Warsaw: Year 5703 (1992) User Reviews

A Tragic Love Story in Times of War

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 22 April 2004]

In 1943, in Warsaw, the Jews Alek (Lambert Wilson) and Fryda (Julie Delpy), escape from the ghetto through the sewer tunnels. Alek leaves his wife Fryda in a church and looks for help. Stephania (Hanna Schygulla), a German Christian woman of about forty years old living alone, gives shelter and food for Alek. In the night, they have an affair, and Alek, wanting to keep the protection of Stephania, lies to her. He say that Fryda would be his little sister, and Stephania brings her from the church and lodges both of them at her home. Fryda becomes jealous with the situation and performs all sort of betrayal and cruelties against Stephania. Her final revenge leads the trio to a tragic end. This movie is a tragic drama about choices in life for surviving, supported by the outstanding performance of Julie Delpy, Lambert Wilson and Hanna Schygulla and the magnificent direction of Janusz Kijovwki. Stephania chooses for helping the Jews Alek and Fryda in an occupied Poland. Alek chooses for not telling the truth about Fryda to Stephania. Fryda chooses to double-cross Stephania and Alek. Stephania chooses to have a baby. Alek chooses Stephania. In the end, he chooses for risking his life for Fryda. Julie Delpy highlights with a character very mean, blinded by the feeling of revenge. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): `Varsóvia – Ano 5703' (`Warsaw - Year 5703')

Not bad psycho-drama surrounding the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

[ElianaM · 10/10 · 16 August 2000]

This European co production recounts the lives of three people who tragically collide in an explosive threesome of oppression, forbidden passion, betrayal and revenge. Though at times hard to watch, the film is ultimately a provocative exploration of the human condition under great duress. Another reason to watch is to see its three now very well known stars, 9 years younger than they are now. This includes a teenage looking Julie Delpy, and a sexy, (speaking excellent French) fortyish Hanna Schygulla, in her last turn as a sexy beauty (albeit the older woman, but still stunning). Rent it. The NTSC Video is unfortunately not listed at Amazon.com (hint, hint, list it..), but I recently bought it in Canada, where the English subtitled version is available through Alliance-Atlantis/MCA Home Video. This is not a commercial plug, just a service to IMDb users like myself, who had heard about this unreleased film in the US and most of South America (though it was in Argentina), and may want to gain access to it. Watch it if you like a good psycho drama, in a historic context, with three of Europe's best actors.

Not bad psycho drama amidst the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

[ElianaM · 10/10 · 16 August 2000]

If you like a sexy psycho drama in historic context, with big European star power, this film is for you. The lives of three people tragically clash in this story of oppression, forbidden passion, betrayal and revenge, all this in the face of death. This is an unusually good exploration of the human condition under duress. It also offers us the opportunity to see three of Europe's super stars being and looking 10 years younger. This includes a teenage looking Julie Delpy, and a sexy Hanna Schygulla in her last role as a seductress (albeit as the older woman of the threesome, about forty years old). Available in NTSC English subtitled video, at least in Canada. Check it out.