Walkover Poland
1965, 78min.
Script/Dir./Prod. Design.: Jerzy Skolimowski, Dir. of Phot.: Antoni Nurzynski, Compos.: Andrzej Trzaskowski, Sound: Mikolaj Kompan-Altman, Edit.: Alina Fadlik.
Cast: Jerzy Skolimowski, Aleksandra Zawieruszanka, Krzysztof Chamic, Elzbieta Czyzewska, Andrzey Herder, Tadeusz Kondrat, Krzysztof Liwin, Stanislaw Zaczyk, Henryk Kluba.
The psychological portrayal of Andrzej Leszszyc, the hero of Walkover is a continuation of that which was given in Skolimowski’s previous film Indetification Marks: None. In this film Andrzej is thirty years old, has already done his military service and has not completed his university studies. A sad face of the girl, who played several roles in Identification Marks: None, appears for a moment on the screen to disappear suddenly as if the girl has been slipping down under the wheels of the train, in which Andrzej Leszczyc is travelling. On the platform Andrzej spots a girl, one of his colleagues who were with him at the university and who have now arrived at Plock for her graduation design work at the cathedral there. She suggests that Andrzej should stay in this town and after a moment of hesitancy he follows her advice. The manager of the Plock industrial consortium suggests that he should take over the post of supervising engineer, but Andrzej seems to be evasive, noncommittal, noting that he has not yet taken his degree and must think this proposal over, etc. While visiting factories with a group of engineers and technicians Andrzej encounters a boxing coach and accepts his proposal to take part in a tournament “The first boxing step”. He wins his first match. After the night he spends with the girl they both leave the town: she failed to pass her graduation work successfully and he gave up his final match. But the boy, who was defeated by Andrzej in their previous sparring match, persuades him to continue their fight now. Andrzej jumps from the moving train and lands inside the ring only to hear the speaker’s voice announcing that Leszszyc wins the fight by a “Walkover” as his opponent has not turned up. The prizes he receives include a radio-set and a watch, one more watch to add to the collection of many others he has received during his numerous appearances in the tournaments of “The first boxing step”. One more town, another casual acquaintance, love or hatred for the girl, who was once responsible for his expulsion from the university, nagging although vague memories (the face of the girl) and now an empty boxing hall and the opponent, who did not turn up at the match on purpose but who now appears and suggests splitting the prizes. He is strong; he would certainly have won the fight, why should he fight at all. He has now come to collect his share.. There are many other towns and many more matches ahead of him… Leszczyc hits him hard, they start fighting. Andrzej falls down.
Production Company
Syrena Film Unit
| Skolimowski, Jerzy  Jerzy Skolimowski (born 1938, Lodz, Poland)
Director, scriptwriter, actor, poet and painter. He graduated in ethnography from Warsaw University in 1959 and attended the prestigious Polish Film School in Lodz. Skolimowski has directed more than 20 films in and outside of Poland. At college, he took up boxing, which was the subject of a feature-length documentary, his first film, shot in 1961. By his early 20’s, Skolimowski had published several books of poems, short stories and a play. This led to his writing the screenplay and playing a boxer in Andrzej Wajda’s film The Innocent Sorcerers. He subsequently teamed up with Roman Polanski, writing the script of Knife in the Water in 1962. Between 1964 and 1984, he completed several semi-autobiographical features. While living and working in many countries, he also completed six big budget productions including four international co-productions between 1970 and 1992: The Adventures of Gerard, King, Queen, Knave, The Shout, The Lightship, Torrents of Spring and Ferdydurke, all distinctly bearing Skolimowski’s signature. His first US production, The Lightship, starring Robert Duvall, won Best Director Award at the Venice IFF. His next project, Torrents of Spring, starred Timothy Hutton, Nastassja Kinski and Valeria Golino. Two of his films won awards in Cannes IFF: Grand Prix du Jury for The Shout and Silver Palm for Moonlighting. He also won the Golden Bear in Berlin for Le Depart. His last film, Four Nights with Anna premiered in Cannes, and received Grand Jury Prize at the Tokyo IFF in 2008. Skolimowski’s portrayal of a ruthless yet composed KGB colonel in White Nights, established his credentials as an actor. His acting credits are L.A., Without a Map, Mars Attacks!, Torrents of Spring, and Big Shots among others. His paintings were exhibited all around Europe and in the United States. He took part in the Venice Biennale, and his work was acquired by Contemporary Art Museums in Poland and Greece, as well as private collectors in the US, UK, France, Italy, Germany, and other countries. Skolimowski currently resides in Malibu, California and Warsaw, Poland.
Filmography
Oko wykol/The Menacing Eye (1960, short), Hamles/Little Hamlet (1960, short), Eroty/Erotique (1960, short), Boks/Boxing (1961), Pienadze albo zycie/Money or Life (1961, short), The Nude (1962), Rysopis/Identificqtion Marks: None (1964), Walkower/Walkover (1965), Bariera/Barrier (1966), Rece do gory/Hands Up! (1966), Le depart (1966), Deep End (1970), The Adventures of Gerard (1970), King, Queen, Knave (1972), The Shout (1978), Moonlighting (1982), Dialog 20-40-60 (segment The Twenty-Year-Olds, 1968), Succes Is the Best Revenge (1984), The Lightship (1985), Torrents of Spring (1989), Ferdydurke/Thirty Door Key (199!), The Hollow Man (1993), Cztery noce z Anna/Four Nights with Anna (2008).
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