Overview: A peasant’s son rises through the ranks of post-war Polish society like none of his ancestors ever could. Moving to the city, he becomes part of a new socialist order. But in leaving his rural roots behind, does he also abandon his soul?

Taking inspiration from Orson Welles’ monumental saga Citizen Kane, Grzegorz Królikiewicz (Through and Through) crafts a viscerally affecting portrait of a changing country through the fate of a man ruined by ambition.

Strikingly original compositions from cinematographer Zbigniew Rybczyński (Angst) and absorbing sound design capture the psychic toll of capitalism and urbanization.

Blu-ray Verdict: If you were unaware, The Dancing Hawk, directed by Grzegorz Królikiewicz, serves as the culminating work in a thematic trilogy starring Trzeciak about Lumpen characters that includes Through and Through (1972) and Endless Grievances (1976). Furthermore, it also provides the key to the trilogy by revealing the historical condition underlying its recurring protagonist: the displaced peasant produced by Poland’s rapid industrialization and post-war urban reconstruction.

At its heart this is a fairly simple story about a man climbing to great power through being utterly ruthless and uncaring to the suffering of those around him. Being made in Poland in 1977 though, there is a critique of the USSR to be found here, for sure, but outside of a few specific references, there is very little that cannot operate as general institutional critique; as well as being just as applicable to a multitude of structures within capitalism.

That all said, and personally, I liked most everything about this film. Not my usual norm of cinematic experience to behold at night, I still found it to be dutifully dedicated to the realities of post-war Poland, whilst also the acting chops of Franciszek Trzeciak were simply terrific, the overall span of the film having a distinctive, and at times unique styling drawn within the lines of both the camera work and unfolding story.

Bonus Materials:
4K restoration by Filmoteka Narodowa
Uncompressed mono PCM audio
New interview with critic Carmen Gray (2025)
Two short films by cinematographer Zbigniew Rybczyński: Soup (1974, 9 mins) and Oh! I Can’t Stop! (1975, 10 mins)
Reversible sleeve featuring original artwork by Jerzy Czerniawski and Andrzej Klimowski
Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by critic Piotr Kletowski
Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

Official Purchase Link

www.radiancefilms.co.uk