Hrabina Cosel
Encyclopedia
Hrabina Cosel is a 1968
Polish
film directed by Jerzy Antczak
. The film is based on Józef Ignacy Kraszewski
’s novel Hrabina Cosel, a historical romance set in the court of Augustus the Strong, the first of the two Saxon Kings of Poland
, at the turn of the eighteenth century.
, a German noblewoman who became a mistress of Augustus the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony
in 1704.
Against the backdrop of life at Augustus’ court the movie follows the arrival at Dresden
of 24 year old Anna Constantia of Brockdorff
, who is an inordinately beautiful and scrupulously devout young married woman; her romance with the King and her ‘ten year reign’ as his mistress – a role she consents to in the belief that she has won the king’s love and commitment; and finally, her heartbreak, disillusion and struggle against him. The conflict between Anna and the King arises from the fact that Anna takes seriously not only the relationship, but the written promise of marriage which she manages to secure from him during their courtship. Neither the relationship nor the contract is held in much esteem by Augustus, who replaces her, as he has always done, with another mistress, as soon as she loses for him the charm of novelty. Her valiant refusal to return the marriage promissory note upon request enrages him and delivers her to her miserable fate.
In the opinion of the court, Cosel came to be considered increasingly dangerous when it became known that king Augustus had given her a secret written promise of marriage. Ultimately, she fell from grace with the king when she showed her jealousy after her spies told her about the king's affair with Countess Maria Magalena von Dönhoff
of Warsaw
. Distraught and feeling desperate to win back king's affection, Cosel departed Dresden
to meet the king in Warsaw
only to be turned back at the city gates. Augustus, having no more feelings for his former mistress, gave orders to lock her up in the Stolpen
fortress. Cosel's faith and courage, which replaced her initial despair and anger culminated in her decision to remain in her jail, even after Augustus’ death, thirty-two years before her own, opened the way for her to regain her freedom. As a result, Cosel was imprisoned for forty-nine years, before she died in 1765, being eighty-five years of age. To the end of her life she preserved traces of her great beauty, by which she became so famous.
1968 in film
The year 1968 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 30 - The film The Lion in Winter, starring Katharine Hepburn, debuts.* November 1 - The MPAA's film rating system is introduced.-Top grossing films :- Awards :...
Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
film directed by Jerzy Antczak
Jerzy Antczak
Jerzy Antczak is a Polish film director. His film Nights and Days was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and was entered into the 26th Berlin International Film Festival....
. The film is based on Józef Ignacy Kraszewski
Józef Ignacy Kraszewski
Józef Ignacy Kraszewski was a Polish writer, historian and journalist who produced more than 200 novels and 150 novellas, short stories, and art reviews He is best known for his epic series on the history of Poland, comprising twenty-nine novels in seventy-nine parts.As a novelist writing about...
’s novel Hrabina Cosel, a historical romance set in the court of Augustus the Strong, the first of the two Saxon Kings of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, at the turn of the eighteenth century.
Plot
The Countess Cosel is based on the true story of the beautiful Anna Constantia of BrockdorffAnna Constantia of Brockdorff
Anna Constantia von Brockdorff , later the Countess of Cosel, was a German noblewoman and mistress of Augustus the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony...
, a German noblewoman who became a mistress of Augustus the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
in 1704.
Against the backdrop of life at Augustus’ court the movie follows the arrival at Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
of 24 year old Anna Constantia of Brockdorff
Anna Constantia of Brockdorff
Anna Constantia von Brockdorff , later the Countess of Cosel, was a German noblewoman and mistress of Augustus the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony...
, who is an inordinately beautiful and scrupulously devout young married woman; her romance with the King and her ‘ten year reign’ as his mistress – a role she consents to in the belief that she has won the king’s love and commitment; and finally, her heartbreak, disillusion and struggle against him. The conflict between Anna and the King arises from the fact that Anna takes seriously not only the relationship, but the written promise of marriage which she manages to secure from him during their courtship. Neither the relationship nor the contract is held in much esteem by Augustus, who replaces her, as he has always done, with another mistress, as soon as she loses for him the charm of novelty. Her valiant refusal to return the marriage promissory note upon request enrages him and delivers her to her miserable fate.
In the opinion of the court, Cosel came to be considered increasingly dangerous when it became known that king Augustus had given her a secret written promise of marriage. Ultimately, she fell from grace with the king when she showed her jealousy after her spies told her about the king's affair with Countess Maria Magalena von Dönhoff
Dönhoff
Dönhoff or Denhoff was a German nobility family, a branch of which moved to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 16th century and became recognized as a Polish noble there....
of Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. Distraught and feeling desperate to win back king's affection, Cosel departed Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
to meet the king in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
only to be turned back at the city gates. Augustus, having no more feelings for his former mistress, gave orders to lock her up in the Stolpen
Stolpen
Stolpen is a town in the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany.- References :...
fortress. Cosel's faith and courage, which replaced her initial despair and anger culminated in her decision to remain in her jail, even after Augustus’ death, thirty-two years before her own, opened the way for her to regain her freedom. As a result, Cosel was imprisoned for forty-nine years, before she died in 1765, being eighty-five years of age. To the end of her life she preserved traces of her great beauty, by which she became so famous.
Cast
- Jadwiga BarańskaJadwiga BarańskaJadwiga Barańska is a Polish actress and screenwriter. Jadwiga Barańska is the wife of Polish director Jerzy Antczak and the mother of Mikołaj Antczak, born in 1964.-Selected filmography:* Wraki as Irena...
- Anna Konstancja Cosel, Anna Constantia of BrockdorffAnna Constantia of BrockdorffAnna Constantia von Brockdorff , later the Countess of Cosel, was a German noblewoman and mistress of Augustus the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony... - Mariusz Dmochowski - August II Mocny, Augustus II the StrongAugustus II the StrongFrederick Augustus I or Augustus II the Strong was Elector of Saxony and King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania ....
- Stanisław Jasiukiewicz - Rajmund Zaklika, Polish soldier in love with Cosel who tried so rescue her form her imprisonment
- Daniel OlbrychskiDaniel OlbrychskiDaniel Olbrychski is a Polish actor best known for leading roles in several Andrzej Wajda movies and also known for playing the Russian defector and spymaster Vassily Orlov, alongside Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie in the movie Salt....
- King Charles XII of SwedenCharles XII of SwedenCharles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718... - Ignacy Gogolewski - baron Fryderyk Kyan
- Stanisław Milski - hrabia Egon Furstenberg, marszałek dworu
- Henryk Borowski - hrabia Adolf Hoym, mąż hrabiny Cosel
- Władysław Hańcza - general Schulenburg
- Krystyna Chmielewska - Marianna DönhoffDönhoffDönhoff or Denhoff was a German nobility family, a branch of which moved to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 16th century and became recognized as a Polish noble there....
, mistress of the king Augustus II the StrongAugustus II the StrongFrederick Augustus I or Augustus II the Strong was Elector of Saxony and King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania .... - Mieczysław Kalenik - La Haye, porucznik gwardii królewskiej
- Maria Homerska - Krystyna Eberhardyna, king's wife
- Władysław Dewoyno - Holder, szlachcic saski