Pan Twardowski (1921 film)

Pan Twardowski
Pan Twardowski
Directed by	Wiktor Biegański
Written by	Wiktor Biegański; ; ;
Produced by
Starring	; Wanda Jarszewska; ; ;
Cinematography
Production; company	Polfilma
Release date	February 1921
Running time	59 minutes
Country	Poland
Languages	Silent ; Polish intertitles

Pan Twardowski is a 1921 Polish silent fantasy film directed by Wiktor Biegański and starring , Wanda Jarszewska and .^[2] Biegański was hired by the Polish government to make the film in an effort to foster a greater sense of Polish national identity - particularly in the ethnically mixed Upper Silesia.^[3] It is one of many films based on the legend of Pan Twardowski, the Polish word "Pan" being a respectable title often given to members of the nobility or diplomats.^[4]

Plot[]

According to a 16th-century Polish legend, an occultist from Krakow sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for magic powers, but later reneged on the deal. The character is said to have been based on a real-life 16th century German nobleman who lived in Krakow and Nuremberg. There were many variations of the folktale over the years and since this film is now considered lost, it's impossible to tell which variation of the legend was used for the plot. But the 1936 sound film remake is said to have followed the story of this film closely, so the two films' storylines must be very similar.^[5]

Cast[]

as Mr. Twardowski
Wanda Jarszewska as Mrs. Twardowska
as Iwan IV Groźny
as Królowa nimf
as Ulubienica cara
as Stary bojar
Władysław Grabowski as Młody Bojar
as Diabeł
as Pokurcz
Stanisława Umińska
Bruno Winawer

References[]

^ Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 242.ISBN 978-1936168-68-2.
^ Pan Twardowski at the Internet Polish Movie Database (in Polish)
^ Skaff p.73
^ Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 242.ISBN 978-1936168-68-2.
^ Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 242.ISBN 978-1936168-68-2.