Made as a hybrid production to be aired in the US in 1981 as a longer telefilm, and released in Europe theatrically in an abridged version--this supposed biography of the first Polish leader of the Roman Catholic church actually reduces its central figure to the sidelines, offering instead
a perfunctory (and, at least in this version, confusing) history of 20th century Poland as experienced through the lives of several characters. The abridged version of the film was released on home video in 1998.
1939. After studying Polish literature in college, an unseen Karol Wojtyla becomes involved in a theater group that also includes Wanda (Lisa Harrow) and her brother Marian (Sam Neill) who, like Karol, works as a manual laborer for the occupying Nazis in order to avoid conscription into the German
army. Marian's friend Tadek (Christopher Cazenove) becomes so disgusted by their job--removing bodies from the Jewish ghetto--that he joins the resistance movement. He is captured and imprisoned, along with Marian, who was arrested under suspicion of having helped Tadek.
1945. After the war, both Marian and Karol study for the priesthood. Marian works in Poland's massive repatriation effort.
1948. The Communist government begins to build Nova Huta, an all-socialist city. Marian is questioned for links to possible anti-Communist movements during the war; when he won't talk, he is arrested. Tadek becomes a successful writer in favor with the government. He tries but is unable to have
Marian released. As Stalinism reaches its peak, Tadek falls into disfavor, but wins the heart of Wanda.
1956. After the death of Stalin, the Church continues to guide Poland through the kind of crises that befell Hungary. Karol rises in the church hierarchy. The site of a proposed church in Nova Huta sparks a controversy that lasts for the next two decades.
1968. Karol is now a cardinal. Student protests against the government increase, and over the coming decade they are joined by workers and intellectuals and backed by the church. Tadek's newest book is published by an illegal underground press. Factories and other work places begin to become
centers of political unrest and organization.
1978. Karol Wojtyla is elected Pope.
The oddest thing about FROM A FAR COUNTRY is that its ostensible subject is never seen, except as a young boy and in documentary footage that concludes the film. It's like a Catholic version of MOHAMMED, MESSENGER OF GOD (1977), the film about the origins of the Moslem religion that never shows
the prophet Mohammed--except that Catholics have no such prohibition against depicting what is only a man, not a diety. But what hurts most it is the fact that so much material has been removed for the home-video version (ironically, the film ends at the same time that political events left
unresolved in the film were coming to a head). FROM A FAR COUNTRY appears to be a better than adequate production (it was filmed on location in Poland) made by a reputable Polish director--Krzysztof Zanussi--in collaboration with the brilliant cinematographer Slawomir Idziak, who shot many of
Krzysztof Kieslowski's best films. Characters listed in the credits have been excised entirely, and too much of what remains consists of people talking about events we haven't seen. On the basis of what's left, the full version still probably wouldn't rank with 1900 (1977) or HEIMAT (1983), two
other films that paint broad canvasses of 20th century sociopolitical history. But it must certainly be better than this exasperating mess. (Violence, adult situations.) leave a comment
