The film is one of classic Polish comedies, often aired in Polish TV, and I like it quite much. The main hero is Polish soldier Private Franek Dolas, a charming wangler, who is convinced, that he had started World War Two with his accidental shot (it is a bravura life role of Marian Kociniak). He escapes from a POW camp, and then desperately tries to join the Polish Army, being organized in Great Britain. The film is quite long three-part trilogy, but we follow adventures of Private Dolas from 1 September 1939 towards the end of the war, across Nazi occupied Europe, Middle East and North Africa. And there is also a romance plot in last part.
The whole story is inspired by fates and stories of many Polish soldiers, who escaped from occupied country and got to French or British allies to continue fighting. It was truly a difficult task during the war, because they had to travel illegally through neutral or Nazi-allied countries, avoiding imprisonment or internment. Many of them found themselves eventually in North Africa, where Polish units fought on British side in 1941-1942 against Germans and Italians. One patrol even captured Italian military bordello indeed...
Since Franek Dolas travels through different countries, a humour mainly explores national stereotypes and cultural clashes, but in rather gentle and non-derogatory way. So, the Germans are unable to write down an overcomplicated fake Polish name (Brzeczyszczykiewicz), the Yugoslavians are hospitable, while the British are stiff and care about nothing during a tea time (it also was an experience of Polish soldiers, raised in different culture). On the other hand, the Poles, personalized by the main hero, are reckless and always get into trouble. In fact, Private Dolas succeeds in many things only by accident. French captain is always drunk on wine and wants to fight for Marshall Petain - but on the other hand, his soldiers join the Free French to continue fighting. The Italians try to surrender, or they fight only for their women - but we also see brave Italian commandos. A great and remarkable thing in this film is, that all characters speak their own languages, what makes language barriers obvious, and increases reality feeling.
The film was made as black and white, but gained much thanks to a digital colorization.
The whole story is inspired by fates and stories of many Polish soldiers, who escaped from occupied country and got to French or British allies to continue fighting. It was truly a difficult task during the war, because they had to travel illegally through neutral or Nazi-allied countries, avoiding imprisonment or internment. Many of them found themselves eventually in North Africa, where Polish units fought on British side in 1941-1942 against Germans and Italians. One patrol even captured Italian military bordello indeed...
Since Franek Dolas travels through different countries, a humour mainly explores national stereotypes and cultural clashes, but in rather gentle and non-derogatory way. So, the Germans are unable to write down an overcomplicated fake Polish name (Brzeczyszczykiewicz), the Yugoslavians are hospitable, while the British are stiff and care about nothing during a tea time (it also was an experience of Polish soldiers, raised in different culture). On the other hand, the Poles, personalized by the main hero, are reckless and always get into trouble. In fact, Private Dolas succeeds in many things only by accident. French captain is always drunk on wine and wants to fight for Marshall Petain - but on the other hand, his soldiers join the Free French to continue fighting. The Italians try to surrender, or they fight only for their women - but we also see brave Italian commandos. A great and remarkable thing in this film is, that all characters speak their own languages, what makes language barriers obvious, and increases reality feeling.
The film was made as black and white, but gained much thanks to a digital colorization.