Train to Zakopané

The positives. The lead actor plays Semyon Sapir perhaps with some excess formality but mostly (not always) in a coherent, convincing way. The view of Poland between the wars with its reborn nationalism tinged with chauvinism is generally accurate. There are intriguing snippets of information about the Russian revolution, mostly Semyon's experiences in a Bolshevik prison, whether real or not. That makes the movie a sort of light history lesson.

The negatives. Questionable theaterlike acting from the rest of the cast. Script generally witty but shot through with cliches (e. G. Father Alexandrov is The Bigoted Polish Priest). The coup de foudre and subsequent romance of. Semyon and Katia is unconvincingly portrayed; there is no chemistry at all between the actors. Sets are deplorable, especially the extra wide train compartment that brings to mind science fiction films from the fifties. The whole movie does not rise over just filmed theater. The toy train scenes used to open up the play look silly and there is is a lot of stock footage. And, why the accent in Zakopané?

Perhaps one should add two footnotes. There have been many movies denouncing Polish anti-Semitism but those that murdered Polish Jews during WWII were Germans, not Poles. And, occupying Nazi authorities considered Catholic priests"deadly enemies" and imprisoned/murdered thousands of them.