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Man of Iron

Play trailer Poster for Man of Iron PG 1981 2h 33m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
In the sequel to Polish dissident filmmaker Andrzej Wajda's "Man of Marble," alcoholic television reporter Winkiel (Marian Opania) is assigned by Communist Party bosses the task of discrediting the Gdansk shipyard strikers, particularly charismatic worker Tomczyk (Jerzy Radziwiłowicz) and his politically detained filmmaker wife, Agnieszka (Krystyna Janda). The film is set against Poland's emergent Solidarity labor movement, and includes scenes filmed during actual labor strikes.

Critics Reviews

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Bruce McCabe Boston Globe 04/28/2018
It's a highly and idiosyncratically stylized version of the dramatic events in Poland that led to the formation of the Solidarity union. Go to Full Review
Jesús Fernández Santos El Pais (Spain) 08/20/2019
The film is shot in a mechanical way, which makes it a bit monotonous. However, the script never loses interest. [Full Review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 03/02/2011
A-
A not to be missed film for political junkies. Go to Full Review
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat Spirituality & Practice 01/31/2004
Man of Iron explores the volatile political situation in Poland from 1968 to 1980. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Tony S 10/23/2021 In this sequel to the Man of Marble, any kind of subtlety about state's contempt for people like Birkut and his son is thrown out of the window. The central focus is now switched and now we follow the man who is tasked with creating propaganda, not peeling it of the real events, and in contrast to the Man of Marble, this is a primarily a story about a man finding his conscious, not trying to keep it clean. Now the narrative is completely surrounded by historical events of creating and legitimizing independent union of "Solidarity" and preceding attempts. And if you're not familiar with this event, it might not even occur to you, that it's not fiction. I do not think it's better than the 1977 film and frankly, it just seem too pandering in retrospective, especially when it ends with party officials, angrily shaking their fists telling Winkel, that they are going to get them all. Also the scene, where Radziwilowicz was playing two characters in one scene is ridiculously awkward. See more s r @ScottR 02/17/2018 1001 movies to see before you die. Although this has some narrative issues, this one still is powerful and unique. It's amazing that it was ever made. It was on youtube. See more 04/23/2014 This follow up to the excellent Man of Marble (Czlowiek z marmuru) is simply a bad film. Well-intentioned, but in the absence of a coherent, independent story, it is a piece of political propaganda. For the Solidarity movement, against the mendacity and repression of the crumbling communist state, but it doesn;t make it good. See more 10/31/2013 Andrzej Wajda is always fond of portraying his motherland's important historical moments. Man of Iron is a semi-documentary picturing the Gdansk Shipyard Uprising and the birth of Solidarity Movement led by Lech Walesa. Through flashbacks and references to his previous film, Man of Marble, we are presented the courageous Polish resistance, a precursor to the prominent fall of the Communist experiment. Dealing with the battle between conformity and conscience, Wajda exhibited his patriotism with a hope of a better future in this film. See more 03/20/2013 The sequel to man of marble. See more 08/12/2012 Wajda's film mixes documentary footage with a backstory of how the son of the leader of a workers' movement rises to prominence. The seemingly central story of a journalist's finding his calling/courage doesn't ever click, and I kept wishing for more of the other stories. See more Read all reviews
Man of Iron

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Movie Info

Synopsis In the sequel to Polish dissident filmmaker Andrzej Wajda's "Man of Marble," alcoholic television reporter Winkiel (Marian Opania) is assigned by Communist Party bosses the task of discrediting the Gdansk shipyard strikers, particularly charismatic worker Tomczyk (Jerzy Radziwiłowicz) and his politically detained filmmaker wife, Agnieszka (Krystyna Janda). The film is set against Poland's emergent Solidarity labor movement, and includes scenes filmed during actual labor strikes.
Director
Andrzej Wajda
Screenwriter
Aleksander Ścibor-Rylski
Production Co
Zespół Filmowy "X"
Rating
PG
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
Polish
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 27, 1981, Original
Release Date (DVD)
May 3, 2010
Runtime
2h 33m