30 Best Polish Comedies
Comedy was the most important and popular genre of Polish interwar cinema. What’s more, despite the fact that film in pre-war Poland did not present a high level, comedies from this period can still be watched with real pleasure today. First of all, due to the great acting of such celebrities as Eugeniusz Bodo, Adolf Dymsza, Helena Grossówna and Tola Mankiewczówna. Their mainstay became cabaret work, with artists transitioning to cinema directly from the stages of Mirage, Sphinx or Qui Pro Quo. They were musical comedies, which is why they were born rather late, only in the 1930s, when sound came to cinema in earnest. However, the movie songs quickly gained the status of timeless hits. Umowiłem się z nią na dziewiątą, Ach jak przyjemnie, Już taki jestem zimny drań are songs derived precisely from Polish pre-war comedies.
After the war and the period of socialist realism, Polish comedy was the only film genre that was revived in the second half of the 1950s. At that time, the style of grotesque farce, burlesque or satire with fantastic elements was resorted to, as exemplified by the excellent film Ewa chce spać (1958) by Tadeusz Chmielewski. Polish comedies of the 1950s were also of the moral variety, represented, for example, by the films of Jan Rybkowski. The next decade brought, on the one hand, a renewal of the pattern of pre-war sentimentalism, as in the works of Leonard Buczkowski, but also a presentation of modernity, such as the role of television or signs of “little stabilization,” exemplified by the films of the time by Stanislaw Bareja, such as Husband of His Wife (1961). What was new, however, was the creation of a great crime comedy in the style of Jan Batory or Jerzy Hoffman. A true masterpiece, on the other hand, turned out to be Sylwester Chęcinski’s folk saga, continued in the next decade.
From the 1970s to the latest Polish comedy films
Polish comedies of the 1970s are primarily associated with “bareism,” i.e. virulent stigmatization of the absurdities of communist Poland. Stanislaw Bareja’s films, signed by the great acting of Stanislaw Tym, Krzysztof Kowalewski or Wojciech Pokora, are still among the most revered masterpieces of Polish cinema in general. Of course, besides Bareja, great pictures were also created by Marek Piwowski, Jerzy Gruza or Andrzej and Janusz Kondratiuk.
The eighth decade of the 20th century was also a great period of entertainment cinema in Poland. Polish comedies of the 1980s, of course, remained in some connection with political events, especially the martial law. The undisputed master of this period was Juliusz Machulski. Stanisław Bareja also played an important role, this time as the author of comedy series. The most recent period of Polish comedy, starting in the 1990s, still includes Machulski’s films, but also popular pictures by Jacek Bromski, Tomasz Konecki and Andrzej Saramonowicz.
Best Polish comedies
1. Sexmission (“Seksmisja”, 1983)
“Sexmission” (1983) by Juliusz Machulski is certainly the Polish comedy of all time. The vision of the future, where matriarchy reigns and the last men are prepared for sexual transformation still amuses to tears today. Sensational creations were created here by Jerzy Stuhr and Olgierd Łukaszewicz. They played the roles of men hibernated in 1991, who wake up decades later in a completely new world. Nuclear war has led to severe devastation of the Earth, only the women who rule the underground totalitarian state survive.
The film was conceived as a futuristic anti-utopia, clearly following the Orwellian pattern. The comedy was also a parodic reference to Lucas’ Star Wars. The duo of main characters (an intelligentsia and a cunning man) embodied the dream, age-old in Polish tradition, of a class alliance in the fight for freedom. “Sexmission” was read as a story about the People’s Republic of Poland, when Polish men lost any real influence on events, and were thus, in a way, stripped of their masculinity.
2. “The Cruise” (“Rejs”, 1970)
Marek Piwowski’s 1970 film is one of the cult Polish comedies. “The Cruise” has been entertaining successive generations for several decades now, even though it grew out of a specific socio-political context. The title boat cruise on the Vistula brings together an interesting group of tourists. They are joined by a passenger who does not have a ticket and claims to be an entertainer. Soon he begins to organize the time of the tour participants. The leading roles were played by Stanislaw Tym, Zdzislaw Maklakiewicz and Jan Himilsbach.
Piwowski’s “The Cruise” sits on the borderline between a documentary and a feature film, and the treatment is designed to bring out the most absurd and artificial elements of Polish behavior in People’s Poland. In addition to professional actors, there were naturists who simply responded to an ad placed in the Evening Exspress. On the ship “Fekiks Dzerzhinsky” (in the film “Neptune”), the entire company engages in games, meetings and discussions, which are a parody of the reality of the People’s Republic of Poland. The gags are deliberately unfunny, the dialogues are broken off, and the whole thing gives the impression of being unfinished and unsuccessful. Today “The Cruise” is considered one of the cult Polish films.
3. “Day of the Wacko” (“Dzień świra”, 2002)
“Day of the Wacko” (2002) by Marek Koterski is also a movie worth mentioning when it comes to the best items of Polish comedy cinema. While it’s arguable to what extent the bleakness and weightiness of the subject matter undertaken fits into the comedy genre, it’s impossible to deny that laughter accompanies the screening almost from the first scene. Although it is not a carefree laughter, but rather a therapeutic one, allowing one to gain distance from one’s own condition as a Polish citizen. For it must be emphasized that “Day of the Wacko” is a peculiar sociological phenomenon. The main character has become a figure that most compatriots have identified with, seeing in him a reflection of their own neuroses, fears and problems.
A few days in the life of Adasio Miauczynski, a contemporary Polish intellectual living in a block of flats, is an excellent opportunity to look at domestic reality in a distorting mirror. Marek Kondrat’s excellent performance and memorable situations from everyday life are the film’s greatest assets. The divorced Polish language teacher, father of an adolescent son, once an idealist, still dreaming of great love is an iconic figure. It is significant that the world is presented from his subjective perspective, and therefore distorted by personal prejudices and, above all, phobias. Here we have great parodic analyses of language, situations at school, at the doctor’s, traveling or on vacation. Particularly apt and at the same time unmasking, however, are the images of neighborly relations, with a dark final “prayer of the Poles.”
4. “Upstairs” (“Piętro wyżej”, 1937)
Leon Trystan’s “Upstairs” (1937) is a great Polish pre-war comedy starring Eugeniusz Bodo. The film tells the hilarious story of two feuding neighbors with the same last name, whose fortunes are complicated by the arrival of Lodz – the beautiful niece of one of them (Helena Grossówna). It is from the comedy “Upstairs” that the famous pre-war hits like Sex appeal is our woman’s weapon (the latter number is performed by Bodo in the guise of Mae West) come from. In turn, Bodo nonchalantly sings the first song on the radio, just after the weather forecast is announced.
Trystan’s pre-war comedy was a true display of absurdist humor, parody and playing with the rules of the genre. The film’s musical layer has taken a permanent place in the history of Polish cinema. It is not without reason that “Upstairs” is one of the pinnacles of Polish interwar cinema.
5. “Teddy Bear” (“Miś”, 1980)
Stanislaw Bareja’s “Teddy Bear” (1980) is a must-see for all lovers of Polish comedies. No one can show the essence of the People’s Republic of Poland and our national vices like Bareja. The plot of The Teddy Bear revolves around the adventures of a certain Ryszard Ochódzki (Stanisław Tym), president of the “Rainbow” sports club. The man wants to go to London to take a large sum of money from his marital account. Unfortunately, it turns out that his ex-wife has torn several pieces of paper from Ochódzki’s passport, making it impossible for him to travel. The protagonist decides to do everything to outwit Irena and get to Britain before her.
“Teddy Bear” is the quintessential example of “bareism,” i.e. exposing through cinematic means the absurdities of the Polish People’s Republic on all possible levels: everyday situations, language, the mentality of Poles. Bareja here referred to the tradition of the cinema of the Marx Brothers, who showed in comedic form the disintegration of the great myth of America in the years of the Great Depression. Thus, the plot here is deliberately convoluted and fragmented – it captures the chaos of a world in which it is difficult to find any logic. At the same time, it is a reality in the process of destruction, just as the success propaganda of the Gierek era was slowly being destroyed.
6. How I Unleashed World War II (“Jak rozpętałem II wojnę światową”, 1969)
“How I Unleashed the Second World War” (1969) by Tadeusz Chmielewski is a hilarious Polish comedy, to which one returns with true fondness every time. The main character of the film is a private soldier – Franek Dolas (Marian Kociniak), who through a series of bizarre coincidences gets into the very center of the war events and becomes convinced that he himself led to the outbreak of World War II.
The film is based on Kazimierz Slawinski’s novel. The protagonist has the opportunity to be on many war fronts and confront various national stereotypes. Franek is a character who represents Polish cunning and reason, qualities that allow him to outwit not only the disciplined Germans, but also to deal with the French and English. Chmielewski’s comedy was seen in cinemas by eight and a half million viewers.
7. “Kogel-mogel” (1988)
“Kogel-mogel” (1988) by Roman Załuski is a funny Polish romantic comedy, which is a perfect combination of a love story, social satire and a picture of reality at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. The main character, Katarzyna Solska (Grażyna Błęcka-Kolska), comes from a small town to study in Warsaw, which becomes the source of numerous funny adventures. This is because she accidentally becomes the guardian of the son of her own lecturer, Associate Professor Wolanski, and falls in love with Paweł Zawada (Dariusz Siatkowski).
To this day, “Kogel-mogel” enjoys high viewership, and the brilliantly sketched characters and situations continue to entertain viewers. The heroine – a young girl dreaming of education, city life and a career – was a kind of sign of social change. The character of Pawel Zawada depicted a new model of an enterprising Pole who can combine tradition with modern trends and make a lucrative business out of it. Above all, one can find here a credible reality of Poland at the turn of the century, both in terms of fashion, scenery, as well as the mentality and variety of attitudes of compatriots to the changes taking place.
8. “Forgotten Melody” (“Zapomniana melodia”, 1938)
“Forgotten Melody” (1938) by Konrad Tom and Jan Fethke is one of the best Polish pre-war comedies. It tells the story of a Girls’ Training Institute that transforms into a jazz band and begins to gain stage popularity. In the background there is a charming love story of Helenka (Helena Grossówna) and Stefan (Aleksander Żabczyński).
It is from this comedy that two immortal hits originate, namely “Ach, jak przyjemnie kołysać się wśród fal” and “Już nie zapomnisz mnie”. The author of the words of both hits was Ludwik Starski, while the music was composed by Henryk Wars. “Forgotten Melody” was modeled on Hollywood musical productions. It referred to comedies with Deanna Durbin, such as Their Hundred and Her One (1937).
9. „All Friends Here” („Sami swoi”, 1967)
„All Friends Here” (1967) by Sylwester Chęciński is a Polish comedy that doesn’t get old. The adventures of two families – the Pawlak’s and the Kargul’s arriving from the Borderlands to the Recovered Territories – won the hearts of Polish viewers and is still broadcast by TV stations today. Of course, there could be no shortage of disputes over the proverbial property and a love theme.
An excellent script for the film was written by Andrzej Mularczyk, and, interestingly, it was based on his uncle’s post-war memoirs. The motif of “familiarity,” already signaled in the title, which was needed for people settling in new areas to feel at home, is important here. And this was not only about the western lands, but about the post-war status of Poles in general, since migration was a common fate for a large part of compatriots. The need to confront foreignness was thus one of the key Polish experiences. The iconic character of Kargul was played by Władysław Hańcza, while Pawlak was played by Wacław Kowalski.
10. “Man – Women Wanted” (“Poszukiwany, poszukiwana”, 1972)
“Man – Women Wanted” (1972) is another film by Stanislaw Bareja, the master of Polish comedy of the communist period. Stanislaw Maria Rochowicz, an employee of the Museum (Wojciech Pokora), as a result of a wrongful accusation of theft, is forced, in a woman’s disguise, to employ himself as housekeeper Marysia. Of course, such a swap of roles brings with it a myriad of complications and amusing twists. And with all this we get a great dose of Bareja humor.
One of the funniest Polish comedies was based on a true event: well, Bareja’s wife, Hanna Kotkowska-Bareja, worked as a curator at the National Museum and was falsely accused of stealing a painting. The development of the plot in the film refers to the classic motif of swapping roles, known from such pictures as “Some Like It Hot”. Here we are dealing with the image of an intellectual underestimated by the authorities, who is tried to be replaced by an undereducated and simple-minded individual of the ” eternal director” type (played by Jerzy Dobrowolski).
11. “Eve Wants to Sleep” (“Ewa chce spać”, 1957)
Tadeusz Chmielewski’s “Eve Wants to Sleep” (1957) is one of the best Polish comedies of the 1950s, starring the unforgettable Barbara Kwiatkowska in the title role of Eve. The film depicts the adventures of a girl who seeks accommodation in the city because she shows up at a boarding school before the start of the school year, and therefore too early to check in.
The comedy draws on the style of French burlesque. There’s a movie-in-a-movie motif, as well as a combination of fairy tale ballad and the realities of communist Poland. Particularly amusing are the scenes portraying the mores of the time, such as a night visit to a female workers’ hotel, where each of the ladies, despite official strictures, hosts some chosen one in her room. “Eve Wants to Sleep” also brings an unparalleled gallery of various characters from outside the official world of communist Poland: a prostitute, a bank teller, a gang of criminals. Well, and in a distorted mirror shows the militia, functioning in the film under the name of “police.”
12. “The Vagabonds” (“Włóczegi”, 1939)
“The Vagabonds” (1939) by Michał Waszyński is another of the flagship Polish pre-war comedies. The main characters are Tońko (Henryk Vogelfänger) and Szczepko (Kazimierz Wajda), who decide to take care of a young boarder (Helena Grossówna). From this film comes the famous hit song “Only in Lviv” (“Tylko we Lwowie”), evoking sentiment for the pre-war world.
Tońko and Szczepko gained unheard-of popularity thanks to the radio program On the Merry Lvov Wave. The program, broadcast from 1933 to 1938, was the most popular radio production of the Second Republic. Waszynski engaged the famous duo for his two films, in addition to “The Vagabonds”, it was the comedy “It Will Get Better” (1936) about pre-war unemployment.
13. „Brunet Will Call” („Brunet wieczorowa porą”, 1976)
Stanislaw Bareja’s “Brunet Will Call” (1976) belongs to the canon of good Polish comedies. It starred Krzysztof Kowalewski, who, after a shocking fortune-telling from a gypsy woman, tries to prevent the prophecy from coming true – the title murder of a brunet in the evening. Despite his strenuous efforts, he fails to prevent the murder, and the hero must find the perpetrator.
This comedy by Bareja is a parody of a crime film. The source of comedy, however, is not only the pattern of cinema noir, but above all the ubiquitous paradoxes of communist Poland. Brunet in the Evening was also made popular by its musical setting, namely the song “Gypsy Autumn”, which was performed by Anna Jantar.
14. “Kiler” (1997)
“Kiler” (1997) by Juliusz Machulski has also entered the classic list of top Polish comedies. It’s a typical comedy of errors – a cab driver (Cezary Pazura) is wrongly identified with a paid assassin and finds himself in the middle of a mafia scuffle. Humor, satire on the Polish uniformed services and the omniscient press are the film’s main strengths. In 199 a sequel was made – Kiler Two.
The movie was met with great sympathy from audiences, not least because of Machulski’s return to the well-known convention of criminal cinema parody. Kiler won the Golden Lions and two Golden Ducks. The hero here becomes an expression of social frustrations. For, for a moment, he can abandon the form of an exemplary citizen to enter the role of a gangster dispensing “justice” for all the failures suffered in life, and according to his own rules. And paradoxically, it is this function and not the arduous honest work that brings the man respect and esteem.
15. “Vabank” (1981)
“Vabank” (1981) by Juliusz Machulski is a comedy based on criminal intrigue about a big financial scam, additionally set in the climate of the 1930s. The film’s fine cast included Jan Machulski (in the role of cashier Kwinto) and Leonard Pietraszek (as bank owner Kramer).
“Vabank” was Juliusz Machulski’s dazzling directorial debut, referencing George Roy Hill’s famous 1973 Sting. Among other things, the film won acclaim for its retro atmosphere – a successful stylization of the pre-war era. Also attracted attention were the creations of characters guided by their own code of ethics.
16. “Irene, Go Home!” (“Irena do domu”, 1955)
This is paradoxically a social realist comedy, yet it won unquestionable acclaim from audiences. Irena, home! tells the story of the adventures of a married couple, in which the lady of the house unexpectedly decides to become professionally independent. Despite the conservative views of her husband Zygmunt Majewski, the titular Irena secretly enrolls in a course for drivers.
The film “Irene, Go Home!” by Jan Fethke is distinguished by its select pre-war cast. This is because it starred Adolf Dymsza and Lidia Wysocka. The comedy was seen in cinemas by as many as seven million viewers, and it was also made popular by a hit musical. The song for the movie was recorded by Maria Koterbska. It was the famous “Carousel”, which to this day remains one of the most recognizable pieces of Polish pop music.
17. „Women’s Republic” („Rzeczpospolita babska”, 1969)
Hieronim Przybyl’s comedy is another item of Polish film classics. The film is set in 1945, just after the war. Girls serving during military operations in Tadeusz Kosciuszko’s Division decide to set up a farm together in the Recovered Territories. This is to be an all-female initiative. Meanwhile, former soldiers are living in their neighborhood. A conflict of interest begins to grow between the two farms.
The comedy “Women’s Republic” featured a whole plethora of excellent actors, including Aleksandra Zawieruszanka, Jan Machulski, Irena Karel, Maciej Damięcki and Elżbieta Starostecka. The plot of the comedy oscillates around the traditional war of the sexes, as well as the motif of swapping roles. Here, women enter clearly into the male space, wearing the uniform, observing the military order and hierarchy, as well as exercising power completely on their own. The conflict is resolved in the traditional way. Love restores the broken order.
18. “Wife for an Australian” (“Żona dla Australijczyka” 1964)
This movie by Stanislaw Bareja does not at all resemble his virulent comedies of the 1970s, since a decade earlier the director had made light-hearted films, in many ways affirming the communist reality and the period of “little stabilization.” One of them is the hilarious “Wife for an Australian”, characterized by a great cast, musical scenes that are pleasing to the eye and ear, and an interesting plot. The title Australian (played by Wieslaw Golas) with Polish roots returns to the country to find himself a life companion. He soon meets a beautiful chorister from the Mazowsze band, Hanka (Elżbieta Czyżewska), with whom he immediately falls in love and decides to kidnap her to force her into marriage.
The script for the film was created by Roman Niewiarowicz and Hieronim Przybył. Despite the fact that the comedy was in line with the propaganda vision of the People’s Republic of Poland – as a country flowing with milk and honey, to which the Polish community scattered around the world longs, “Wife for an Australian” is watched with pleasure. The colorful frames depicting dances in beautiful folk costumes were meant to be a sort of postcard from beautiful Poland.
19. “Gangsters and Philanthropists” (“Gangsterzy i filantropi”, 1963)
“Gangsters and Philanthropists” is the first crime comedy in Polish cinema. The film came out of the hands of the directorial duo of Jerzy Hoffman and Edward Skórzewski. The comedy was originally supposed to consist of three parts, but the last one was rejected by the censors as contravening the principles of the socialist system. Therefore, two novellas remained: the first depicting a failed amateur gangster heist and the second telling the adventures of a lab technician who was fired from his job. The film starred Gustaw Holoubek, Wieslaw Michnikowski and Kazimierz Opalinski, among others.
This Polish thriller comedy is a reference to Basil Dearden’s “The League of Gentlemen” (1959). Holoubek phenomenally created here the character of the phlegmatic “Professor” – the brains of the entire operation, who creates an elaborate plan of assault. We are dealing with grotesque humor, revealing the absurdities of communist Poland, ultimately determining the failure of the entire plot. After all, Warsaw turns out to be a city that is completely unpredictable and impossible to fit into any order due to the constant renovations and the associated illogical changes in traffic organization.
20. ”The Cure for Love” (”Lekarstwo na miłość”,1966)
Jan Batory’s famous “The Cure for Love” is another great Polish crime comedy with brilliant roles by Kalina Jędrusik, Krystyna Sienkiewicz and Andrzej Łapicki. The film is based on Joanna Chmielewska’s novel The Wedge. The main character is Joanna, a talented and beautiful architect, who waits all day for a phone call from her beloved. However, by accident, she is called by criminals who counterfeit banknotes. Unknowingly, the woman becomes a liaison to a dangerous gang.
Here, too, the source of comedy becomes not only the classic situation of mistakes, but also the absurdities of communist everyday life. The failure of the telephone exchange becomes the cause of unmasking a gang of crooks. In turn, the gang itself is made up of exemplary citizens and fathers, who make a living for themselves in this way after working hours.
21.”Och, Karol” (1985)
Lightweight Polish erotic comedy based on a script by Ilona Łepkowska tells the story of the adventures of a certain architect engaged in seducing successive women. Loverly Karol has a wife and three mistresses. In the end, however, the risky game leads to unexpected complications. The lead role was played by Jan Piechocinski, while his beautiful female companions were played by Ewa Salacka, Danuta Kowalska, Dorota Kaminska, Marta Klubowicz and Joanna Nowak.
“Och, Karol” by Roman Zaluski is a Polish comedy completely free of socio-political references, a rarity in domestic cinema of the communist period. Moreover, there is no moralizing and the protagonist’s actions are not subject to judgment or punishment. The comedy allowed viewers to experience a bit of carefree in difficult and gray times.
22. “The Husband of His Wife” (“Mąż swojej żony”, 1961)
“The Husband of his Wife” is another Bareja comedy from the 1960s, extolling the achievements of modernity. Jadwiga (Aleksandra Zawieruszanka) and Michal (Bronislaw Pawlik) Karcz are a married couple in crisis. This is because the wife is a well-known athlete, achieving great international success. In turn, the husband-composer’s career is developing very slowly. The man becomes increasingly jealous of the achievements of his independent spouse.
The comedy is based on Jerzy Jurandot’s pre-war farce “Mąż Foltasiówny” (1932). The object of satire here is primarily gender stereotypes. Although “The Husband of His Wife” is part of the trend of films extolling the petty charms of People’s Poland, it can also be noted that at the same time it gently parodies individual elements of the People’s Republic. For example, the common custom of alcohol abuse among sports activists is ridiculed. There are also jokes about communist newspeak, which is used even by cleaners.
23. ”Girl Guide” (1995)
Juliusz Machulski’s “Girl Guide” is a Polish thriller comedy that was hugely popular in the 1990s. The main roles were created by then celebrities Renata Gabryjelska and Pawel Kukiz. The singer played the role of Józek, a student of English studies, who gives language tutoring to the beautiful Kinga. The heroine has to quickly learn the ins and outs of English, as her American fiancé has been kidnapped by the mafia, and she intends to help him.
Machulski made the comedy based on a novel by Michal Szczepanski. The film received critical acclaim, winning the Grand Prix in Gdynia. Girl Guide is a postmodern parody of crime cinema, which was very much liked by the audience especially because of the creations of the characters. The music, performed by Kukiz with his band Piersi (the famous Maryna), also played a significant role. He was accompanied by the Trebuniów-Tutków highlander band and the Jamaican band Twinkle Brothers.
24.”Conjugal Comedy” (“Komedia małżeńska”, 1993)
Among good Polish comedies, Roman Załuski’s “Conjugal Comedy” is certainly worth mentioning. This is the story of a housewife tired of monotonous duties, who decides to try a different life. And since she is an educated translator, she leaves for the capital, where she quickly finds a lucrative job. The main role was played by the sensational Ewa Kasprzyk, while her husband was played by Jan Englert.
Compared to other Polish films of the period, the marital comedy is interesting because it shows a portrait of an enterprising, independent woman. However, it is weakened by a truly improbable development of events and the suggestion that it is much easier to make a dazzling career than to fulfill the role of an exemplary mother and wife. In addition, Marysia’s friend, who appears here, and is also a feminist, preaches women’s demands, but secretly only lurks to take her friend’s husband away. Thus, Załuski’s film presents and reinforces a very traditionalist worldview, although one cannot deny it funny gags and situations.
25. ”In Heaven as It Is on Earth” („U Pana Boga za piecem”, 1998)
”In Heaven as It Is on Earth” by Jacek Bromski was a big comedy hit of the 1990s, which had subsequent, equally popular, sequels. The story is set in the eastern province of King’s Bridge, where people live in harmony with nature and God’s commandments. One day, a pretty Russian girl Marusia (Irina Lachina) arrives at the house of a young organist (Jan Wieczorkowski), robbed by the border mafia. Thus begins a story of investigation and romantic love at the same time.
Bromski’s comedy grows out of the popular myth in Polish culture of the borderlands and the countryside as Arcadia, a land of eternal happiness that is not reached by civilization, which brings with it moral corruption. The guardian of the old order in Królowy Most is the parish priest, who at the same time exercises informal authority together with local officials. Thanks to this, the residents live, as it were, in a world where time has stopped, capitalism and pernicious consumerism do not destroy people’s hearts, and stray mafiosi access the grace of a miraculous conversion.
26. “Coyote’s Morning” (“Poranek kojota”, 2001)
Among the funny Polish comedies of recent decades, it is worth mentioning “Coyote’s Morning” by Olaf Lubaszenko. The main character of the film is Kuba (Maciej Stuhr), who falls in love with an attractive singer Noemi (Karolina Rosińska). However, he does not know that this relationship will draw the attention of the gangster underworld to him. Noemi’s former fiancé, a certain Brylant (Michal Milowicz), on the one hand, and the girl’s wealthy and ruthless stepfather (Tadeusz Huk), on the other, will want to exact revenge on him.
Poranek kojota, although critics did not leave a dry thread on it, surprisingly defended itself in retrospect, just like the earlier Chłopaki nie płaczczą. Indeed, audiences appreciated it as a neat collection of gags and funny lyrics. The peculiar juxtaposition of funny skits, because that’s probably how to put the formula of this comedy, has already become part of pop culture.
27. Never Ever! (“Nigdy w życiu”, 2004)
This is one of the few successful Polish romantic comedies. “Never Ever!” was directed by Ryszard Zatorski, based on the novel by Katarzyna Grochola. Both the book and the film have often been compared to England’s Bridget Jones. It is a story about a divorcee with an adolescent daughter who faces the challenge of putting her life back together. Judyta Kozlowska, a modest editor of a women’s magazine, finds in herself layers of strength she never expected. With vigor she takes on building a house, changes her image and also meets an interesting man.
“Never Ever!” captivates above all with a great performance by Danuta Stenka, who is partnered on screen by Artur Żmijewski. The film is about female courage and the ability to cope with difficult circumstances. It brings a completely new model of a singleton heroine who, after experiencing betrayal from her husband, defies the cultural pressure represented by her parents and decides to enjoy the charms of independence. And if she decides to enter a relationship, then only on her own terms, following the principle: “if to steal, it’s millions, and if to love, it’s a prince.”
28. “Ladies” (“Lejdis”, 2008)
Tomasz Konecki’s “Ladies” is a movie that won a lot of audience sympathy and positively distinguished itself from other Polish comedies of the period. Many even called it the hit of the decade. There is certainly a novel idea here, which was a response to the same director’s Testosterone. For while the former was about what constitutes the male element, Leiden presents a contemporary model of femininity. The protagonists are four women: teacher Lucja (Edyta Olszówka), editor Karolina (Anna Dereszowska), lawyer Gośka (Izabela Kuna) and millionaire Monia (Magdalena Różdżka). Each of them will face love adventures.
The film is based on a blog of the same title, whose authors also became co-authors of the script. The comedy shows a clear transformation within gender patterns. Women here are educated, courageous and completely independent. They use vulgar language previously reserved only for men. They also do not lack a considerable level of aggression, necessary to fight for their social position. Attention is drawn primarily to the female community, which uses its own rituals, such as celebrating New Year’s Eve in August. At the same time, however, all the characters represent the middle or upper class and are not burdened by motherhood and mundane problems. For this reason, the depicted model of the Polish woman seems exaggerated and represents a wishful rather than realistic image of supposed equality.
29. ”One Way Ticket to the Moon” (“Bilet na Księżyc”, 2013)
Jacek Bromski’s “One Way Ticket to the Moon” was based on the well-known theme of initiation into adulthood. The film is set in 1969. Adam (Filip Plawiak) gets a call to join the army and is about to report to a naval unit. His older brother Matthew decides to accompany him on his journey, and along the way initiate him into the meanderings of maturity, which means, above all, sex. Adam’s plans, however, are completely changed when he meets the beautiful stripper Halina (Anna Przybylska) in a nightclub.
The comedy has won acclaim primarily for its evocative depiction of the realities of communist Poland. The attention to detail of both set and costume design makes the film a pleasure to watch. The elaboration of individual plots is also interesting: for the private affairs of the characters are reflected in global events. This is the case, for example, with the flight to the moon suggested in the title. The final scene of the film has its counterpart in the landing of Americans on the moon, which takes place on the same night.
30. ”Planet Single” (“Planeta Singli”, 2016)
“Planet Single”, a Polish romantic comedy directed by Mitja Okorn, proved to be quite a successful entertainment, which has already earned two sequels. Ania (Agnieszka Więdłocha) is a sensitive music teacher looking for love on dating sites. On Valentine’s Day, she meets a well-known show man who hosts a popular entertainment program. Soon the man offers her to participate in his controversial reality show, designed to expose the deceptions of men dating online.
The comedy very entertainingly shows the modern phenomenon of love born online and presents a portrait of the statistical single. The desire for a relationship and true affection is constantly mixed with distrust and fear of getting hurt, as well as fear of responsibility. We see that behind the safe mask of cynicism there can also be a serious emotional blockage related to a traumatic past. Love, however, obviously overcomes all obstacles.
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Literature:
T. Lubelski, History of Polish cinema 1895 – 2014, Krakow 2015.
