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How I Unleashed World War II

Original title: Jak rozpetalem druga wojne swiatowa
  • 1970
  • 3h 44m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
How I Unleashed World War II (1970)
AdventureComedyWar

The adventures of unlucky Polish soldier Franek Dolas during world war II. In September he escapes from Stalag and goes to France. After that he fights in Africa and Europe.The adventures of unlucky Polish soldier Franek Dolas during world war II. In September he escapes from Stalag and goes to France. After that he fights in Africa and Europe.The adventures of unlucky Polish soldier Franek Dolas during world war II. In September he escapes from Stalag and goes to France. After that he fights in Africa and Europe.

  • Director
    • Tadeusz Chmielewski
  • Writer
    • Tadeusz Chmielewski
  • Stars
    • Marian Kociniak
    • Janina Boronska
    • Adam Cyprian
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    8.1/10
    3.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Tadeusz Chmielewski
    • Writer
      • Tadeusz Chmielewski
    • Stars
      • Marian Kociniak
      • Janina Boronska
      • Adam Cyprian
    • 9User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos12

    How I Unleashed World War II (1970)
    Marian Kociniak in How I Unleashed World War II (1970)
    Wirgiliusz Gryn and Marian Kociniak in How I Unleashed World War II (1970)
    How I Unleashed World War II (1970)
    How I Unleashed World War II (1970)
    How I Unleashed World War II (1970)
    How I Unleashed World War II (1970)
    How I Unleashed World War II (1970)
    How I Unleashed World War II (1970)
    How I Unleashed World War II (1970)
    How I Unleashed World War II (1970)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Marian Kociniak
    Marian Kociniak
    • Pvt. Franek Dolas
    Janina Boronska
    • Elzbieta
    Adam Cyprian
    • Gulke
    Wirgiliusz Gryn
    Wirgiliusz Gryn
    • Józek Kryska
    Zdzislaw Kuzniar
    Zdzislaw Kuzniar
    • Dimo Stojadinovic
    Józef Lodynski
    Józef Lodynski
    • Stoker
    Jaroslaw Skulski
    • Colonel
    Tomasz Zaliwski
    Tomasz Zaliwski
    • Yugoslavian Officer
    Elzbieta Starostecka
    Elzbieta Starostecka
    • Singer
    Andrzej Gawronski
    Andrzej Gawronski
    • Helmut
    Emil Karewicz
    Emil Karewicz
    • Gestapo Officer
    Henryk Lapinski
    Henryk Lapinski
    • Wladyslaw Wachocki
    Stanislaw Milski
    Stanislaw Milski
    • German General
    Kazimierz Talarczyk
    Kazimierz Talarczyk
    • Woydyllo
    Janusz Ziejewski
    • Feldfebel
    Krystyna Borowicz
    Krystyna Borowicz
    • Prostitute
    Anna Gebicka
    • Dancer
    Piotr Fronczewski
    Piotr Fronczewski
    • Italian Soldier
    • Director
      • Tadeusz Chmielewski
    • Writer
      • Tadeusz Chmielewski
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The film is unique in terms of language realism: members of each nationality, encountered by a main hero on his way, speak their own language (German, Serbo-Croatian, French, Italian, English), what makes his adventures and communication problems more realistic.
    • Goofs
      When the film was colorized in 2000, the Yugoslav flag was miscolored, with green in the place of blue.
    • Quotes

      Pvt. Franek Dolas: B-but our place is in the Polish army! We must fight for Poland!

      Sgt. Kiedros: And for which Poland do you want to fight for?

    • Alternate versions
      Also shown in computer colorized version. This version was prepared by "Dynacs Digital" and has never been released theatrically. It was first shown by TV Polsat.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Nie lubie poniedzialku (1971)

    User reviews9

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Polish classic World War II comedy
    The film is one of classic Polish comedies, often aired in Polish TV, and I like it quite much. The main hero is Polish soldier Private Franek Dolas, a charming wangler, who is convinced, that he had started World War Two with his accidental shot (it is a bravura life role of Marian Kociniak). He escapes from a POW camp, and then desperately tries to join the Polish Army, being organized in Great Britain. The film is quite long three-part trilogy, but we follow adventures of Private Dolas from 1 September 1939 towards the end of the war, across Nazi occupied Europe, Middle East and North Africa. And there is also a romance plot in last part.

    The whole story is inspired by fates and stories of many Polish soldiers, who escaped from occupied country and got to French or British allies to continue fighting. It was truly a difficult task during the war, because they had to travel illegally through neutral or Nazi-allied countries, avoiding imprisonment or internment. Many of them found themselves eventually in North Africa, where Polish units fought on British side in 1941-1942 against Germans and Italians. One patrol even captured Italian military bordello indeed...

    Since Franek Dolas travels through different countries, a humour mainly explores national stereotypes and cultural clashes, but in rather gentle and non-derogatory way. So, the Germans are unable to write down an overcomplicated fake Polish name (Brzeczyszczykiewicz), the Yugoslavians are hospitable, while the British are stiff and care about nothing during a tea time (it also was an experience of Polish soldiers, raised in different culture). On the other hand, the Poles, personalized by the main hero, are reckless and always get into trouble. In fact, Private Dolas succeeds in many things only by accident. French captain is always drunk on wine and wants to fight for Marshall Petain - but on the other hand, his soldiers join the Free French to continue fighting. The Italians try to surrender, or they fight only for their women - but we also see brave Italian commandos. A great and remarkable thing in this film is, that all characters speak their own languages, what makes language barriers obvious, and increases reality feeling.

    The film was made as black and white, but gained much thanks to a digital colorization.
    helpful•11
    0
    • pibwl
    • Jan 13, 2018

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • April 2, 1970 (Poland)
    • Country of origin
      • Poland
    • Languages
      • Polish
      • Serbo-Croatian
      • Italian
      • German
      • French
      • English
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • Приключения канонира Доласа
    • Filming locations
      • Zgierz, Lódzkie, Poland(POW camp)
    • Production company
      • Przedsiebiorstwo Realizacji Filmów "Zespoly Filmowe"
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      3 hours 44 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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