One of history's largest events in terms of how it changed the world, WWII nonetheless has stories that have been lost in the history books. One of the biggest omissions was the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 as the Polish resistance rebelled against their German occupiers, fighting a losing battle that would ultimately cost the lives of over 16,000 Polish resistance fighters and over 100,000 innocent civilians brutally massacred by German forces. It is a story of courage in the face of impossible odds, a really incredible story when you think about it in terms of the sheer lunacy of the conflict. Courage, honor, bravery, impossible odds, all seems like the perfect blueprint for a feature film.
It is the closing days of the Warsaw Uprising as the German forces close in on the remaining Polish resistance in the city. One company of resistance fighters is commanded by Lt. Zadra (Wienczyslaw Glinski) who has seen his ranks ripped to pieces, where there were 70 fighters the day before are now 40 walking wounded and under-supplied fighters. Holding back one last German advance, Zadra receives orders from headquarters to withdraw, retreating further into the ruins of downtown Warsaw. The only relatively safe way to fall back is through the sewers under the city. His few remaining fighters drop down to the sewer and all its horrors, always trying to stay one step ahead of their German pursuers.
As was the case with Wajda's A Generation, I was incredibly impressed with the tone of the movie, brutally honest and not at all interested in any easy answers, happy endings or genre conventions. SPOILERS STOP READING SPOILERS The opening monologue introduces Zadra's company and its more notable members. The narration pauses, explaining the situation and stating simply "These are the tragic heroes...watch them closely in the remaining hours of their lives." Surprised much? Seconds into the movie we're told as an audience that all these people will be dead by the end of the movie. You just don't see that reckless abandon in storytelling in so many American films. In a sick sense, you're drawn in. What will happen to these men and women? How will they die? It's a brilliant little touch that immediately rips you into the movie.
I don't remember being struck on so many levels watching a film as I did with this movie. Visually, it is stunning in its darkness, starting with the ruins of Warsaw before descending into the filthy horrors of the sewers (Kanal is translated as 'sewer,' hence the title). Wajda films in black and white, adding such a feeling of stark reality that a color film would have struggled to do. Wajda shoots in long, unedited tracking shots that are impressive in their simplicity. We see a long line of feet and legs moving as Zadra's company moves into position. Another follows the weary faces and bodies of the survivors as they trudge through the sewers. The best is the opening shot, a long scene that introduces many of Zadra's fighters. No quick cuts, no close-ups, just one shot with no edits. There's nothing flashy about any of this, just a focused, moving look at this little told part of history.
In its simplicity, Kanal caught me by surprise in its presentation of its characters. As was the case with A Generation, I had no personal background with almost all of these actors and actresses. You don't see them as their other roles, just the people they're playing here. Glinski as the commanding officer is the unquestioned lead, the driving force of the movie. Some of his company include Korab (Tadeusz Janczar, also starred in 'Generation') and Daisy (Teresa Izewska), two lovers trying to help each other survive. Korab is wounded and quickly losing any touch with reality. There is also Michal (Vladek Sheybal), a composer turned fighter searching for his family, Emil Karewicz as Lt. Wise, Zadra's quickly disintegrating second in command, Tadeusz Gwiazdowski as Sgt. Bullet, the note-taker and documentarian of the company, Stanislaw Mikulski as Slim, one of the company's most capable fighters, and Teresa Berzowska as Halinka, a teenage girl who finds love as death nears. I apologize if I confused the names. The print I saw had different names in the subtitles than the IMDB cast listing.
The first 30-45 minutes are classic on their own, but the movie reaches elite status once Zadra's company retreats into the sewers. If you're claustrophobic, this is not the movie for you. It is an unsettling, uncomfortable movie to watch. It looks like the cast is actually walking through excrement up to their waist. You can feel the heat, smell the stench, know the horror these men and women went through. Avoiding their German pursuers, the company is separated into smaller groups, many getting lost in the winding, poorly marked sewers. The violence when it comes is not graphic, just shocking and surprising. Blood squibs and limbs being ripped apart when a movie connects on an emotional level, and there Kanal succeeds on so many levels.
With his movies, Wajda clearly had an agenda, a message he wanted to get across. There will be no happy endings, no ride into the sunset with everything tied up nicely with a bow. SPOILERS again SPOILERS The opening monologue gives away the fact that all of Zadra's company will be killed so there's not a huge surprise by the end. Somehow though, the shock still hits home that each of these men and women will be dead soon. Realities of war certainly hit home. Korab and Daisy walk in a daze, Korab bleeding out with each step. Michal loses his grasp of reality, marching off into the sewers playing a flute. Halinka kills herself when she realizes Wise has lied to her about his family. Wise reaches safety only to find the rest of the survivors captured by the Germans, execution waiting them all. Slim is killed trying to dismantle a German grenade booby trap.
Last, Zadra reaches safety with Bullet only to find out that his sergeant has lied about the whereabouts of the long-since separated company. Solely driven by his desire to save his company, Zadra guns the man down, and with a chance to move on instead makes a decision that will kill him. Armed with only a pistol, he descends back into the sewer to search out his company that no longer exists. One of the most moving, unsettling endings I've ever seen in one of the best war movies I've ever seen. You can watch it at Youtube, starting HERE.
Kanal <---TCM clips (1957): ****/****
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