''Man of Iron'' ( pl, Człowiek z żelaza) is a 1981 film directed by

Andrzej Wajda Andrzej Witold Wajda (; 6 March 1926 – 9 October 2016) was a Polish film and theatre director. Recipient of an Honorary Oscar, the Palme d'Or, as well as Honorary Golden Lion and Honorary Golden Bear Awards, he was a prominent member of the ...

. It depicts the

Solidarity ''Solidarity'' is an awareness of shared interests, objectives, standards, and sympathies creating a psychological sense of unity of groups or classes. It is based on class collaboration.''Merriam Webster'', http://www.merriam-webster.com/dicti ...

labour movement and its first success in persuading the Polish government to recognize the workers' right to an independent union. The film continues the story of Maciej Tomczyk, the son of Mateusz Birkut, the protagonist of Wajda's earlier film, ''

Man of Marble ''Man of Marble'' ( pl, Człowiek z marmuru) is a 1977 Polish film directed by Andrzej Wajda. It chronicles the fall from grace of a fictional heroic Polish bricklayer, Mateusz Birkut (played by Jerzy Radziwiłowicz), who became the Stakhanovite s ...

''. Here, Maciej is a young worker involved in the anti-Communist labour movement, described as "the man who started the

Gdańsk Shipyard The Gdańsk Shipyard ( pl, Stocznia Gdańska, formerly Lenin Shipyard) is a large Polish shipyard, located in the city of Gdańsk. The yard gained international fame when Solidarity () was founded there in September 1980. It is situated on the w ...

strike", and a journalist working for the Communist regime's radio station, who is given a task of slandering Maciej. The young man is clearly intended as a parallel to

Lech Wałęsa Lech Wałęsa (; ; born 29 September 1943) is a Polish statesman, dissident, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who served as the President of Poland between 1990 and 1995. After winning the 1990 election, Wałęsa became the first democrati ...

(who appears as himself in the movie). ''Man of Iron'' clarifies the ending of ''Man of Marble'', which left the death of Mateusz Birkut ambiguous. ''Man of Iron'' explicitly states that Mateusz was killed in clashes at the shipyards in 1970. The film was made during the brief thaw in Communist censorship that appeared between the formation of Solidarity in August 1980 and its suppression in December 1981, and as such it is remarkably critical of the Communist regime. Because of this it was banned in 1981 by the Polish government. The film won the

Palme d'Or The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...

and the

Prize of the Ecumenical Jury The Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (french: Prix du Jury Œcuménique) is an independent film award for feature length films shown at major international film festivals since 1973. The award was created by Christian film makers, film critics and ot ...

at the

1981 Cannes Film Festival The 34th Cannes Film Festival was held from 13 to 27 May 1981. The Palme d'Or went to the '' Człowiek z żelaza'' by Andrzej Wajda. The festival opened with '' Three Brothers'' (''Tre fratelli'') by Francesco Rosi and closed with '' Honeysuckle ...

. It was also nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...

Plot

Activist Maciek Tomczyk, the son of ''Man of Marbles hero Mateusz Birkut, is leading a shipyard strike in Gdańsk against the Communist authorities. A radio named journalist Winkel is ordered by the deputy chairman of the Radio Committee to investigate Tomczyk and find compromising information about him. Winkel is sent to Gdańsk, where he is monitored by the authorities. The strikers refuse to give Winkel access to the shipyard, but he meets a friend, Dzidek. Dzidek knew Tomczyk in college and later recounts how Tomczyk's father, Mateusz Birkut, would not allow his son to take part in the student protests in March 1968. From another source, Tomczyk learns that Birkut himself died during protests in December 1970. Winkel becomes increasingly sympathetic to the strikers' cause, but continues his investigation under pressure from the authorities. After his father's death, Tomczyk had married Agnieszka, who he had met when was making a documentary about Birkut's career as a well-publicized Stakhanovite worker hero. Winkel visits Agnes, who is now in police custody for her support of the strike. Agnes describes her romance and marriage with Tomczyk and their fight for workers' rights. Despite being blackmailed by the secret police for a drunk driving accident in his past, Winkel ultimately eventually refuses to complete his assignment and resigns from his job. He is admitted to the shipyard, where he joins the strikers. A government delegation reaches an agreement with

and the other strikers, and Agnes tearfully reunites with Tomczyk during the announcement. A government official warns that the agreement is "only a piece of paper," but Tomczyk tells his father's memorial that the strikers have "made it through the worst."

Cast

Jerzy Radziwiłowicz Jerzy Radziwiłowicz (; born 8 September 1950) is a Polish film actor. He is a graduate of the National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw. He has appeared in 37 films since 1974. Selected filmography * ''Man of Marble'' (1977) * ''Man of Iron' ...

- Maciej Tomczyk / Mateusz Birkut *

Krystyna Janda Krystyna Jolanta Janda (born 18 December 1952) is a Polish film and theater actress best known internationally for playing leading roles in several films by Polish director Andrzej Wajda, including '' Man of Marble'' (''Człowiek z marmuru'', 197 ...

- Agnieszka *

Marian Opania Marian Opania (, born 1 February 1943) is a Polish film actor and singer. He has appeared in more than 50 films since 1965. Biography He was born on 1 February 1943 in Puławy as the second son of Julian and Jadwiga. His father was a forester ...

- Winkel * Irena Byrska - Mother Hulewicz * Wiesława Kosmalska - Wiesława Hulewicz *

Bogusław Linda Bogusław Linda (; born 27 June 1952) is a Polish actor known from films such as ''Psy'' and ''Tato''. He appeared in Andrzej Wajda's ''Man of Iron'' and ''Danton'' and in Krzysztof Kieślowski's '' Blind Chance'' and the seventh episode of Kieś ...

- Dzidek * Franciszek Trzeciak - Badecki *

Janusz Gajos Janusz Gajos (; born 23 September 1939) is a Polish film, television and theatre actor as well as pedagogue and photographer. Professor of Theatre Arts and an Honorary Doctor of the National Film School in Łódź, he is considered one of the gr ...

- deputy chairman of Radio Committee *

Andrzej Seweryn Andrzej Teodor Seweryn (born 25 April 1946) is a Polish actor and director. One of the most successful Polish theatre actors, he starred in over 50 films, mostly in Poland, France and Germany. He is also one of only three non-French actors to ...

- Capt. Wirski * Marek Kondrat - Grzenda * Jan Tesarz - Szef *

Jerzy Trela Jerzy Józef Trela (14 March 1942 – 15 May 2022) was a Polish actor. In 2003 he starred in the film '' An Ancient Tale: When the Sun Was a God'' under Jerzy Hoffman. He is also known for ''White'' (1994), ''Quo Vadis'' (2001) and '' Ida'' (2013 ...

- Antoniak * Krzysztof Janczar - Kryska *

Krystyna Zachwatowicz Krystyna Zachwatowicz-Wajda (born Krystyna Zachwatowicz; 16 May 1930) is a Polish scenographer, costume designer and actress. She is a daughter of architect and restorer Jan Zachwatowicz and Maria Chodźko ''h.'' Kościesza, and wife of film di ...

- Hanka Tomczyk * Bogusław Sobczuk - Redaktor TVP *

- Himself *

Anna Walentynowicz Anna Walentynowicz (; ; 15 August 1929 – 10 April 2010) was a Polish free trade union activist and co-founder of Solidarity, the first non-communist trade union in the Eastern Bloc. Her firing from her job at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk in Au ...

- HerselfAnna Walentynowicz, whose sacking led to the rise of Solidarity
''The Guardian''.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Man Of Iron 1981 films Films directed by Andrzej Wajda Palme d'Or winners 1980s Polish-language films Films about the labor movement 1981 drama films Films set in Poland Lech Wałęsa Cultural depictions of Lech Wałęsa Films critical of communism Films set in 1980 Polish drama films

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links