Comedienne 1986
Synopsis
The second half of the nineteenth century. Janka, the daughter of a railroad stationmaster, fascinated by theater and at odds with her environment, rejects the proposal of Andrzej, the man who loves her, and after an argument with her father goes to the city where she is lucky to get a job in an open-air theater "Tivoli". She starts as a chorus girl, learning the difficult art of acting and a new way of living. She gets involved in an affair with Władek, a colleague from the theater, and establishes friendly relationship with the writer Głogowski, which results in her obtaining more and more interesting parts, yet she is constantly struggling with financial problems. When some people from the theater come up with the idea of establishing a new theater, they try to persuade Janka to go to Kotlicki, a rich man who is willing to give the money for the undertaking, but only personally to Janka. Janka understands what exactly this condition means, and refuses. Due to some intrigues, she does not get the promised part in a new play. After getting a message of her father\'s severe mental illness, she turns for help to Władek by whom she is pregnant. Władek refuses as he is interested already in some other actress – Majkowska who has taken Janka\'s place also on stage. Desperate, having no prospects and nothing to live on, she takes her own life.
The screenplay for the film is based on the novel by Władysław Reymont of the same title.
About
Year of production:
1986
Genre:
psychological drama
Premiere:
04-05-1987
Technical specs:
Color, 108 min.
Production:
Rondo Film Production
Filmmakers
Directed by:
Jerzy Sztwiertnia
Written by:
Jerzy Sztwiertnia
Cinematography by:
Andrzej Ramlau
Edited by:
Anna Wilska
Music by:
Adam Sławiński
Sound by:
Krzysztof Wodziński
Set Decoration by:
Bogdan Solle, Andrzej Rafał Waltenberger
Costume Designer:
Marta Kobierska, Maria Wiłun
Production Manager:
Jerzy R. Michaluk
Cast
Małgorzata Pieczyńska (Janina Orłowska)
Marzena Trybała (actress Majkowska)
Piotr Dejmek (Władek Niedzielski)
Krzysztof Wakuliński (director Marian Topolski)
Beata Tyszkiewicz (Mrs Cabińska)
Grażyna Szapołowska (Nicoletta)
Katarzyna Figura (Mimi Zarzecka)
Jan Jankowski (Wicek)
Krzysztof Gosztyła (Andrzej Grzesikiewicz)
Maria Chwalibóg (Niedzielska, Władek\'s mother)
Katarzyna Gniewkowska (Hela Halder, Janka\'s friend)
Henryk Bista (doctor in Bukowiec)
Barbara Dzido-Lelińska (actress)
Janusz Dziubiński (uncredited)
Krzysztof Kowalewski (Jan Cabiński, a theater director)
Władysław Kowalski (playwright Stanisław Głogowski, author of "Chamy")
Bogusława Pawelec (actress "Myszka")
Monika Sołubianka (Anna Stępniak, Janka\'s hostess, daughter of Sowińska)
Grzegorz Warchoł (stage manager)
Mirosława Marcheluk (dressmaker Sowińska)
Zdzisław Wardejn (music director Wojciech)
Wojciech Wysocki (Wawrzecki)
Helena Kowalczykowa (Nanny)
Hanna Stankówna (actress Kaczkowska)
Jan Tadeusz Stanisławski (prompter Dodek)
Bronisław Pawlik (Orłowski, Janka\'s father)
Andrzej Szenajch (Gold, usher at "Tivoli")
Anna Kaźmierczak (choir singer, uncredited)
Bogumił Antczak (Piesio, actor, uncredited)
Witold Dębicki (actor)
Piotr Krukowski (editor, uncredited)
Włodzimierz Musiał (Roch, servant at Bukowiec, uncredited)
Mieczysław Voit (Kotlicki, uncredited)
Ewa Frąckiewicz (Mrs Grzesikiewicz, Andrzej\'s mother, uncredited)
Bogusław Sochnacki (Piotr Grzesikiewicz, Andrzej\'s father, uncredited)
Teodor Gendera (actor, uncredited)
Stanisław Brudny (actor who died after the premiere of "Chamy")