Nights and Days
Encyclopedia
Nights and Days is a 1975
Polish
film directed by Jerzy Antczak
. This epic family drama was based on Maria Dabrowska
's novel Noce i Dnie, and was described by The Washington Post
as "Poland's Gone With the Wind
". Set in Kalisz
and the Kalisz Region
in the second half of the 19th century after the failure of the January Uprising
in 1863, the film presents a unique portrait of an oppressed society, life in exile, and the confiscation of private property as told through the loves and struggles of the Niechcic family.
) and Bogumil Niechcic, (played by Jerzy Binczycki) against the backdrop of the January Uprising
of 1863 and World War I
. The film is a rather straightforward and faithful adaptation of a novel by Maria Dabrowska
with the same title. The plot is woven around the changing fortunes of a noble (upper-class) Niechcic family in the pre-WWI Poland. There are two main crossing threads: a social history one and an existential one. The cinematographic version is a condensation of the 12 part award winning TV serial of the same title and using the same cast and producers.
rather than love for him as she is secretly in love with the handsome Mr. Toliboski. Their task of forging a new life together begins at a small estate, Krempa.
rather than staying at Serbinow with her family. Tommy continues to lie and steal, causing his parents much pain and suffering.
that Serbinow has been sold. Bogumil and Barbara must move out and leave their home at Serbinow.
breaks out and the Germans invade, Barbara hopes her children will come to her. When the Prussian army
captures Kalinec, the people are glad to be free of the Russians. Barbara leaves Kaliniec in search of her children.
.
At the 26th Berlin International Film Festival
in 1976, Jadwiga Barańska
won the Silver Bear for Best Actress
.
is quite long and verbose: four or six volumes, depending on the edition. Due to the social history thread it was included as a mandatory reading material in Polish high schools. This film could be considered a Cliff Notes version of the novel and many cinema-goers were high-schoolers looking for a shortcut through their mandatory reading list. Additionally the social history angle was explored in a non-confrontational and non-judgemental way. This allowed the whole material to get through the communist censorship without any cuts or other interventions. In effect the communist government-run film monopoly paid for producing a faithful saga of an upper-class family (nobility
).
The cinematographic version is arguably less popular (although still well known) than the 12-episode TV version, which is still being periodically re-broadcast in Poland. Its high technical and artistic values allow it to successfully compete for viewers against contemporary soap operas.
1975 in film
The year 1975 in film involved some significant events, with Steven Spielberg's thriller Jaws topping the box office.-Events:*March 26 - The film version of The Who's Tommy premieres in London....
Polish
Cinema of Poland
The history of cinema in Poland is almost as long as history of cinematography, and it has universal achievements, even though Polish movies tend to be less commercially available than movies from several other European nations....
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....
. This epic family drama was based on Maria Dabrowska
Maria Dabrowska
Maria Dąbrowska was a Polish writer.Dąbrowska was a member of the impoverished landed gentry. Interested both in literature and politics, she set herself up to help people born into poor circumstances. She studied sociology, philosophy, and natural sciences in Lausanne and Brussels and moved to...
's novel Noce i Dnie, and was described by The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
as "Poland's Gone With the Wind
Gone with the Wind
The slaves depicted in Gone with the Wind are primarily loyal house servants, such as Mammy, Pork and Uncle Peter, and these slaves stay on with their masters even after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 sets them free...
". Set in Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...
and the Kalisz Region
Kalisz Region
Kalisz Region is a historical and ethnographical area of Poland, located in central Poland mainly in the Greater Poland Lakes Area and South Greater Poland Plain. It forms the eastern part of Greater Poland proper....
in the second half of the 19th century after the failure of the January Uprising
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
in 1863, the film presents a unique portrait of an oppressed society, life in exile, and the confiscation of private property as told through the loves and struggles of the Niechcic family.
Synopsis
Nights and Days is a family saga of Barbara Ostrzenska-Niechcic, (played by Jadwiga BaranskaJadwiga Barańska
Jadwiga 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...
) and Bogumil Niechcic, (played by Jerzy Binczycki) against the backdrop of the January Uprising
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
of 1863 and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The film is a rather straightforward and faithful adaptation of a novel by Maria Dabrowska
Maria Dabrowska
Maria Dąbrowska was a Polish writer.Dąbrowska was a member of the impoverished landed gentry. Interested both in literature and politics, she set herself up to help people born into poor circumstances. She studied sociology, philosophy, and natural sciences in Lausanne and Brussels and moved to...
with the same title. The plot is woven around the changing fortunes of a noble (upper-class) Niechcic family in the pre-WWI Poland. There are two main crossing threads: a social history one and an existential one. The cinematographic version is a condensation of the 12 part award winning TV serial of the same title and using the same cast and producers.
Part One: Bogumil and Barbara
Barbara Ostrzenska marries former landowner Bogumil Niechcic out of respect for his heroic past contributions to the 1863 January UprisingJanuary Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
rather than love for him as she is secretly in love with the handsome Mr. Toliboski. Their task of forging a new life together begins at a small estate, Krempa.
Part Two: Peter and Teresa
Barbara suffers the loss of her first child, a four year old boy named Peter, and decides to leave her home at Krempa to start a new life at the run down land property of Serbinow. Barbara's beloved sister Teresa dies.Part Three: Grandma
Bogumil is successful as the manager of the estate at Serbinow. Financial security, the birth of their three children (named: Agnieszka, Emilka and Tomaszek) signal better times at last. Barbara's sick mother moves in with them only to die.Part Four: Eternal Worries
Bogumil's dedication to his work is praised by the landowner of 'Serbinow', but Barbara has trouble with Tommy (Tomaszek, their youngest child), who is lying and stealing. They employ a governess for their three children. Barbara and Bogumil become more distant with each other as Barbara dreams of moving to the nearby city of Kaliniec.Part Five: Good Luck
Barbara's uncle dies, bequeathing her 6,000 roubles. Bogumil advises her to invest in Serbinow, but her preference is a building property in Kaliniec. Meanwhile, Danielecki, owner of Serbinow, arrives and anxious not to lose Bogumil improves his contract.Part Six: Love
Mrs Hlasko, an experienced teacher arrives, so Barbara has no need to move to the town of Kaliniec with her children. There is an outbreak of typhoid and the family do what they can to help the sick. Eventually Barbara moves to Kaliniec with her children. Bogumil stays home alone at Serbinow and finds himself a young lover.Part Seven: Wind in the Eyes
Fifteen years have passed since Bogumil and Barbara settled in Serbinow. During a celebration party, two gold coins go missing and their son Tommy (Tomaszek) is suspected. Meanwhile the 1905 Russian Revolution encourages farmhands to riot. When Barbara unexpectedly leaves her home in Kaliniec to visit Serbinow she finds Bogumil in the arms of another woman. Barbara is devastated.Part Eight: Time for Love/Time for Death
The revolutionary movement expands, involving Barbara's daughter, Agnieszka, who returns from the university full of life and eager to love. In the meantime their old governess, Ms. Celina, commits suicide when her lover abandons her.Part Nine: Fathers and Children
Bogumil realizes that he is losing his daughter, Agnieszka, who decides to live with her husband in BrusselsBrussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
rather than staying at Serbinow with her family. Tommy continues to lie and steal, causing his parents much pain and suffering.
Part Ten: We are born, we die and life goes on
Despite worries about the children, Barbara and Bogumil feel secure and content. Bogumil orders drainage equipment for Serbinow without the owners' permission, using Barbara's money as a deposit. Soon news arrives from ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
that Serbinow has been sold. Bogumil and Barbara must move out and leave their home at Serbinow.
Part Eleven: At the end of the day
After more than twenty years at Serbinow, Bogumil and Barbara buy a small estate at Pamietow. Bogumil feels lost and tired. He becomes sick and dies asking his children to be honest and kind. Without Bogumil Barbara feels as if her world is completely destroyed. Meanwhile, Poland's struggle for independence continues.Part Twelve: And then comes the night
Barbara moves permanently to Kalinec. As World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
breaks out and the Germans invade, Barbara hopes her children will come to her. When the Prussian army
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
captures Kalinec, the people are glad to be free of the Russians. Barbara leaves Kaliniec in search of her children.
Cast
- Jadwiga BaranskaJadwiga 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...
(Barbara Niechcic) - Jerzy BińczyckiJerzy BińczyckiJerzy Bińczycki was a Polish stage and film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1962 and 1998. He starred in the 1975 film Nights and Days, which was entered into the 26th Berlin International Film Festival....
(Bogumił Niechcic) - Barbara Ludwiżanka (Barbara's mother)
- Jerzy Kamas (Daniel Ostrzeński)
- Janina Traczykówna (Michalina Ostrzeńska)
- Elżbieta Starostecka (Teresa Ostrzeńska-Kociełło)
- Emir Buczacki (Lucjan Kociełło)
- Stanisława Celińska (Agnieszka Niechcic)
- Jan EnglertJan EnglertJan Englert is a Polish film actor. He has appeared in over 60 films since 1957.-Selected filmography:* Liberation * Salt of the Black Earth * Pearl in the Crown * Osadeni Dushi...
(Marcin Śniadowski) - Kazimierz Mazur (Tomasz Niechcic)
- Olgierd ŁukaszewiczOlgierd ŁukaszewiczOlgierd Łukaszewicz is a Polish film actor. He has appeared in over 60 films since his 1969 graduation from the Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts in Kraków...
(Janusz Ostrzeński) - Anna NehrebeckaAnna Nehrebecka- Biography :In 1969 she graduated from the Theatre Academy in Warsaw, her film debut took place in 1967. In 1969 she became an actress of the Polish Theatre in Warsaw. She acted in many theatre, cinema and TV productions, classic as well as contemporary. She created poetry recitation programmes in...
(Celina Katelba) - Andrzej SewerynAndrzej SewerynAndrzej Seweryn is a Polish and French actor and director. One of the most successful Polish theatre actors, he starred in over 50 films, mostly in Poland, France and Germany. He is also one of only three non-French actors to be hired by the Paris-based Comédie-Française.- Biography :Andrzej...
(Anzelm Ostrzeński) - Karol Strasburger (Józef Toliboski)
- Henryk Borowski (Klemens Klicki)
- Beata TyszkiewiczBeata TyszkiewiczBeata Maria Helena Tyszkiewiczówna-Kalenicka is a Polish actress.-Biography:Beata Tyszkiewicz is one of Poland’s quintessentially cinematic beauties, having worked exclusively on the big screen...
(Stefania Holszańska) - Kazimierz KaczorKazimierz KaczorKazimierz Kaczor is a Polish actor and television presenter. He has made over 40 appearances in film and television. He starred in the 1986-1987 television series Zmiennicy but is well known for hosting the Polish version of Jeopardy!.-External links:...
(Russian officer) - Andrzej Szczepkowski (rejent Holszański)
- Władysław Hańcza (Jan Łada)
- Mieczysław Milecki (priest Komodziński)
- Marek Walczewski (Daleniecki)
- Barbara Rachwalska (servant girl to the Niechcic Family)
- Bożena Dykiel (Andzia Torebkówna)
- Andrzej Gawroński (Czerniak, peasant in Serbinow)
- Ryszarda Hanin (Żarnecka-main cook to the Niechcic Family)
- Ewa Dałkowska (Olesia Chrobotówna)
- Zofia Merle (peasant Maria Kałużna)
- Tadeusz FijewskiTadeusz FijewskiTadeusz Fijewski was a Polish film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1927 and 1978.-Selected filmography:* Pod banderą miłości * Prokurator Alicja Horn * Granny Had No Worries...
(Łuczak-peasant from Serbinow) - Helena Kowalczykowa (peasant from Serbinow)
- Teodor Gendera (peasant from Serbinow)
Awards
The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language FilmAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
.
At the 26th Berlin International Film Festival
26th Berlin International Film Festival
The 26th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 25 to July 6, 1976.-Jury:* Jerzy Kawalerowicz * Hannes Schmidt* Marjorie Bilbow* Michel Ciment* Guido Cinotti* Georgi Daneliya* Wolf Hart* Bernard R...
in 1976, Jadwiga Barańska
Jadwiga Barańska
Jadwiga 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...
won the Silver Bear for Best Actress
Silver Bear for Best Actress
The Silver Bear for Best Actress is the Berlin International Film Festival's award for achievement in performance by an actress.-Awards:- External links :*...
.
Possible reasons for popularity
The original novel by Maria DąbrowskaMaria Dabrowska
Maria Dąbrowska was a Polish writer.Dąbrowska was a member of the impoverished landed gentry. Interested both in literature and politics, she set herself up to help people born into poor circumstances. She studied sociology, philosophy, and natural sciences in Lausanne and Brussels and moved to...
is quite long and verbose: four or six volumes, depending on the edition. Due to the social history thread it was included as a mandatory reading material in Polish high schools. This film could be considered a Cliff Notes version of the novel and many cinema-goers were high-schoolers looking for a shortcut through their mandatory reading list. Additionally the social history angle was explored in a non-confrontational and non-judgemental way. This allowed the whole material to get through the communist censorship without any cuts or other interventions. In effect the communist government-run film monopoly paid for producing a faithful saga of an upper-class family (nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
).
The cinematographic version is arguably less popular (although still well known) than the 12-episode TV version, which is still being periodically re-broadcast in Poland. Its high technical and artistic values allow it to successfully compete for viewers against contemporary soap operas.