With no subtitles out yet this was pending in my watchlist for a very long time I have watched all that Legendary Janusz Morgenstern directed from the 60s till 70s But i haven't seen any of his films post 'To Kill This Love 1972." I was browsing online and i saw couple of posts on actor Zbigniew Cybulski who is known as the Polish James Dean, he loved trains onscreen and died in an accident when he was trying to board a moving train. I saw a video of Tadeusz Konwicki's Salto (1965), a brilliant headscratcher, Jerzy Kawalerowicz's (Night Train 1959) a noirish thriller set on a Baltic coast train and Janusz Morgenstern's Goodbye See You Tomorrow (1960). Whenever i see a Janusz Morgenstern film mentioned online i always make it a ritual to check subtitles for The Yellow Scarf (2000), I was lucky this time, finally found a English sub available on opensubtiles which was uploaded during the pandemic.
So I just finished watching and I had not seen this film in its entirety as I couldn't find subtitles. I know that the concept of alcohol addiction has been rolled out in the movies countless times. There are so many, the majority i've seen sticks to hardcore realism, with blood spurting out, lot of swearing and some piss and puke scenes will obviously shown. But this is an unusual film, i want to appreciate master Janusz Morgenstern, the audacity to not use the arthouse alcoholic stereotypes. Also, this is very unique in Janusz Morgenstern's filmography.
In my opinion, this is one of his best but it cannot be compared to his old classics. He gradually introduced the legend Janusz Gajos seated in a meeting, he watches a lady sip water from a glass, the craving starts as he feels restless. This is a brilliant introduction to a character who is not a loser in life, he is a rich businessman using drunkenness as a means of liberation, happy and empowered. In a key scene that takes place in a restaurant he meets his son, apologises for coming late. His son gives him a Christmas present, after some chitchat he opens it to see a yellow scarf which he has lost a thousand times. The film moves in a different direction as the protagonist finds his solace at the bottom of a glass, fights his personal demon gives up many times as the alcohol is antidote. The transition from the Christmas haze to a drunk aesthetic is depressing thereby telling us that the end is near for the protagonist
In the climax we see him at his Mothers place for the sober up process She helps him and in many ways this goal alone to keeps him away from reaching for a bottle. She gifts him a present a yellow scarf which is a talisman against alcoholism and tells him not to lose it. The next morning his stay has come to an end, he leaves home and forgets the yellow scarf. She is worried to see him leave without the scarf while waiting outside. Meantime, the car returns and he kisses his mother and takes the scarf along with him.
In closing i want to conclude this ranks as one of the best Polish film ever made, can't believe a subject like this was made for TV with lot of limitations, yet the impact was great. It ends quietly, a bittersweet farewell where its just two actors with minimal staging, the scarf and a question. I loved it as the build up to the ending wasn't melodramatic it was filled with tragedy seemed so deep and touching.
So I just finished watching and I had not seen this film in its entirety as I couldn't find subtitles. I know that the concept of alcohol addiction has been rolled out in the movies countless times. There are so many, the majority i've seen sticks to hardcore realism, with blood spurting out, lot of swearing and some piss and puke scenes will obviously shown. But this is an unusual film, i want to appreciate master Janusz Morgenstern, the audacity to not use the arthouse alcoholic stereotypes. Also, this is very unique in Janusz Morgenstern's filmography.
In my opinion, this is one of his best but it cannot be compared to his old classics. He gradually introduced the legend Janusz Gajos seated in a meeting, he watches a lady sip water from a glass, the craving starts as he feels restless. This is a brilliant introduction to a character who is not a loser in life, he is a rich businessman using drunkenness as a means of liberation, happy and empowered. In a key scene that takes place in a restaurant he meets his son, apologises for coming late. His son gives him a Christmas present, after some chitchat he opens it to see a yellow scarf which he has lost a thousand times. The film moves in a different direction as the protagonist finds his solace at the bottom of a glass, fights his personal demon gives up many times as the alcohol is antidote. The transition from the Christmas haze to a drunk aesthetic is depressing thereby telling us that the end is near for the protagonist
In the climax we see him at his Mothers place for the sober up process She helps him and in many ways this goal alone to keeps him away from reaching for a bottle. She gifts him a present a yellow scarf which is a talisman against alcoholism and tells him not to lose it. The next morning his stay has come to an end, he leaves home and forgets the yellow scarf. She is worried to see him leave without the scarf while waiting outside. Meantime, the car returns and he kisses his mother and takes the scarf along with him.
In closing i want to conclude this ranks as one of the best Polish film ever made, can't believe a subject like this was made for TV with lot of limitations, yet the impact was great. It ends quietly, a bittersweet farewell where its just two actors with minimal staging, the scarf and a question. I loved it as the build up to the ending wasn't melodramatic it was filled with tragedy seemed so deep and touching.
