The Death Sentence (1980)
A gripping Polish spy thriller set in Nazi-occupied 1943, where resistance, romance, and betrayal collide in the shadows of war.
The Death Sentence - Movie Information
- Original Title: Wyrok śmierci
- Release Year: 1980
- Directed by: Witold Orzechowski
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama, Action, War
- Runtime: 1h 45m
- Original Language: Polish
- Spoken Languages: Polish
- Release Date (Theatrical): September 8, 1980 (Poland)
- Production Companies: Zespół Filmowy "Silesia"
- Production Countries: Poland
The Death Sentence - Plot
A spy thriller set in 1943 when the Polish Resistance was killing SS- officers and collaborators in Lublin and Zamosc. Polish hitman romances with "officer's lady" while he is setting up her boyfriend for his sentence of death. In the end, he loses out to a collaborator living next door.
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The Death Sentence - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Witold Orzechowski
Main Cast
- Jerzy Kryszak
- Leon Niemczyk
- Wojciech Wysocki
- Sławomira Łozińska
Writers
- Jerzy Gierałtowski
- Witold Orzechowski
The Death Sentence - FAQs
What is The Death Sentence about?
The Death Sentence is a tense spy thriller set in Nazi-occupied Poland in 1943. A Polish resistance hitman is tasked with eliminating SS officers and collaborators in Lublin and Zamosc. While setting up his next target, he falls for the man's lover — a dangerous entanglement that ultimately costs him dearly.
Is The Death Sentence based on a true story?
The film draws on the historical reality of the Polish Underground State's armed resistance during World War II. While the specific characters appear to be fictional, the operations depicted — targeting SS officers and collaborators in the Lublin and Zamosc regions — reflect documented activities of the Polish resistance in 1943.
Who directed The Death Sentence?
The Death Sentence was directed by Witold Orzechowski, who also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Jerzy Gierałtowski. The film was produced under the Polish film unit Zespół Filmowy "Silesia" and released in Poland in September 1980.
Who are the main actors in The Death Sentence?
The film stars Jerzy Kryszak as Andrzej, the resistance hitman at the center of the story, alongside Leon Niemczyk as Ravich and Wojciech Wysocki as Smukly. Sławomira Łozińska also appears in the cast of this Polish wartime thriller.
What makes The Death Sentence unique among Polish war films?
What sets the film apart is its noir-inflected approach to the wartime resistance story. Rather than focusing on heroic combat, it weaves a morally complex love triangle into the underground mission, blurring the line between duty and personal desire — a relatively rare angle in Polish war cinema of that era.
What genre is The Death Sentence?
The Death Sentence blends Drama, Action, and War genres. At its core it functions as a spy thriller, layering wartime tension with a romantic subplot and moral ambiguity. It's a gripping mix of resistance intrigue and personal tragedy set against the brutal backdrop of Nazi-occupied Poland.
When was The Death Sentence released?
The Death Sentence had its Polish theatrical release on September 8, 1980. The film was produced by Zespół Filmowy "Silesia" and is part of a rich tradition of Polish cinema exploring the World War II occupation and the underground resistance movement.
What are similar movies to The Death Sentence?
If you enjoy The Death Sentence, you might also like The Forgotten Battle (2021), Blood & Gold (2023), Operation Cicero (2019), Balkan Line (2019), and The Ambush (2021). These films share similar wartime settings, resistance themes, and action-driven narratives that fans of the genre tend to appreciate.
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