Armand story of a man. or, only, picture of a century half. a delicate way to present facts and grow - up of a symbol. and tender art to suggest borders of things heart. a film like a chocolate cup. or green tea. or winter morning. a film like an autumn evening and like ball of childhood remains. sure, it may be a kind of Halmark productions. but it is more. a speech, out of polish temptations about care for others and force of values. a testimony as homage. a map of a life in which gesture is seed to better way to transform existences. Piotr Adamczyk does good work in this really difficult role. because his character is collection of precise nuances. so, his mission is a kind of game with fire. the key of success - honesty. desire to present a way of ordinary man in dark times , not silhouette of a great hero. and mission is accomplished. with deep success.

ma-cortes The film concerns about the majestic figure , the Polish Pope Karol Wojtyla (Piotr Adamczyk ) brought to the life at much expense and with sense and thought since his youth in Poland , the early years , until his appointment as Pope of the Catholic church in Rome (1978). The movie starts on October 12 , 1939 when the evil men Nazis get taken the world , Nazis have invaded Poland , they've destroyed the Polish air forcé , 500 plane pulverised before they could take off , bombed cities , radio station , Churchs... Meanwhile Karol looks after his father but he wants to join the Army . They flee but the Russians have invaded the border . Hitler and Stalin made a pact , the Red army has betrayed to Poland and now they don't take prisoners . Hitler appointed Hans Frank (excellently played by Matt Craven) chief civilian officer for occupied Polish territory and then Governor-General of occupied Poland . Hans Frank described his policy in this post : ¨Poland shall be treated like a colony : the Poles will become the slaves of the Greater German Empire¨ . He destroyed Poland as a national entity and exploited its human and material resources for the German war effort . Frank ran Poland in imitation of the Nazi state . He ordered the killing of Polish Intelligence (represented by the professor played by Kenneth Welsh) and Military officials in an attack of destruction and hatred against the Polish universities and the Catholic Church . Frank warned that Jews and Poles could be sentenced to death for any act of force against the German or for damage to a public installation , he confiscated Jewish and Polish property , he expropriated valuable paintings for his own house and he allowed huge quantities of food to be smuggled from Poland to Germany . At a time when most Europe was hungry , Frank set an elaborate table at the Governor's palace in Cracow (as happens in the film when is invited the priest well played by Raoul Bova) . By December 1942 more than 95 percent of the Jews in Poland had been transported to extermination camps . The future Pope must confront these adversities and misfortunes , he suffers cruel experiences but the God's faith and the love is the cure for the badness . Then he assisted the holiness call and goes into the seminar and as priest he serves his first mass . After that , he's appointed bishop and Cardinal and continuing consoling the mankind , renovating the moral sense and thoughts ,giving hope and fighting for human rights . Later on , he was elected Pope , the first no Italian from 1523.The film captures splendidly the goodness and generosity of the immortal Pope well played by Piotr Adamczyk . When John Paul II returned to Poland for the first time after his election seven year old Adamczyk was in the crowd . It's followed by a sequel (2006) by similar actors and director , dealt with his fruitful pontiff (1978-2005) and the pastoral journeys he made to America , Mexico and many other countries , making an intense diplomatic labour and problems that were taking place in the Catholic church , including the 1981 attack by Ali Agca . The motion picture was magnificently played by an excellent plethora of actors . Special mention to touching , evocative musical score by the classic Ennio Morricone . The picture was finely directed by Giacomo Battiato , a specialist on accurate biopic , as he directed autobiography stories about Giovane Casanova , Benvenuto Cellini and Stradivari.

omsdiver The movie is absolutely great!!! It contains some weaknesses like quite cheap special effects (attacks of German fighters, explosions,...) but these are not things that made this movie important and great. Some will say it is catholic propaganda but what else can say people that has nothing interesting to say. There are a lot of good and very good movies showing brave people who fought against evil with guns, words or irreconcilable attitude. This one is first I have ever seen where a man is fighting back by humble acceptance of everything what life had given to him. You need to be a Pole to understand life under communist governance and the importance of church and people like Wojtyla.

miamishooves I will buy this movie for my collection. Excellent special effects. Movie portrayals of all characters in this historic recounting of the life of the future Pope. No heroics, just a straight forward telling of an amazing story. A joint production, it is basic, and raw, without the polish of Hollywood. I was moved by this story. Some of the child actors were a bit "overdone" but the main characters played their roles well, and honestly. They involvement of the Polish and Italian filmmakers has ensured that this movie remained accurate, but not maudlin. Seeing this story makes me realize what a truly great man John Paul was.