Barbara and Leszek Amatys and Wieslaw Stradomski

Abstract

This chapter looks at the second volume of The History of Polish Film, written by Barbara and Leszek Amatys, together with Wiesław Stradomski. Stradomski compiled the first part, about the legal, economic, and cultural conditions surrounding the development of Polish cinematography, and wrote a short chapter, ‘Jewish Film’, as well as the conclusion. In the chapter on the final four years of sound film in Yiddish, Stradomski used all the items he had managed to gather from the press in Polish, and related these press cuttings to films such as The Dybbuk and Idl mitn fidl. Unfortunately, this short chapter, which treats about seven sound films, was weakened when a discussion of two important films was moved to the chapters compiled by Leszek and Barbara Amatys. The volume also contains minor errors. The chapter then argues that the second volume could be more comprehensive. It suggests that, to serve as a contribution to the memory of perished Polish Jewry, it would be worth writing an essay about the participation of Jews in the development of Polish pre-war film, in its production, direction, photography, acting, and distribution.