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The spirit of The Wedding

RELATED STORIES

The Wedding: Actors
Andrzej Wajda Film-maker
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The issue arose of the actors. Who would be in this film? This wasn't so difficult because it was perfectly obvious that Daniel Olbrychski would play the Groom since by a lucky coincidence, he bore a striking resemblance to the original character whom Stanisław Wyspiański describes. The Bride, and here I was very lucky because a strange, plump, young girl appeared who was bursting with health - Ewa Ziętek. From the first moment, I was delighted because this was such a good couple, he, a highbrow with his pince-nez on his nose, his little glasses, neurotic, unnerved by everything that was happening around. She, on the other hand, was the embodiment of calm and he wanted to attach himself to this kind of woman who would give him rest from his own nervousness. A good couple. The Host, the Hostess were actors from the Stary Teatr with whom I'd already worked earlier. In my first production in '60, Iza Olszewska, who was now playing the Hostess, had then played the Bride. Years had passed so now she was playing the Hostess. Walczewski, who'd played the Poet, was now playing the Host of the wedding reception. I liked these actors, I knew them well. I was relying on lots of theatre actors. I think this was a good thing because I realised they would have to cope with speaking in verse. A film in verse wasn't common then. Everyone was afraid of it and they all thought that The Wedding would work under the condition that someone would write the dialogues, and it would be best if it were Dygat. But I soon realised that the greatest strength of The Wedding lay in its dialogues except that they needed to be spoken in a natural way, so that it was obvious that people would be speaking in verse because it's easier to make yourself understood in verse, its's quicker and neater than babbling on in prose.

Pojawiła się sprawa, problem aktorów, kto ma grać w tym filmie? No to nie było takie trudne, dlatego że było zupełnie oczywiste, że Daniel Olbrychski zagra Pana Młodego, bo jeszcze dziwnym trafem okazało się, że on jest niebywale podobny do pierwowzoru, który opisał Stanisław Wyspiański. Panna Młoda – tu miałem szczęście, bo pojawiła się taka dziwna, tęga, młoda, bardzo tryskająca zdrowiem dziewczyna, Ewa Ziętek. I od pierwszej chwili się zachwyciłem, że to jest dobra para przy tym inteligencie właśnie w takich cwikerach na nosie w okularkach takich, znerwicowanym i takim jakby, no, zaniepokojonym tym wszystkim, co się dzieje dookoła. Ona była uosobieniem właśnie takiego spokoju, no i on właśnie się chce przyssać do takiej kobiety, która mu daje, że tak powiem, chwilę wytchnienia od jego nerwowości. Dobra para. Gospodarz, Gospodyni to byli aktorzy Starego Teatru, z którymi wcześniej pracowałem. Z tym że Gospodynię w moim pierwszym przedstawieniu w 1960 roku grała Iza Olszewska, grała Pannę Młodą. A teraz już lata minęły i już grała Gospodynię. Walczewski, który grał... który grał Poetę już się stał Gospodarzem na weselu. Lubiłem tych aktorów, znałem ich dobrze. I podparłem się wieloma aktorami, którzy grali w teatrze. Myślę że to było dobrze, bo zdawałem sobie sprawę, że będą się musieli zmagać z tym językiem wiersza. Wierszowany film nie był częsty wtedy. Więc tego się wszyscy najbardziej obawiali i wszyscy uważali, że można wystawić Wesele pod warunkiem, że ktoś mi napisze dialogi, najlepiej Dygat. No ale ja szybko zrozumiałem, że właśnie największą siłą Wesela są dialogi, tylko one muszą być odpowiednio wypowiedziane i, że tak powiem, wyrażone w takim naturalnym ruchu. Że to jest oczywiste – ludzie mówią wierszem, no bo wierszem się łatwiej porozumieć, szybciej, krócej niż ględzić coś prozą.

Polish film director Andrzej Wajda (1926-2016) was a towering presence in Polish cinema for six decades. His films, showing the horror of the German occupation of Poland, won awards at Cannes and established his reputation as both story-teller and commentator on Poland's turbulent history. As well as his impressive career in TV and film, he also served on the national Senate from 1989-91.

Listeners: Jacek Petrycki

Cinematographer Jacek Petrycki was born in Poznań, Poland in 1948. He has worked extensively in Poland and throughout the world. His credits include, for Agniezka Holland, Provincial Actors (1979), Europe, Europe (1990), Shot in the Heart (2001) and Julie Walking Home (2002), for Krysztof Kieslowski numerous short films including Camera Buff (1980) and No End (1985). Other credits include Journey to the Sun (1998), directed by Jesim Ustaoglu, which won the Golden Camera 300 award at the International Film Camera Festival, Shooters (2000) and The Valley (1999), both directed by Dan Reed, Unforgiving (1993) and Betrayed (1995) by Clive Gordon both of which won the BAFTA for best factual photography. Jacek Petrycki is also a teacher and a filmmaker.

Tags: Teatr Stary, Wedding, Daniel Olbrychski, Stanisław Wyspiański, Ewa Ziętek, Izabela Olszewska, Marek Walczewski, Stanisław Dygat

Duration: 2 minutes, 35 seconds

Date story recorded: August 2003

Date story went live: 24 January 2008