IN DARKNESS
Poland, 2011, 145 minutes. Colour.
Robert Wieckiewicz, Benno Furmann, Agnieszka Grochowska.
Directed by Agnieszka Holland.
Poland’s nominee for Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, 2011.
We are taken back to the city of Lvov, at the end of 1942, beginning of 1943, a severe winter. Lvov is occupied by German forces. Jews are being rounded up or fleeing. This is material from many a similar story. However, director Agnieszka Holland, returning to her Polish roots (both Jewish and Catholic) and drawing on a book about these events and the memoirs of one of the children, has made quite a distinctive and powerful drama. In some ways, it is reminiscent of the story of Anne Frank and her family and friends, trapped for safety in an attic. Where this family and group are trapped is far more difficult, even grotesque, than the Frank story.
At first, we are introduced to two sewer officials who are seen robbing the homes of Jews who have fled. No righteousness here. The central character, Leopold Socha (Poldek) (Robert Wieciewicz, seeming at first like an anonymous, ordinary man who could have a supporting role) has a wife and sick daughter in their impoverished home. Poldek is also beholden to a local policeman who is determined to find and root out Jews. Then Poldek discovers a group of Jews who have been digging through their floor to the sewers. What will he do? Report them? Or capitalize on their predicament? He chooses the latter, taking money after bargaining with them, supplying them with food and necessities as they conceal themselves, literally, in darkness.
This is a long film (almost two and a half hours) and immerses the audience for a long time in the squalor, the stench, the cramped spaces, the darkness, as day after day the small group, supports each other, squabbles, hangs on to life to survive.
It is something of a relief when the audience is able to get out of the sewers and see Poldek in his daily rounds, the fear of his partner, being upbraided by his wife who is suspicious of the Jews. There is a disaster when a German guard is killed by Poldek and Mundek, one of the Jews who is able to come out of the sewers. The Germans exact a terrible toll on Lvov, hanging many locals. This affects Poldek who has become attached in some ways to the hideaways. And it is compounded as the film proceeds: the birth of a baby in the sewers and his and his wife’s willingness to take the child in – but there is no easy solution to this crisis. He helps Mundek to go into the concentration camp to find some of those interned there. And, after his daughter’s first communion Mass and the thunderous storm which floods the sewers, threatening the lives of the Jews, venturing in to lead them to safety.
Eventually, the Russians drive the Germans from Lvov.
At the end, there is a tribute to Poldek and his wife, their being acknowledged as Righteous Persons because of their sheltering the Jews. It is a sombre reminder that many of the Righteous helpers, like Oscar Schindler, were not as noble as they became – that involvement with suffering people drew on their better selves and enabled them to be heroic.
This is a holocaust and help story for a 21st century reminder of suffering and kindness.
1. World War Two and Holocaust films? The 20th century tradition? The stories for the 21st century?
2. The film based on the memoir of a daughter and her experiences? A book about the events?
3. Agnieszka Holland, her perspective, Polish background, Polish history, Jewish background, Catholic background?
4. The film based on a true story, 1942-3? The city of Lvov? Poles, Ukrainians, Germans, the advance of the Russians?
5. People assisting the Jews, helping them to escape, hiding them during the war? The final tribute in Jerusalem to the righteous? Ordinary people and the possibilities of becoming righteous by helping the Jews?
6. The anti-Semitism of the Germans, of the local Poles? The Catholics, their bigotry?
7. Poldek and Szczepek? Their robbing the empty Jewish house, taking the money? Their job in the sewers? Home life? Poldek and his relationship with Wanda? The scenes at home, in bed, the sick daughter? Their way of life during the German occupation?
8. The Chiger family? The mother and father, the children? Their life in Lvov? Their extended friends and family? The digging through the floor, having to hide in the sewers? Issues of money, jewellery?
9. Poldek and the work in the sewers, the reaction to the Jews’ hole in the floor? Poldek’s reaction, his friend? The decision, the motivation, the deals, the money?
10. Poldek and his setting up the family and the group? The husband and wife, the husband in charge? The children, being occupied? Children and the need for play, the drawings, illnesses? The women and the men? Mundek and his strong character? The other Jews, their being transferred to the concentration camp? Life in the sewers, the darkness, the stench, the filth?
11. Poldek and his developing an interest in the Jews, the money, the supplies? Becoming personal or not? Szczepek and his opting out of helping the Jews? Wanda, her discovering the truth, her reactions? Negative? Yet accepting?
12. The local inspector, his antipathy towards the Jews, wanting them found, to be killed? His drinking? Friendship with Poldek, the visit, Poldek’s daughter and her mentioning the Jews, covering up by her story of the gift of the dolls? The inspector going into the sewers, after the storm, Poldek and his attack, the inspector and his drowning?
13. The details of life in the sewer, sexual relationships, privacy, the children drawing, the robbery, those escaping, not getting far, their deaths?
14. The dangers of discovery, continued hiding, the group getting through the tunnel, the pregnant woman and her difficulty, her confession of the truth, the birth sequence?
15. Poldek’s daughter, the first communion, the severe storm, the flooding of the sewers, the group nearly drowning? Poldek discovering them, going home, the dry clothes? Wanda and her leaving – and her return?
16. Mundek and his going outside, the encounter with the soldier, pretending to be in the workforce, the death of the soldier, getting rid of the body, the discovery?
17. Mundek going to the camp, Poldek arranging it, substituting for a man who wanted to search the ghetto? Mundek, the treatment in the camp, the brutality, the issue of the cap, the threat of shooting Mundek? The commander and his shooting the man next to him, wanting to keep the able bodied alive? The humiliation, the Jews crawling on their knees, Mundek getting out after talking to Clara’s sister?
18. Mundek, his relationship with Clara, returning, the shower, their love, accepting the fact that the sister would not come out? Clara’s memory of her sister and her being spoilt by their father?
19. The end of the war, the Russians advancing, the sounds of the tanks, coming out into the rubble? Poldek and his Jews, Wanda and the cakes? The people coming to greet the Jews, bring them food?
20. Life in the streets of Lvov, the Russian occupation, changes?
21. The final information, the sadness of Poldek’s accidental death? The testimony to Poldek and Wanda that they were considered by the Jews among the righteous?
