“Sami swoi” is one of the most popular Polish comedies. The film story about the feuding families of Pawlak and Kargul saw the light of day in 1967. Almost 60 years after the premiere, the creators decided to shoot the genesis of the story known to all. The film “Sami swoi. The Beginning”, directed by Artur Żmijewski, has already ticked off the first slap on the set, and fans of the series are wondering if the creators will be able to lift the legend.
“Alone”. It was not Wacław Kowalski who was supposed to play Pawlak. The creators chose another actor for the role
Sylwester Chęciński managed to create a production that was very firmly anchored in the memory of Poles. Quotes from the film entered the everyday life of viewers, although today we know that it was not easy to create iconic dialogues. As the director recalls, the creators, having decided to use a dialect, suffered great consequences. “Sometimes we spent several hours searching for the right words for particular issues,” recalls Chęciński.
What is even more interesting, however, was not Wacław Kowalski’s first choice for the role of Kazimierz Pawlak. Chęciński wanted to cast Jacek Woszczowicz, an actor born in Siedlce, in the role. The artist was known as Mistletoe from the films “Znachor” and “Professor Wilczur” from the 1930s. He also appeared in the film “Two Hours”, where he played the shoemaker Leon.
“Woszczowicz’s Pawlak would be more like Rejent Milczek from Fredro’s “Revenge”, suppressing emotions in himself, not choleric, as he was played by Wacław Kowalski. I don’t know if it would be a worse film, but certainly a completely different one, says Chęciński. Woszczowicz, however, could not appear on the set for health reasons. Today it is hard to imagine someone else in the iconic role.
“However, it can be said that Wacław Kowalski was born to play Pawlak. He didn’t have major roles until “On His Own”. After this film, he became known, says the director. However, he emphasizes that the actor has not been awarded any prestigious film awards. The only honors that came to him for a great role came from relatives and devoted viewers.
Wacek Kowalski’s film partner, Władysław Hańcza, remained in the film from the first cast. The actor from Łódź also played in the films “Two Hours”, “Hearts of Steel”, and “Soldiers of Victory”.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
