Sunday 11 April 2010

Steal the moon

Probably many of you, dear readers, already have heard about it, but just in case: yesterday, around 7AM G:MT Polish president Lech Kaczyński, his wife Maria and over 90 other people, including Polish government officials, MPs and social activists, died in plane crash in Smoleńsk, Russia.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8613778.stm

This is a terrible tragedy for Polish state and Polish people. I must admit that I wan't a big fan of Kaczyński and his party Law and Justice, but on the list of casualties there are several people that I sincerely admired and respected, including Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka, member of parliament and feminist, and Anna Walentynowicz, legend of Solidarity movement.

To commemorate Lech Kaczyński in my very own way, I watched a movie.

Probably very few of non-Polish know that Lech and his twin brother, Jarosław (president of Law and Justice, former prime minister of Poland) began their life of public figures as actors. In 1962, at the age of 13, they played the main roles in a classic piece "O dwóch takich, co ukradli księżyc" ("The two who stole the moon").

The story is about twin brothers, Jacek and Placek, who live in a village full of hard working people. Boys, being appalled by the idea of doing any work to make a living, decide to flee and seek for a country where one can get rich without working. On their way, they master the plan of stealing the moon in order to sell it and get loads of money, but also meet many creatures and people, who make them realize how valuable work is and how much they miss their mother.

BTW, after spectacular success of Law and Justice in presidential and general elections in 2005, eyes of all people were on that film again, revealing funny - although accidental - political connotation. I suppose that neither of you, with all good will in your hearts, would call politics "hard work", would you? ;)

Movie is unbearably sweet and it's message and atmosphere make an unique masterpiece. Talking trees and animals, bandits, monsters, even though looking tacky when comparing to nowadays' special effects, pull a spectator into a land of fairy tale within one blow. And most of all, Kaczyński brothers make an exquisite performance. Their cuteness and natural acting almost make all those Harry Potter and High School Musical kids look like robots.



I wonder, what would have happened if Lech and Jarosław had taken this career path and studied acting instead of law? Would they be any good as adult actors? Would a Polish political scene lose much? And most of all: would Lech die in less dramatic circumstances?

more about the film in wikipedia...

..and IMDB

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