Korczak

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Korczak

1990

1h 55m

Biography

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3 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Idealistic pediatrician Janusz Korczak (Wojtek Pszoniak) opens a makeshift orphanage in an abandoned school in Warsaw's Jewish ghetto during World War II, soon providing shelter to over 200 children whose parents were either killed or sent to concentration camps. Korczak does his best to protect his innocent charges from the collapse of law and order that's happening in the streets outside, resisting calls to save himself while hoping the Nazis will spare the orphans from the camps.

Philip French

Observer (UK)

Andrzej Wajda has directed three of the greatest movies to emerge from the experience of World War II but he stumbled badly with Love in Germany and has found neither the right tone nor the appropriate form for Korczak.

Oct 18, 2023

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Christopher Tookey

Sunday Telegraph (UK)

A film which is often heavy-handed and flat-footed in its naturalism but always has its heart in the right place: like a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical without the music.

Oct 17, 2023

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

If Korczak isn't an artistic success, it's very much a historical success, offering a brief and powerful film school for interested filmmakers, and thus leading to better films.

Aug 22, 2012

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(****): [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

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Audience Member

A haunting and powerful film of a true hero of the Holocaust who doesn't seem to get the world wide recognition that he deserves. He was protective of his orphanage children and was willing to sacrifice himself for the opportunity to save them (if one existed)

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

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Audience Member

Good Polish flick. The acting is nothing special and it's in black and white pre-Schindler's List. Hmm... The story and tribute to the man who inspired it is the real winner.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

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Audience Member

The movie is not about the life of Dr. Janusz Korczak but rather about the last weeks in his life. The film is not a great one, but can be recommended because the theme is interesting.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

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Audience Member

Reduced me to a sobbing heap. Unbearable.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

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Audience Member

This is a profoundly moving movie. I saw it at the local rep cinema and was left silent for a time after the credits rolled. The true story is about a Polish doctor who goes out of his way to save children in the Warsaw Ghetto from being sent to Auschwitz (the ending does not compromise what we know happened.) Deserves to be as well known as Schindler's List

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

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Andrzej Wajda

Director

Wojciech Pszoniak

Henryk Goldszmit vel Janusz Korczak

Ewa Dałkowska

Stefania 'Stefa' Wilczynska

Piotr Kozłowski

Heniek

Marzena Trybala

Estera

Wojciech Klata

Szloma

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Synopsis

Idealistic pediatrician Janusz Korczak (Wojtek Pszoniak) opens a makeshift orphanage in an abandoned school in Warsaw's Jewish ghetto during World War II, soon providing shelter to over 200 children whose parents were either killed or sent to concentration camps. Korczak does his best to protect his innocent charges from the collapse of law and order that's happening in the streets outside, resisting calls to save himself while hoping the Nazis will spare the orphans from the camps.

Director: Andrzej Wajda
Producer: Regina Ziegler, Janusz Morgenstern
Genre: Biography
Original Language: Polish
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 12, 2016
Runtime: 1h 55m