| Eroica | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Andrzej Munk |
| Written by | Jerzy Stefan Stawiński |
| Starring | Edward Dziewoński Tadeusz Łomnicki Leon Niemczyk |
| Cinematography | Jerzy Wójcik |
| Music by | Jan Krenz |
| Distributed by | KADR |
Release date |
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Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | Poland |
| Language | Polish |
Eroica (released in some territories as Heroism) is a 1958 Polish film by Andrzej Munk, and his second feature film after Man on the Tracks (1956). Eroica is composed of two separate stories, presenting satirical critiques of two aspects of the Polish character: acquisitive opportunism, and a romantic fascination for heroic martyrs.[1]
The film’s title is an ironic reference to Ludwig van Beethoven’s Third Symphony, which the composer initially dedicated to then French head Consulate Napoleon Bonaparte. When Napoleon declared himself Emperor, Beethoven, a devout republican, withdrew the dedication in disgust and titled the work simply “Eroica.”[2]
Eroica premiered on Polish Television in 1972 and depicts wartime couriers crossing the Tatra Mountains.[3][4]
Eroica won the FIPRESCI Award at the 1959 Mar del Plata Film Festival.
- ^ Niemitz, 2014: “In Eroica, Munk criticizes both the opportunism and the national romantic tradition that demanded heroic sacrifice, showing how crippling these attitudes, two sides of the same coin, were to Poles throughout history…”
- ^ Niemitz, 2014: “Ending both portions of the film with the irony of success turning into failure, coupled with a reference to Beethoven’s Third (“Eroica” or Heroic) Symphony, shows Munk to be a master of tragicomedy.”
- ^ Haltof, Marek (2002-01-01). Polish National Cinema. Berghahn Books. pp. 106–107. ISBN 9781571812766.
- ^ BFI.org