DAY OF WRATH. DZIEN GNIEWU

Poland, 2019, 84 minutes, Colour.
Radoslaw Pazura, Rafal Gasowski. Jan Marczewski, Natasha Rybicka.
Directed by Jacek Raginis- Kilikiewicz.

This is an arresting drama, made for Polish television, screening at some Jewish film festivals.

There is a war setting, the Nazi occupation of a town, persecution and hunting of the Jews, a monastery as a source of consolation for the local inhabitants – and, as it emerges, a place of refuge for an escaping Jew.

The action takes place over one day, enabling something of a microcosm of the key issues of Poland during the war, the place of Catholicism, the treatment of the Jews.

One of the features of the film is music and chant. The monks in their monastery chant most of their dialogue, moving in procession throughout the rooms, the melodies of Gregorian chant, words of the Psalms but also words of their interior feelings, their perceptions of situations, their descriptions of action. (A most telling climax with chant as the monks sing of salvation history through the Old Testament into the New, and the Jewish refugee chanting his traditions of the presence of God.)

Everything seems normal enough in the monastery until a fleeing Jew, who notes that he is a carpenter, son of a carpenter, asks for refuge. He is accepted and given a habit. Several episodes follow, building up the drama, a young woman intruding into the monastery, demanding pearls adorning a statue, the visit of the leader of a local resistance movement, but, most importantly, the visit of the head of the Nazi occupation – who wants to see the prior, the dramatic revelation that the two of them had studied for the priesthood in Rome decades earlier.

Expectations are aroused about the intervention of the Nazi leader, the issue of the monks shielding a refugee, some revealing complications about the role of the woman in the set up, some frank talking between the Nazi and the prior, building up to a confrontation and threat to the monks. There is also dramatic presentation of the refugee, stripped of his habit, a loincloth, the Nazi having brought barbed wire for security on the monitory walls but putting it on the head of the carpenter, getting a cloth for a cloak, his whip in the man’s hand, an image of Jesus before Pilate.

A favourable comparison can be made with Xavier Beaufois’ classic film of monks facing issues of life and death, possible martyrdom, Of Gods and Men (2010). This drama seems to and satisfyingly – only for the audience to be jolted by an unexpected coda.

A film well worth seeing in itself – but great potential for dialogue between Jews and Christians.

1. A World War II story? Nazi occupation of Poland? Persecution of the Jews? The Catholic monastery story?

2. The film made for television, television style? But in the style of a morality play? Dramatising and discussions of the issues?

3. Poland, the 1940s, the Nazi invasion, occupation, the setting up of the ghetto? The rounding up of the Jews, executions? Laws against those sheltering the Jews?

4. The vivid presentation of the Nazi speeches, close-up on the commander, the intensity and cruelty of his speech? The visuals of the attacks on the Jews, killings?

5. The visuals of the monastery, the exteriors, views, the countryside? The interiors, corridors, refectory, chapel, meeting rooms?

6. The use of chant throughout the film, the Gregorian chant melodies? Male choir? The number of monks, in procession, in the refectory, the chant? The lyrics of the chant, mixture of prayer, Psalms, the community’s response to the situation, the war, persecution? The challenge to their consciences and behaviour?

7. The monks themselves, age range, their commitment to their vocation? Life in the monastery? The role of the prior, their admiration for him?

8. The personality of the prior, his leadership of the monastery? The visit by Born, the revelation of their friendship at the seminary in Rome? The prior and his commitment? Born and the years in the seminary, loss of faith, leaving before ordination? The two men discussing the issues, remembering the past, remembering friendship, its influence on the crisis situation because of the Nazi occupation?

9. Born, Nazi, the explanation of his religious background, his commitment to Nazi ideology? Moral conscience? Lack of moral conscience? Obeying orders, relishing the orders, his brutality? Relationship with his soldiers? His visiting the monastery, wanting to talk with the prior?

10. The Jewish refugee, coming into the dining room, his escape, his wife killed, his being a carpenter and son of a carpenter? His appearance? The reaction of the monks, giving him something to eat, his starving? His explanations? His petition? The decision that he should stay? Giving him the habit? The bath, cleaning up, the arrival of Born, his being hidden?

11. Julia, coming to the monastery, intruding, her comments about the male community, flaunting herself? Her explaining herself, collaboration with the Nazis, her relationship with Born? Her tantalising the prior, demanding the pearls, the comment about the pearls and wealth? Enjoying being provocative, the monks sweeping the floor? Her being ousted? The later return, the pearls disappearing (the prior getting the monk to hide them), confronting Born, the revelation of the setup, the demands on Born, his shooting her? And dumping her body?

12. The conscience issue for the community, the visual iconography, the crucifix, the monks assembled, the prior asking whether they would accept the cross, one hesitating, their all agreeing? Willing to be martyred?

13. The visit of the head of the resistance, the news that Born had been condemned by their courts, the signal for the open curtain, the plan to ambush and execute him?

14. Born returning, the dramatics of his interaction with the prior, the effect of his past, his commitment to the Nazis, the regime and actions, the threat to kill all the monks, to leave the prior alive? His being upset, Julia’s visit? The irony of his opening the curtain to look out and order the soldiers up to remove the body?

15. The passion play, Born bringing the barbed wire for the fence and walls, the Jewish man revealing himself, the removal of the habit, his standing with the loincloth like Jesus of the Passion, the barbed wire crown, Born taking the tablecloth, making it a cloak, giving him his whip? The taunts, the monks kneeling, the man standing like Jesus, born and his jeering about their God?

16. His departure, the monks assembling, saved? Hearing the noise, the prize comments about Born is guilt?

17. The final chants, the Jewish God themes, the monks kneeling, the Jewish man standing, the Old Testament leading to Jesus? The Jewish man and his chant and his God? Sounds and images of Jewish- Christian unity?

18. The seeming culmination of the film, the duo allowed to remain?

19. And the jolting finale in the execution of the monks, martyred, dead bodies lying on the floor?