope to build a factory, but their plans are quickly jeopardized by local politics and one of the partner’s dangerous love affair. Critically acclaimed for its masterful direction and fine acting, this ever-current film has a strong statement to make about modern times. With the master director’s brand new re-edit made possible by Poland’s liberation from Communism. In Polish w/ English Subtitles

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THIS FILM IS GREAT, IN MY OPINION IS WAJDA'S BEST MOVIE AND THE QUALITY OF THE DVD IS MAGNIFICIENT February 3, 2006

One of Wajda's masterpieces

This epic-romantic drama set in late 19th century Lodz was directed by Poland's grand old man of cinema, Andrzej Wajda, and brings his prodigious talent as a director to the forefront. Wajda, better known for cinematic depictions of World War II and the more recent Polish struggles with communism, was severely hampered in 1973 by lack of access to state-of-the-art film technology. Technical difficulties notwithstanding he managed to replicate the miserable conditions under which the population of the teeming 19th century industrial city of Lodz slaved away for the enrichment of their Polish, German and Jewish employers.

The film's story is complex and difficult to follow through the maze of interrelationships and the densely worded script, which may demand a second viewing for those who cannot keep up with English subtitles, as they faithfully follow the Polish. But it centers around the unbridled ambition of three young men--an aristocratic Pole, a Jew and a German--to establish themselves jointly as entrepreneurs while beating out the competition. Eventually, they are done in by their greed and capacity for making enemies needlessly. What you have is a highly affecting morality tale in which avarice takes a back seat to the general lack of moral/social values expertly depicted in the performances delivered by Olbrychski, Psoniak and a host of wonderful Polish character actors. Direct allusions to ethnic and national stereotypes and tensions may pass by some who are not familiar with Polish history vis-a-vis ethnic minorities. But Wajda averted potential accusations of anti-Semitism by studiously offering with mathematical precision equal numbers of sympathetic as well as unsympathetic characters from each of the three ethnicities surveyed in this film. It paid off, as he received the Oscar for Best Foreign Film for that year!

I experienced this film as anti-capitalist propaganda when I saw it for the first time in 1988 without subtitles. Apparently that is how it was perceived by the communist authorities, since according to Wajda's interview, Polish critics were ordered from above to give it favorable reviews. But I now see it as being a less sentimental, more accurate portrayal of the dilemma of industrialization than Charles Dickens ever offered his reading public.

One of the true gems of this "Director's Cut" is the interview with Wajda where they show the still of him receiving his Oscar and looking not so thrilled at getting pecked on the cheek by his presenter--the lovely but by then highly controversial Jane Fonda. (In private Polish society I heard Fonda sometimes referred to disparagingly as "Hanoi Jane" by Poles who said that "tylko w ameryce," was it possible to be so rich and successful and still so deprecating of one's own government.) The other moment to look for is the one where Wajda talks about how when his crew got their first look at the Lodz location for the factory shoots, they found looms with "Manchester, 1884" engraved on them which were still in operation in the 1970s. January 20, 2006

A Majestic story of Three Friends in 19th Century Poland

"Promised Land" (or "Ziemia Obiecana" in Polish) is a majestic story of three friends who come together to build a factory in Lodz during the 19th century. The friends, a Pole (as played by Daniel Olbrychski), a German, and a Jew, each need each others' resources and skills in making their dreams come true. However, both the German and Jew are advised by others not to deal with their Polish friend, as they believe it will come to no good end. In the 19th century, Poland was not on the map, as its neighbors (Germany, Russia, and Austria) partitioned it amongst themselves. This is the reason why German is occasionally spoken in the film and Rubles, a Russian currency, are mentioned.

The Polish man is a nobleman, but he cares little for his heritage or tradition. His thirst for wealth will put a strain on the friendship of the trio and a love affair he has with the wife of a wealthy Jew will cause them all more problems than they would ever expect.

In general, the businessmen of the time are corrupt, the workers are abused, and the story that unfolds is tragic. The film itself is beautiful. With haunting and dramatic music, this colorful time in history is interestingly portrayed. The factories are grim and stark, which contrasts with the splendid palaces where the wealthy live. "Promised Land" gives us a glimpse into the past and a chance to witness the poverty of the many and the wealth of the few.

"Promised Land," directed by Andrzej Wajda, is an exceptional film of the type that has earned him world fame. This new director's cut of this 1974 film is 138 minutes in length. "Promised Land" is spoken in Polish, with parts in other languages. This film has optional English subtitles. At times the film is gory and often tragic, but entirely a captivating story, worth watching.
November 5, 2004

a must for the cultured film connoisseur

This is an acclaimed film from the godfather of Polish cinema, Andrzej Wajda. Its message was acceptable to the communist regime in power when it was made, because it presents a rather harsh portrayal of pre-communist Poland, set in the late 1800s. Nevertheless the production values are quite high, and along with the quality acting and direction, they contribute to make this a memorable film.

That said, there was nothing overwhelmingly great about this film either. Its basically a story about three friends: one Polish, one German, and one Jewish, who are building a factory and experience trials and tribulations along the way. The Poles certainly appear to lack the grace of more westerly continentals, both in costume and appearance. There is plenty of long dramatic dialogue broken by a few brief kinky naked scenes (...).

I watched this shortly after seeing Schindler's List, and I found it quite interesting in that it has a number of Jewish characters and we get a glimpse of how they existed in Polish society before the terrible events which later occurred. The scenes of cobblestone streets and horse drawn carriages also evoked a wonderful mood of nineteenth century life. I think this film would be worth watching to someone with an interest in Poland or anyone who just wants to expand their horizons a bit. Don't go out of your way to see it, but you could do a lot worse. April 2, 2004

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