THE MAIDS OF WILKO (PANNY Y WILKA)

Poland, 1979, 118 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Olbrychski, Anna Seniuk, Maya Komorowska.
Directed by Andrzej Wajda.

The Maids of Wilko is an interesting and elegant film from celebrated Polish director, Andrzej Wajda. After completing his epic Man of Marble and Man of Iron, Wajda moved away from politics and made this film as well as Rough Treatment and The Conductor. He returned to politics with his version of Danton, filmed in France, after the experience of Solidarity, with Gerard Depardieu.

This film was based on a period novel by Jaroslav Iwaszkiewicz who appears momentarily in the final sequence with the hero on the train.

The film is set in 1929. While it is a period film, and the women of Wilko emphasise this in their manner and dress, the film harks back to the period of World War One and the regrets caused by the war. It is pre-World War Two and the Communist government in Poland. It focuses on another period instead of the periods with which Wajda was comfortable, especially his World War Two trilogy.

The film is considered a chamber piece with echoes of playwrights like Chekhov (The Three Sisters) and films by Ingmar Bergman like Cries and Whispers.

1. An interesting and entertaining film? Elegant Polish filmmaking?

2. Location photography, the sense of period? The elegance of the sets and decor? Moods and editing? The musical score?

3. The title and the focus on the women? The focus on Fela and her death? The focus on Tunia, the younger sister, the focus on the older sisters and their aunt? Their relationship with Viktor Ruben?

4. The portrait of Viktor: his work with the convent, his religious attitudes, Catholicism, Polish Catholicism? His visit to the doctor and the advice to go to Wilko? His factory? His decision to go to the country, his journey? The visit to his aunt and uncle? His meeting the sisters? The memories of Fela? His going away to the war? His learning of her death? 1929 and the memories? His realisation of the effect of the 15 years on each of the sisters? All of the sisters and their attraction for him, reality and image? Disappointments? His relationship to each of the sisters? His relationship with Tunia? His visits, going out in the country, the meals? The elegantly designed meetings and encounters with each of the sisters and moving from each to each? The party and its disaster? Her reaction to Viktor, suicide? Viktor and his farewells? His going away in the train and the encounter with the author? Portrait of a melancholic man? His experiences, self-centredness, regrets? A failed life?


5. The portrait of each of the sisters:

Julia - her relationship with her husband, his harshness, her state of health?
Jola, the separation from her husband, her flirtations and their motivations?
Zosia: her relationship with her husband, his work? as a diplomat, his absences? her studies? Fulfilment or not? Her relationship with her child?
Kazia, her age, lack of beauty, management skills, concern for their mother, her not marrying?
Tunia, her age, immaturity, romantic attitudes towards Viktor, the party, its failure, her disillusionment, wanting to Take the gesture of suicide? Her sisters' intervention?

6. The contrasting portraits of the sisters? Their being presented? for instance in the meals, the musical entertainment, in the kitchen, out at the picnic, in the fields? Their intermingling with Viktor? The comparisons with each other?

7. A portrait of Poland? Early 20th century? The past? Regrets? Changes? A perspective of the '70s?