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Communist authorities at Gdansk city initiate a smear campaign to discredit Maciek Tomczyk (Jerzy Radziwilowicz), a prominent Solidarity movement activist. They appoint Winkel (Marian Opania), a TV journalist, to infiltrate his inner circle. Making use of his credibility as a former anti-Communist protestor, Winkel interviews friends and colleagues to unearth knowledge of Maciek's personal life. Despite never meeting face to face, Maciek provokes Winkel to look within himself, making the latter increasingly uncomfortable about his duplicitous function as an 'informer' for the state.
Revisiting characters from 'Man of Marble, Andrzej Wajda provides a rich glimpse of life in Poland under communist regime. The film's distinctive blend of actual newsreel footage of the Solidarity movement (including an appearance by Nobel Peace prize winner Lech Walesa) with a compelling drama of a journalist s crisis of conscience makes Man of Iron (Palme d'Or recipient at the Cannes Film Festival) an indelible time capsule of a special moment in European history.
Revisiting characters from 'Man of Marble, Andrzej Wajda provides a rich glimpse of life in Poland under communist regime. The film's distinctive blend of actual newsreel footage of the Solidarity movement (including an appearance by Nobel Peace prize winner Lech Walesa) with a compelling drama of a journalist s crisis of conscience makes Man of Iron (Palme d'Or recipient at the Cannes Film Festival) an indelible time capsule of a special moment in European history.
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: LANGUAGES: Polish ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), French ( Subtitles ), Spanish ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda's sequel to his immensely well-received Man of Marble covers some of the same ground: the relationship of labor leaders to their communist political masters and the difficulties the media encounters in covering that story. But it adds an exceptionally timely element: footage from the real-life Solidarity movement strikes led by Lech Walesa that were taking place during the film's production are woven into the dramatic story. There are a few glimpses of Walesa, and he even pops up as a guest at the wedding of the fictional story's hero. That man, Tomczyk, is the son of Birkut, the labor leader profiled in Man of Marble, and he's played by the actor Jerzy Radziwilowicz, who played Birkut in the first film. In Man of Marble, a student filmmaker in late 1970s Poland tried to uncover the story of Birkut, a working-class hero of the '50s who was later politically discredited and killed in a 1970 strike demonstration. Here, Winkiel (Marian Opania), an alcoholic radio journalist, is assigned by the state to cover the rise to prominence of Tomczyk, but with an eye to discrediting him and the Solidarity movement as well. Like The Godfather II, Man of Iron successfully expands on the story of its predecessor while provocatively exploring many of the same issues. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Cannes Film Festival, Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain, Oscar Academy Awards, ...Man of Iron ( Czlowiek z zelaza )
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Just want to thank Mr Bongo for bringing this out. I have been after replacing my old vhs copy of the TV for years - finally it is reissued. For those that remember this from it's original release and it's days of being played in arthouse cinemas around the UK, fantastic that it was released last year. For those who never seen it, please buy it as it is one of Wajda's finest films and accurate account. My father worked at Gdansk shipyard so I should know. But it now before it dissapears again.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Man of Iron (Czlowiek z Zelaza) is the sequel to Andrzej Wajda's Man of Marble. Much like Man of Marble, which consists of an unraveling story that is unfolded by a series of flashbacks told by various characters, this film follows a similar format. This time, a reporter named Winkel has the task of unraveling the story at the urging of government agents who want him to find dirt on Maciej Tomczyk (Jerzy Radziwilowicz), a key player of Solidarity movement.
Although the characters of the film are fictitious, it is based on historical events. As Man of Marble recounts events of the 1950s to 1970s, Man of Iron covers the time of the 1970s to 1980s. Essentially, Man of Iron is the story of how the government attempts to suppress the steelworkers' strike. In the context of the story we learn about the Police State that existed in the early 1980s in Poland and the Solidarity movement that helped topple communism. I also have to add, Man of Iron stands alone well and it isn't necessary to watch Man of Marble to enjoy it.
For those who saw Man of Marble this film will be even more interesting as it resolves the questions left unanswered. Man of Iron has several of the same leading actors (such as Krystyna Janda). Furthermore, a young Boguslaw Linda, who later became one of the most popular and highest paid Polish actors in the 1990s-2000s, also plays a part in Man of Iron. This early character is quite a contrast to the "though guy" roles he is most known for and which made him famous. Also of interest is that Lech Walesa, who is practically synonymous with the Solidarity movement, appears as himself in this movie.
Andrzej Wajda is probably one of the most famous Polish directors of all time. His films are often based on great works of literature or portray important historical events. Unquestionably, Man of Iron fits in with the later showing us a key event of great importance to Polish history from the early 1980s. Wajda's films are all worth watching.
Although the characters of the film are fictitious, it is based on historical events. As Man of Marble recounts events of the 1950s to 1970s, Man of Iron covers the time of the 1970s to 1980s. Essentially, Man of Iron is the story of how the government attempts to suppress the steelworkers' strike. In the context of the story we learn about the Police State that existed in the early 1980s in Poland and the Solidarity movement that helped topple communism. I also have to add, Man of Iron stands alone well and it isn't necessary to watch Man of Marble to enjoy it.
For those who saw Man of Marble this film will be even more interesting as it resolves the questions left unanswered. Man of Iron has several of the same leading actors (such as Krystyna Janda). Furthermore, a young Boguslaw Linda, who later became one of the most popular and highest paid Polish actors in the 1990s-2000s, also plays a part in Man of Iron. This early character is quite a contrast to the "though guy" roles he is most known for and which made him famous. Also of interest is that Lech Walesa, who is practically synonymous with the Solidarity movement, appears as himself in this movie.
Andrzej Wajda is probably one of the most famous Polish directors of all time. His films are often based on great works of literature or portray important historical events. Unquestionably, Man of Iron fits in with the later showing us a key event of great importance to Polish history from the early 1980s. Wajda's films are all worth watching.
Format:DVD
This film screened in Poland just months before the Communist authorities crackdown on Solidarity in December 1981. The content material was highly contentious for the authorities with parts of the film showing archival footage from earlier street demonstrations and the police's hardline response.
Frequent references in the film to those in power at the time showed them to be untrustworthy and manipulating, such as the attempt to send the reporter Winkel into the dockyards to collect information on one of the strike leaders Tomczyk, the son of the leading character from "Man of Marble". After Winkel witnesses the authorities signing the agreement with Lech Walesa's Solidarity, security men cynically tell him that they have no intention of honouring the agreement - how insightful was that?
In flashback we see the death of Tomczyk's father during the chaos of another demonstration against Communism. Later when visiting the grave the family are confused when they are unable to find the grave then realise that his body has been stolen and his gravesite gone. Plain clothes security men warn the family to keep quiet about what happened. Tomczyk's father is to "erased". In response Tomczyk is driven to keep the memory of his father alive fighting the will of the Communists. This bumpy road with help from his friends and lover eventually lead to the shipyard of Gdansk.
The events in the film take place in 1980, just a year earlier, therefore for all intents and purposes almost realtime and all Poles, even the World at that time were expecting big changes in Poland - or a crackdown by the Soviets.
Poland went from being a country on the cusp of social and economic revolution, it's people hoping for change in 1981 to being a giant prison camp from 13th December 1981. The World looked on in shock as the crackdown on Solidarity swung into action.
"Man of Iron" is a film that was made under difficult circumstances and reflected the thoughts, fears and hopes of Poles at the time.
Frequent references in the film to those in power at the time showed them to be untrustworthy and manipulating, such as the attempt to send the reporter Winkel into the dockyards to collect information on one of the strike leaders Tomczyk, the son of the leading character from "Man of Marble". After Winkel witnesses the authorities signing the agreement with Lech Walesa's Solidarity, security men cynically tell him that they have no intention of honouring the agreement - how insightful was that?
In flashback we see the death of Tomczyk's father during the chaos of another demonstration against Communism. Later when visiting the grave the family are confused when they are unable to find the grave then realise that his body has been stolen and his gravesite gone. Plain clothes security men warn the family to keep quiet about what happened. Tomczyk's father is to "erased". In response Tomczyk is driven to keep the memory of his father alive fighting the will of the Communists. This bumpy road with help from his friends and lover eventually lead to the shipyard of Gdansk.
The events in the film take place in 1980, just a year earlier, therefore for all intents and purposes almost realtime and all Poles, even the World at that time were expecting big changes in Poland - or a crackdown by the Soviets.
Poland went from being a country on the cusp of social and economic revolution, it's people hoping for change in 1981 to being a giant prison camp from 13th December 1981. The World looked on in shock as the crackdown on Solidarity swung into action.
"Man of Iron" is a film that was made under difficult circumstances and reflected the thoughts, fears and hopes of Poles at the time.
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