The man on the rails
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The man on the rails |
| Original title | Człowiek na torze |
| Country of production | Poland |
| original language | Polish |
| Publishing year | 1957 |
| length | 80 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Andrzej Munk |
| script |
Jerzy Stefan Stawiński , Andrzej Munk |
| production | Film studio Kadr |
| camera |
Romuald Kropat Jerzy Wójcik |
| cut | Jadwiga Zajicek |
| occupation | |
| |
The Man on the Rails is a Polish feature film by Andrzej Munk from 1957. The film is based on the story The Secret of the Locomotive Driver Orzechowski by Jerzy Stefan Stawiński , who also wrote the screenplay.
action
The film is told almost exclusively in flashbacks . The engine driver Orzechowski had a fatal accident in a station area. A commission is convened to investigate how the accident happened. The station master Tuszka is questioned. Tuszka is a modern, innocent employee of the Polish railways. He introduced new working methods, the main aim of which was to ensure that the locomotives use less fuel. Tuszka gives the commission to understand that Orzechowski did not want to submit to it. He finally fired Orzechowski. The old engine driver from the pre-war period was a counter-revolutionary and saboteur. Orzechowski then extinguished the yellow light on a main signal out of revenge, so that instead of "slow speed" the engine driver was only shown the green light for "free travel". He then had an accident himself.
Orzechowski's young colleague Zapora contradicts Tuszka's remarks. Orzechowski was an excellent specialist. Zapora had worked as Orzechowski's assistant and states that Orzechowski was a supervisor who asked a lot of his employees and was a difficult person, but also an extremely honest person. Finally comes out in the investigation that the linesman Sałata, an alcoholic, had forgotten Petroleum refill the signal lamps and this is why extinguished. Orzechowski had noticed this and knew that the signal no longer allowed driving at greatly reduced, but at maximum speed. As a train approached, Orzechowski threw himself in front of the train to save his colleagues and passengers from certain death.
Reviews
- Lexicon of International Films : Outstanding film of equally great importance in the subtle-political as well as in the human.
- Reclam's film guide: The film tells its story with sober realism, hands-on and direct. In Kazimierz Opaliński, Munk has found an almost ideal actor. The film became famous above all for its political explosiveness. Munk defends his protagonist in spite of all his weaknesses and mistakes against the party's claim to totality.
- Evangelical film observer : Interesting Polish film that uses the death of a forced-retired train driver as an occasion for an intelligent polemic against dogmatism, contempt for human beings and party faith. Convincingly and safely staged. Worth seeing from 16 years.
Awards
The film took part in the competition of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in 1957 . Andrzej Munk received the award for best director.
Web links
swell
- ^ Reclams Filmführer, 2.A. 1973, ISBN 3-15-010205-7
- ↑ Evangelischer Presseverband München, Review No. 7/1966