FROM A FAR COUNTRY
Poland, 1981, 120 minutes, Colour.
Sam Neill, Christopher Cazenove, Lisa Harrow, Maurice Denham, Daniel Olbrychski.
Directed by Krzysztof Zanussi.
From a Far Country is a film about Pope John Paul 11 and his Polish background. It is also an opportunity to look back at the history of Poland from the 20s to the 70s (A biographical telemovie of Pope John Paul II - with that title - was made in the early 1980s with Albert Finney as the Pope.)
This film is the work of prominent Polish director Kzrystoff Zannussi. He is internationally well known and maker of a range of interesting movies at a time when the Polish industry was under political pressure. At the beginning of the 80s, with the coming of Solidarity, he was able to make this film - a co-production, especially with English technicians and cast.
While the film focuses on the career of Pope John Paul 11, he is not the central character of the movie. Rather, he appears now and again but a voiceover with documentary material and newsreel footage explains his life and career. The stars of the film are Sam Neill as a Polish priest, friend of John Paul II, Lisa Harrow as his sister and Christopher Cazenove as his friend. Maurice Denham, Philip Latham and others appear as Polish hierarchy. The voiceover is by Shakespearean actor Michael Jayston. The film is interesting in its glimpses of Polish history - the religious background of the 20s, the Nazi threat in the 30s, the experience of war and occupation in the 40s as well as the concentration camp at Auschwitz ( With the dramatising of the self-sacrifice of Maximilian Kolbe). The films shows the transition to Poland becoming a communist country, industrialisation, the building of the satellite workers city of Nova Huta. The film ends with an atmosphere of triumph as John Paul II becomes Pope - and footage is shown of his visit in 1979 to Krakow. This all meshes together as a movie is another question but the ingredients are of great interest.
1. Impact of the film? Polish and international co-operation?
2. Audience interest in and response to Pope John Paul, the atmosphere of solidarity and the early 80s in Poland? A portrait of Poland, the church and communism in Poland?
3. The historical footage, the newsreel material? The voiceover and the information given? Blending it with the fictional story and characters?
4. The prologue of the film and the 20s, the religious fervour of the people, the Passion Play, the Wojtila family and the loss of Karol? His seeing the actor drinking beer in the bar? The portrait of a family situating them in this atmosphere of Poland?
5. The 30s, the coming of the Nazis, the role of the church? The focusing on the theatre group, their creativity, propaganda? Students?
6. The experience of the occupation, the war, the destruction of Warsaw? Life in Krakow? Social disruption? The underground and resistance? The young men going to work in the factories, Karol Wojtyla and his work - and his injury and the hospital? The resistance, Maran and Wanda and their involvement? Tadek and the rescue of the man under the floorboards, across the roof? The involvement in resistance activity? Imprisonment and torture? Auschwitz, Maran and his friends in Auschwitz, the glimpse of concentration camp life, the hostages, the volunteering of Maximilian Kolbe to go in the place of the married man, his death, the man and his later praying - and the aftermath of Kolbe beatification?
7. The end of the war, the role of the church, confronting the government, the Cardinal and his advisors, calling in the seminarians? The government, communist regime, alliance with the Russians? The testing of loyalties?
8. Poland as a socialist country, administration, the Stalinist era and its repression? The decision to build Nova Huta? The workers, the strikes? Authors writing for the government and visits to the workers (and the fiasco for Tardek)? The development of industry? The families? The traditional beliefs, the role of the church? The Tardek family and their involvement?
9. The church, the ordination of the candidates, Karol Wojtyla being sent to Rome? His studies, the return, his pastoral involvement, parishes, universities? The students liking him and calling him uncle? His diplomacy with the government? The building of the church at Nova Huta? Its being forbidden, the relic given by Paul the VI? The dedication of the church? Maran and his imprisonment?
10. Tardek, in the resistance, the end of the war, coming to see Wanda and her antagonism, his writing, the fiasco of the meeting and his embarrassment, the friend that he had saved during resistance times becoming an official, their clashes, clashes with authority? The proposal to Wanda, the marriage? His discussions with Wortle about his own faith? Growing old, seeing the transitions? Wanda, relationship with, Maren, with Karol Wortle, with Trade? The theatre, it being turned into propaganda? Her work in an office? Resistance to Trade, the happy marriage? Listening to the news of the election?
11. Maren, actor, student, in prison, Auschwitz? On the train with the people being re-settled, the magnitude of the re-settlement? his confession? As a seminarian, ordination? The priest, his being asked to hear the confessions? Being arrested? Tardek getting him out? As a priest, in Nova Huta, in Rome? During the Papal visit?
12. The Wladek family, the father and his antagonisms, the clash with his son, the students, propaganda, expectations by officials? His change of heart, confrontation with the officials?
13. The 50s and 60s, the church and repression, the officials of the party, the Cardinal being released from prison and the establishment of the Polish church? Wojtyla and his becoming Bishop, Cardinal? The second Vatican Council?
14. The footage of the conclaves of 1978, death of Paul VI, John Paul I and his death, Wojtyla going to the conclave, the footage of his election? The euphoria of his visit to Poland? Significance for the universal church?
15. The movie as a documentary? As the portrait of an historical person in his context? how well did they blend for interest and entertainment?
