WITH FIRE AND SWORD (1999) in Polish and Ukrainianwith English subtitles

8 months ago
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WITH FIRE AND SWORD (Polish: Ogniem i Mieczem; Ukrainian: Вогнем і Мечем, Vohnem i Mechem) is a 1999 Polish historical drama film directed by Jerzy Hoffman. The film is based on the first part of The Trilogy of Henryk Sienkiewicz. At the time of its filming, it was the most expensive Polish film ever made.
The story is set in Ukrainian lands of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland during the Khmelnytsky Uprising of the mid-17th century. A Polish noble, Skrzetuski, and a Cossack otaman Bohun, both fall in love with the same woman, Helena. Their rivalry unfolds against the backdrop of a Cossack uprising led by Bohdan Khmelnytsky, aimed at reclaiming control of the land from the hands of the Polish nobles. Historic events form a framework for an action and character driven plot, and fictional characters mingle with historic ones. The movie, as the book, culminates with the savage siege of Zbarazh.
The original novel is often deemed to be nationalistic and Ukrainophobic, especially in Ukraine. The movie, on the other hand, has been praised for its depiction of Ukraine and Ukrainians as "vivid rather than monochromatic; they are multi-dimensional, eliciting more than one feeling of, say, fascination or dislike". However, some Polish reviewers felt that the movie emphasized the Cossacks' traits but diminished those of the Poles in the spirit of "political correctness."

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