“Vabank” as you don’t know it. Henryk Kwinto was supposed to kill Stalin and traveled in time

“Vabank” was Juliusz Machulski’s feature-length debut and it must be admitted that he passed this “maturity exam” with flying colors. Although the premiere took place in 1981, more than 40 years have passed, quotes and scenes from the crazy adventures of the safecracker Henryk Kwinto (played by his father, Jan Machulski) still stir the imagination of subsequent generations. The production often appears on Polish screens and it must be admitted that it is a piece of funny, sensational cinema. Many even compare it to the cult and award-winning “The Sting” by George Roy Hill from 1973.

The characters in Vabank still impress with their extraordinary insight and ability to create intrigues, but, as befits Machulski Junior’s directorial debut, there were a few small “mishaps” – we would like to point out at the beginning that they do not obscure the entire picture of this truly outstanding work. Even though the film takes place in the early 1930s, a trained automotive eye will notice the Shell logo that appears in one of the scenes. Although the company has existed since the previous century, its logo was different then. At the same time, one of the cars with a tarpaulin on the back on the screen did not match the reality in which the production was set.

The 1930s were not accidental. No glorification of militiamen

Returning to the interwar period. Why did we choose these times? It turns out that Juliusz Machulski took viewers on a time travel for a reason. The director did not intend to set it in modern times for a simple reason.

The militiamen always looked terrible on screen and served the communist regime

– This is how Machulski explained his decision.

He did not want to glorify or “warm up” the image of a service with such bad press among society. It would be perceived as an advertisement for the Citizens’ Militia.

“Bawidamek”, opposite and acting discoveries. Specific staffing criteria

Now let’s move on to the creme de la creme of the film, i.e. the cast. And, it must be admitted, it looks quite impressive. In an interview with “Gazeta Wyborcza” this is how Machulski junior explained the reasons for such and no other choices. The main role of Henryk Kwinta, of course, fell to his father, Jan Machulski, who was an idol of women and aroused great sympathy from everyone. Even his role as a criminal would be perceived positively.

Mural in the yard at Piramowicza 6 in the tenement house that starred in the film ‘Vabank’. It presents one of the film’s heroes – Henryk Kwinta, played by Jan Machulski Photo Marcin Stępień / Agencja Wyborcza.pl

Kwinta’s partner, “Duńczyk”, was initially supposed to be taken over by Andrzej Łapicki, but at the instigation of Andrzej Wajda and the actor himself, the choice finally fell on Witold Pyrkosz. Jerzy Kawalerowicz told the younger Machulski that the duo must be different from each other. Marek Kondrat was initially considered for the role of Moks, but after his refusal, Jacek Chmielnik was chosen.

Juliusz Machulski wanted to entrust some of the female roles to lesser-known actresses to provide them with an impressive “springboard” to great fame. Thus, Elżbieta Zającówna “became” Natalia, and Ewa Szykulska played the widow of his friend Tadeusz.

Kwinta’s jump of the century. Stalin is dying of rage

Even though, after the success of “Vabank”, the next part of Henryk Kwinto’s adventures, “Vabank II, i.e. riposte”, was created four years later, Machulski was already thinking about further film adaptations of his hit. What stood in the way, as usual, was money, which was already in short supply at that point, especially in culture. And this is something to regret, because if we skipped the third part, in the fourth part we would have seen a truly Hollywood script. Thus, in 1953, Kwinto and the Dane would commit a spectacular attack on the Moscow palace, and Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin would die of a heart attack. The heroes of this cult saga would commit such a great robbery