*** movie depictions of boys clothing: country films -- Poland








Movie Depictions of Boys Clothes: National Films--Poland


Figure 1.--A HBC reader reports that the Polish film "Zmory" (Dreaming) is a first rate film in all respects. The film showcases a wide variety of boys' fashions. The settingvappears to be about 1900.

Readers have suggested a few Polish movies, but HBC know little about the Polish film industry at this time. We know nothing about pre-World War II films. Of course Polish films were heavily influenced by the Russians and Communist indeology until 1989 when a new democratic government came to power. We are hoping that Polish readers will provide information for us.

Death in Venice - (1971)

Although based on a German (Thomas Mann) story and set in Venice, Death in Venice deals with a Polish boy, Tadzio. His artistocratic family in summering in Venice. It is an elaborately costumed drama which shows how an aristicrativ Polish boy might dress.

Korczak - (Poland/Germany/France, 1991)

"Korczak" is the story of the Polish educator who cared for orphaned Jewish children. The director was Andrei Waida who is probably Poland's most distinguished film director. The movie is a dramatization of the final years of the heroic Polish pediatrician and child psychologist, Dr. Janusz Korczak. He ran a Jewish orphanage. The children like other Polish Jews were forced into the Warsaw Ghetto. After relocation to the Warsaw Ghetto he went with to continue caring for them. He was not required by the NAZIs to do so. When the children were tranported to Treblinka in 1943 to be gassed Dr. Korczak insisted on accompaning with them although again he was not required to do so. He died with the children in the gas chambers. We have an image from the film showing one of the older boys of the orphanage. He is an adolescent about 15 years old who falls in love with a non-Jewish girl and whom Dr. Korczak consoles by praising. The costuming in the film is very accurate.

Zmory / Dreaming - (Poland, 1979)

A HBC reader has provided some images from Zmory (1979). The story line seems to revolve around the young lad and his care through to late teens.The period is hard to pin down -I reckon about 1910 as there is no suggestion of war or motor cars and in one picture the womans dress seems about right for the time. He has provided several images which provide costume detail. There were few full-length figure shots mostly head and shoulders and scenic but it is a first rate film in all respects. One tiny detail he thought interesting in one close up portrait of the very smart boy is the hair clip.

Unknown

HBC has noted an interesting black and white film, probably made in the 1950s. The main boy character wears short pants with long over-the-knee stockings. We do not know the mame of the film.

Unknown

HBC has noted another interesting film. The film deals in part with Polish Boy Scouts. Scouting was banned by the NAZUs. Most Communist countries after World War II banned Scouting. I'm not sure this was the case in England. I believe the film was set in the post-World War II era, but am not positive.









HBC






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Created: April 3, 2001
Last updated: 6:45 PM 11/1/2009