Life /
Polish comedies created by Bareja, are they understandable for non Polish people ? [10]
Are there any with English subtitles, please? links? I grew up reading Don Camillo, written originally in Italian and featuring the little wars between the communist mayor and the village priest. I suspect there may be some similarities? it's a very dry humour. Also, I find what I have seen of Polish humour that is is not dissimilar to British humour, which a lot of Americans find impenetrable. It is a feature of American humour to have a 'wise guy' who puts other people down with sharp humour. British humour, on the other hand, tends to be very dry and understated, and focuses on the little guy, often even on a loser as the central character, who somehow manages to come out on top, sometimes by accident. Longin in 'Ogniem i Mieczem' is just this sort of character, he is under geas of his vow of celibacy, and by playing it straight to Zagloba's [sorry I have no dark l] clowning, he manages to be a comedic character [he even makes Jurko laugh and reveal those delectable dimples]. And because he is a gently humorous and loveable character it adds impact and meaning to his heroic death. Much of British humour is about the absurdity of life, and how one carries on carrying on through whatever happens [and Poland surely has had a lot of 'whatever' happening.].
