Trędowata is a film based on the novel written by Helena Mniszkówna.
This is a story about the tragic love affair between aristocrat and entailer Waldemar Michorowski and an impoverished noble woman and governess Stefcia Rudecka. Their love affair is strongly opposed by the aristocratic community, which sees their relationship as an unacceptable misalliance.
The Palace in Ostromecko
Ostromecko has a beautiful Palace and Park Complex, which was first owned by the family of Mostowcy, and then by the Alvensleben family, until the end of WWII.
Trędowata was filmed in the interiors of the Old Palace from the 18th Century, built for the family of Mostowscy, in the Rococo style.
It is one of the two palaces located within the premises of the Palace and Park Complex in Ostromecko, the other being the New Palace from the 19th Century.
Trivia
- The outdoor locations and indoor scenes in the film were shot not only in Ostromecko, but also in the Warsaw districts of Wilanów and Natolin.
- The film has not survived to this day. All we have left of it is pictures and posters.
- When shooting scenes on location at the Palace in Natolin, Jadwiga Smosarska had an opportunity to meet Helena Mniszkówna, the author of the book.
- Being a silent film, the screenings of Trędowata were accompanied by live music. For example, during its première in Lublin, in the Corso cinema, the accompanying music was played Professor Stanisław Turalski.
- The book has been adapted for the screen four times – in 1926 by Edward Puchalski, in 1936 by Juliusz Gardan, in 1976, by Jerzy Hoffman, and in 1999, by Wojciech Rawecki and Krzysztof Lang.
- The title role of Trędowata (Leper), played by Jadwiga Smosarska, used to perform on Polish theatre stages, including giving guest performances at Teatr Miejski in Bydgoszcz.
- At the time, film Director Edward Puchalski was one of the most-prominent figures of Polish cinema. One of the most-important films he made was Rok 1863 (The Year 1863), based on the novel Wierna rzeka (The Faithful River) by Stefan Żeromski.
- Jadwiga Smosarska, who portrayed Stefcia in the film, was called the Queen of Polish Film”, which she owed to being one of the biggest stars of Polish cinema during the inter-War period.
- There is no surviving copy of the film.
Information on the film
Trędowata
Poland 1926, silent film
Directed by: Edward Puchalski, Józef Węgrzyn
Cinematography: Zbigniew Gniazdowski
Produced by: Wytwórnia Filmowa Sfinks
Cast: Jadwiga Smosarska, Bolesław Mierzejewski, Józef Węgrzyn, Józef Mikulski, Helena Zahorska, Zofia Zajączkowska, Paweł Owerłło, Leon Łuszczewski, Helena Marcello-Palińska, and others.
