The third film adaptation of the novel by Tadeusz Dolenga-Mostowicz.
1937 - first film adaptation
1982 - second film adaptation
It's surprising that this is considered a Polish film. Surprising because it is thoroughly imbued with modern American morality. This modern morality is superimposed on the history of a hundred years ago in Poland. They would have moved the action to the modern USA and there would be no problem, but no, they left the action in Poland in the early 1920s and until the end of the 1930s and changed the lifestyle of those people so that it would be politically correct for today's viewer.
In order. (1) was 1937/1982, (2) became 2023.
Surgeon (1) owner of his own clinic. Surgeon (2) is a hired doctor dependent on the board of directors of the clinic. Patients must have health insurance.
In version (1) furs are given as a gift, in version (2) furs are disposed of.
The surgeon (1) overcomes the grief of his wife's departure in a tavern and is robbed by bandits. Surgeon (2) is the victim of an assassination attempt organized by the Second Surgeon of the clinic.
Between episodes there were (1) 12 years, (2) 15 years.
Marysya (1) is very modest, about 19 years old, lives with her aunt, works in her shop, where many people buy tobacco, her ultimate dream is a successful marriage. Marysya (2) is very self-confident, she is 20-22 years old, works as a waitress in a tavern with alcohol where no one smokes, rents a room on her own, earns money for her studies. The tavern is run by a large family of Jews.
Smoking is no longer fashionable and the girl should be older, stronger and want to learn.
Melnik (1) Belarusian and his large family are baptized in the Orthodox way, respect Catholics, and at the everyday level do not like Jews.
A lonely miller's widow (2) lives with her father/brother, who is baptized as a Catholic.
Count (1) looks after Marysya beautifully and respectfully. Count (2) brazenly argues with his friend about the girl, and then takes her for a ride on a motorcycle and Marysya gets behind the wheel herself.
The Surgeon-Medicine (1) treats the legs of the Miller's son. The Surgeon-Medicine (2) treats the legs of a worker. Marysya breaks into the old count's house and demands that he pay for the worker's treatment from a certified doctor.
Count (2) brings delicacies to the patient. It seems that at the time (1) it was impossible to even think about such things.
The Miller (1) asks the Medicine Man to live at home with his family after curing his son. The miller's wife (2) seduces the Witch Doctor and marries him to herself.
Marysya (2) kisses the Count herself and gives herself to him.
Feminism to its fullest. In times (1) this is unthinkable!
And then more. The Witch Doctor (1) steals the tools and performs an operation on Marysa, and in the 2023 version, the Miller (2) steals the tools and convinces the Witch Doctor to perform an operation on Marysa.
The Countess (2) offers a bribe to Marysa. Here, too, is an attempt to figure it out like a woman.
Marysya (2) herself understands who her father is and announces this in court. The second surgeon (1) announces in court who the Witch Doctor is.
Finale (1): father and daughter at the cemetery lay flowers on the grave of their wife and mother.
Finale (2): two cheerful weddings in a Jewish tavern.
Movie blooper 1: a child with a traumatic brain injury is carried in their arms and tossed.
Movie blooper 2: chickens. They are the same ones that run through all the scenes of the film. On the street, at the policeman's, at the mill, in the tavern... Everywhere! The same set of chickens :)
One good thing about the 2023 version is the first scene connecting father and daughter. This didn't happen in the novel, and that's really important.
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