Polish drama flirts with greatness, undermined by a shocking and senseless conclusion

Rating: 7/10 (29 December 2018)

I have never seen a film capture the desolate despair of Eastern Europe after the Second World War as in this case. This film offers a beguiling tale of a middle-aged Polish musician who travels to a feudal area and becomes infatuated with an aspiring female singer who is among the peasant folk who audition to perform for his company. The two fall for each other and their love blossoms into a perpetual romance that survives many upheavals including the company being taken over by Stalinist ideologues and the man's decision to leave Poland for western Europe.
Performances here are extraordinary by the two leads. They present a compelling and sympathetic couple who can't stay way from one another despite marked differences in their character. She as it turns out comes from a troubled family. He is an old soul who finds rejuvenation in a woman so combustible and unpredictable. It's one of those romances whose imperfections make it the perfect love story.
Alas, we have this film's conclusion. I cannot abide a film's resolution that does not conform to the character arc. If there is insufficient character development or plotting for the climax that takes place, then the ending will only take away from the film's logic. That is what happens here; the resolution robs the film of its greatness because it is so senseless. I still recommend this as a film experience, but its ultimate achievement is very debatable.