With fire and sword
With fire and sword ( Polish Ogniem i Mieczem ) is a historical novel by the Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz and the first part of a trilogy that is continued by the novels Deluge (1886) and Mr. Wołodyjowski (1888) .
description
The storyline of the historical epic takes place between 1648 and 1651 and deals with the rebellion of the Cossacks under Hetman Bohdan Chmielnicki in Ukraine , which was then under Polish rule. The novel was published in Warsaw in 1884 . The story was written at the time of the partition of Poland and was intended to "strengthen the hearts" of the Polish readership. The main character of the book is Jan Skrzetuski.
filming
In 1962 an Italian film adaptation of the novel was made with the title Col ferro e col fuoco . In 1999, based on the book, the Polish film of the same name was made, Ogniem i Mieczem , directed by Jerzy Hoffman . The approximately three-hour monumental film is the last of the three novel adaptations based on the trilogy by the Polish Nobel Prize winner Henryk Sienkiewicz. However, the works were filmed in reverse chronological order.
The leading female role was cast with the internationally known Polish-Swedish actress Izabella Scorupco . Hoffman received the Polish Film Prize in 2000 for his implementation of the historical material .
The film, which is also available in German dubbing (under the title Die Kreuzritter 5 - Mit Feuer und Schwert ), received positive reviews from the critics, primarily because of its elaborate equipment. The costumes and backdrops correspond exactly to the historical models and thus differ significantly from many Hollywood productions . Hoffman's team was advised by well-known Polish and Ukrainian historians and weapons researchers named in the credits .
literature
- Henryk Sienkiewicz, With Fire and Sword, Fredonia Books 2002, ISBN 1-4101-0057-X (German edition 1999 published by Bastei Lübbe, translation by CG Lecaux)
- Jerzy R. Krzyanowski, The Trilogy Companion: A Reader's Guide to the Trilogy of Henryk Sienkiewicz, Hippocrene Books, 1992, ISBN 0-87052-221-3
- Sienkiewicz Trilogy DVD edition, 2004