Réalisation:
Aleksander FordPhotographie:
Mieczysław JahodaMusique:
Kazimierz SerockiActeurs·trices:
Urszula Modrzynska, Grażyna Staniszewska, Andrzej Szalawski, Henryk Borowski, Aleksander Fogiel, Mieczyslaw Kalenik, Emil Karewicz (plus)Résumés(1)
Pologne, début du XVe siècle. A l’origine, ordre religieux destiné à protéger les pèlerins se rendant en Terre Sainte, les chevaliers teutoniques ont créé leur propre État tout-puissant, implantant leurs commanderies un peu partout en Europe. Le seigneur Jurand de Spychów croise un jour une troupe de Teutoniques emmenant des marchands injustement capturés. Il les met en déroute, et l’unique rescapé, le commandeur Siegfried von Löwe se venge en incendiant sa demeure fortifiée et assassinant sa femme. La tension va monter, en parallèle de l’émergence du royaume polonais, voulant se défaire de l’emprise des chevaliers. Jusqu’à la fameuse bataille de Tannenberg, qui sera fatale à l’Ordre. (Artus Films)
(plus)Critiques (2)
An incredibly long film, which undermined its reputation with me mainly because of its excessive running time, which could have been even a third shorter. In terms of production design and costumes, I liked it, but some of the scenes bored me and seemed silly and completely unnecessary. In short, for me personally, a very mediocre film that will probably appeal to viewers who are interested in the history of the Crusades.
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I recorded my only two truancy absences in my childhood thanks to this film. During the communist era, our cinema used to run so-called "Morning screenings for pensioners" (really, I'm not kidding) twice a week, where for a symbolic five crowns you could brighten up your day. As part of it they screened this two-part historical film, so school was out of the question, I, as a history lover, had no choice. I didn’t mind the write-down in my pupil’s book, what mattered was that the Crusaders got their asses kicked in the battle of Grünwald. Really, for lovers of the historical genre, this is a hearty meal, an epically sweeping, narrative spectacle with a strong story and a nice battle at the end. I only have to warn you about the DVD edition sold here, which is absolutely horrible and looks like a VHS tape that has been scratched hundreds of times, and with a side cut! Truly disgusting!
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