Lotna (1959)

Director:

Andrzej Wajda

Writers:

Andrzej Wajda (writer)
Wojciech Zukrowski (screenplay)

Release Date:

27 September 1959 (Poland)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

Poland, during the World War. Lotna is a magnificent specimen of Arabian horse, the pride of her owner...

Plot Keywords:

Arabian Horse | Cavalry Charge | Courage | Death | War Planning

Cast

Jerzy Pichelski	...	Cavalry Captain Chodakiewicz
Adam Pawlikowski	...	Lieutenant Wodnicki
Jerzy Moes	...	Cadet Grabowski
Mieczyslaw Loza	...	Sergeant Major Laton
Bozena Kurowska	...	Ewa
Bronislaw Dardzinski	...	Lotna's Owner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Henryk Cudnowski
Adam Dzieszynski	...	Cavalryman (as H. Dzieszynski)
Wieslaw Golas	...	Soldier
Henryk Hunko	...	Cavalryman
Tadeusz Kosudarski	...	Cavalryman
Irena Malkiewicz	...	Countess
Artur Mlodnicki	...	Colonel
Ludwik Pak	...	Violinist
Roman Polanski	...	Musician
Karol Rómmel	...	Priest
Tadeusz Somogi	...	Cavalryman
Marian Wisniowski	...	Cavalryman (as M. Wisniowski)
Boleslaw Wozniak	...	Cavalryman

Also Known As:

Speed (International: English title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Poland

Language:

Polish

Color:

Black and White | Color (Agfa Wolfen) | Color (Sovcolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Nieborów, Poland

Company:

Kadr Cinematographic Unit

Trivia:

The film is criticized by many historians for strengthening a propaganda myth of the Polish cavalry charging German tanks. In fact, the Polish cavalry never charged tanks, leave alone absurd slashing them with sabres. The main tactics of the cavalry was fighting on feet, and there were only several charges against infantry in 1939. On only one occasion, at Krojanty, the cavalry group was surprised by a fire of German armored cars, but did not try to charge them, and got away with moderate losses.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Lawa. Opowiesc o 'Dziadach' Adama Mickiewicza (1989)

beautiful with wonderfully staged cavalry scenes

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Evidentally this is sort of a "lost" film. The DVD copy is half in color, and half in tinted black and white. No previous comments on IMDb or Netflix. An astounding circumstance for a film of this high quality by a known director.

This an iconic tale of a beautiful horse that has several owners, sort of a mixture of "Black Beauty" and "The Red Shoes". There's an interesting love triangle among the humans, set in early World War II, I think. The white of a bride's dress is paralleled with the horse, but I'm not sure of the precise meaning outside of pure imagery. There is much beauty in the cinematography and the staging, with lovely framing and intriguing tracking shots.

Reminiscent of a Powell/Pressburger film both in its pictorial impact and the cold sentimentality (how's that for an oxymoron?) of its story. Maybe a masterpiece, I'm not sure, and well worth seeing.