**SPOILERS**
A film about love and death, Brzezina (The Birchwood), is not easy to watch at times. The sorrow of Daniel Olbrychski's character Boleslaw when he realises he cannot have the love of the pretty farm hand to himself is quite moving, as is the eventual sickness that engulfs him. Most of the performances are good, especially Olgierd Lukaszewicz as Stanislaw, but the major let down in the acting department was Danuta Wodynska as the farm hand, Katarzyna. Her role consisting mainly of giggling wildly and/or looking flirtlily at the brothers - she's merely a set decoration at times. Beautiful photography of the Polish countryside, coupled with Wajda's sometimes very imaginative camera work make this an enjoyable cinematic experience.
A film about love and death, Brzezina (The Birchwood), is not easy to watch at times. The sorrow of Daniel Olbrychski's character Boleslaw when he realises he cannot have the love of the pretty farm hand to himself is quite moving, as is the eventual sickness that engulfs him. Most of the performances are good, especially Olgierd Lukaszewicz as Stanislaw, but the major let down in the acting department was Danuta Wodynska as the farm hand, Katarzyna. Her role consisting mainly of giggling wildly and/or looking flirtlily at the brothers - she's merely a set decoration at times. Beautiful photography of the Polish countryside, coupled with Wajda's sometimes very imaginative camera work make this an enjoyable cinematic experience.