Review of Ashes and Diamonds (1958) by David F — 19 Mar 2010
Wadja's masterpiece concerning the Polish aftermath of WWII, as Nazis retreated while the Russians encroached, leaving bitter partisan divides between pro-communist and anti-communist. Engrossing story of an assassin for the latter, and his attempt to leave his past behind after meeting a beautiful young bartender.
As the hitman, Zbigniew Cybulski is dynamic, moody and edgy - with his windbreaker and dark glasses, he's every bit the Polish James Dean (and sadly, he too ended up dying in a tragic accident at a young age).
Wadja composes beautiful tableaux using deep focus and masterful compositions in his shots - the image of red blood on a series of white sheets at the conclusion is particularly striking.
This review of Ashes and Diamonds (1958) was written by David F on 19 Mar 2010.
Ashes and Diamonds has generally received very positive reviews.
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