Passenger (1963)

While being aboard a transatlantic ship, German woman Liza notices someone who looks like Marta, the former inmate at Auschwitz, where Liza used to be the guard.

Directors:

Andrzej Munk, Witold Lesiewicz

Writers:

Andrzej Munk (screenplay), Zofia Posmysz (novel)

Stars:

Aleksandra Slaska, Anna Ciepielewska, Jan Kreczmar

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Aleksandra Slaska	...	Liza
Anna Ciepielewska	...	Marta
Jan Kreczmar	...	Walter
Marek Walczewski	...	Tadeusz
Irena Malkiewicz	...	Oberaufseherin Madel
Barbara Horawianka	...	Nurse
Maria Koscialkowska	...	Guard Inga Weniger
Anna Jaraczówna	...	Capo
Leon Pietraszkiewicz	...	Lagerkommandant Grabner
Janusz Bylczynski	...	Capo
Andrzej Krasicki	...	Commission Member
Zdzislaw Szymborski	...	SS-Man
Kazimierz Rudzki	...	Commission Member
Anna Golebiowska	...	Female Prisoner
Krzesislawa Dubielówna

Storyline

The last film of Andrzej Munk, who died in a crash during the filming. A German woman on a ship coming back to Europe notices a face of another woman which brings recollections from the past. She tells her husband that she has been an overseer in Auschwitz during the war, but she has actually saved a woman's life. Her vision is shown and then the actual events.

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Plot Keywords:

still photograph | woman slaps a woman | ship | auschwitz | inmate | 

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Banned in Ireland in 1966; head censor Christopher Macken described it as a "horror film" and also objected to the scene where naked women are driven to the chambers.

It was passed on appeal with an uncut over-16's certificate.

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Connections

Featured in Fejezetek a film történetéböl: A lengyel film (1990)

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Soundtracks

Violin Concerto in E Major
Written by Johann Sebastian Bach

User Reviews

Ahh don't see this film, its pointless.

What the hell is this? I can appreciate a good avant-garde film but this just takes the mickey. Firstly its only half a film because unfortunately the director died before it was complete, there's hardly any dialogue and it kinda just jumps all over the place. Cinematicly its brilliant but the content isn't so good. I would direct people to 'Fateless' which is a much better independent Hungarian film. Yes I appreciate it was made in the 1960s at a time where there wasn't hardly any films on the subject of the holocaust and in that context then I would say its pretty ground breaking, however, i think audiences are harder to please these days and so you might end up just a little confused wondering why you spent the last hour on this film.

Don't bother watching this unless you have no other options. I can't believe i wasted £10 on this.

Details

Country:

Poland

Language:

Polish

Release Date:

20 September 1963 (Poland)

Also Known As:

Passenger

Filming Locations:

Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp, Oswiecim, Malopolskie, Poland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zespol Filmowy "Kamera"

Technical Specs

Runtime:

62 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1