2 'Teutonic Knights' may be too many
Polish novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz, the 1905 winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, has won the unlikely accolade as the country's most popular screenwriter 84 years after his death.
His novels have proved so marketable that two independent film adaptations of the same novel are being scheduled for production at the same time.
After last year's release of Sienkiewicz's "With the Fire and Sword" and with production in progress of "Quo Vadis?" the time now seems ripe for "Teutonic Knights." This historical novel is based on the struggle between the Polish kingdom and the Teutonic Knights, who established a state on the shore of the Baltic Sea at the mouth of Wisla river. It relates events between the death of Saint Jadwiga, Queen of Poland in 1399 and the memorable battle of Grunwald in 1410.
Both producers are adamant that their own projects will go ahead, despite the similarities.
M.T.Art will produce "Teutonic Knights" directed by Boguslaw Linda, a popular Polish actor, at a cost of $10 million. Marian Terlecki, M.T.Art's director, said last week that he already has investors, including a bank whose name he would not reveal. While shooting will begin in January, the casting will start this month. The film's premiere is planned for January 2002.
Meanwhile, Jaroslaw Zamojda, director and screenwriter of the competing adaptation, has already started shooting special effects. Zamojda's version will be produced by Warsaw-based Studio A, Da Vinci and Warner Bros. Poland with a $5 million-$10 million budget. The first live shot will be taken next June.
However, despite the financial success of the other two adaptations of Polish literature, Jerzy Hoffman's "With the Fire and Sword," and Andrzej Wajda's "Pan Tadeusz,"success could elude two films based on the same novel released simultaneously.
"At the end of the day, I don't think that those two adaptations will be created," said Marian Terlecki. "In two months, we will know which of the two projects will survive." Terlecki started working on the project 18 months ago when he asked Cezary Harasimowicz to write a screenplay based on Sienkiewicz's novel.
According to director Linda, Agnieszka Holland (a Polish director working in Hollywood) was interested in the project but she had to bow out because of other commitments. "It had been announced in the papers and at that time we thought that after Holland resigned it would be the end of it," said Jan Dworak, director of Studio A, and producer of Zamojda's adaptation.
Linda, who replaced Holland, was invited to direct the movie two months ago. He said it was a mistake to go ahead with two adaptations, considering the small size of the market. "It's unnecessary competition and it creates social problems when two directors are looking for actors among the same group of people," he said.
Dworak shares Linda's opinion. "It's too small a market to make two adaptations," he said. When asked whether joining forces with Terlecki was possible, he said anything could happen. "We are open to cooperation, but to make it happen two sides need to want it," Terlecki said.
So far, the two sides have not come to the negotiating table and their talks may be difficult. "A common artistic vision of the adaptation is a must before we join forces," Linda said. "But Zamojda is working with Americans and we want to produce a movie for the Polish and European markets." In April, Zamojda told the Polish News Agency that his movie, which would be distributed internationally, would be the biggest Polish-American production ever.
