Man on the Tracks (Polish: Czlowiek na torze) was a 1956 film directed by Andrzej Munk, who also directed Passenger. Polart Distribution, Inc. says of the film: "A train races through the night and then suddenly comes to a grinding halt; a man lies dead on the tracks. The man turns out to be an engine driver who lost his job. Different characters who knew the man during his life take part in the investigation of his death, each relating their own interpretation of the man and his death. Was it suicide? Sabotage? Was he an eccentric? Just as the characters examine the mystery surrounding the engineer’s death, this classic anti-Stalinist film uses the story to examine the issues and problems of 1950’s Communist Poland, in particular what are the consequences for a man who doesn’t fit in?"
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Themes
New vs. Old
Man on the Tracks presents conflict between generations: "New ideas are not welcomed here." It also questions this dichotomy of the new generation's ideals vs. the old-style practices. Is it justified resistance or madness?
The Socialist People
The movie uses the common property argument -- "We are wasting valuable property [coal], which belongs to the People’s Republic." -- in a form of subtle socialist propaganda. The language used, calling for the "workers of the world [to] unite," also underscores the idea. Characters in the movie use the concept of the people, referring to the saboteur as "an enemy of the people" and suggesting they seek revenge.
Man on the Tracks presents conflict between generations: "New ideas are not welcomed here." It also questions this dichotomy of the new generation's ideals vs. the old-style practices. Is it justified resistance or madness?
The Socialist People
The movie uses the common property argument -- "We are wasting valuable property [coal], which belongs to the People’s Republic." -- in a form of subtle socialist propaganda. The language used, calling for the "workers of the world [to] unite," also underscores the idea. Characters in the movie use the concept of the people, referring to the saboteur as "an enemy of the people" and suggesting they seek revenge.
Man on the Tracks can be purchased on Amazon as a part of the Andrzej Munk Trilogy.
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