Film Review: Lalka (The Doll)

Lalka (The Doll) is a film based on the works of famous Polish novelist Bolesław Prus. The story follows the beginning of the end of the Polish aristocracy and a poor man who becomes a wealthy merchant. The story explores the trials of love and class division, almost like a one-sided Romeo and Juliet.

Stanislaw Wokulski comes into money after inheriting his late wife’s shop, and as he triples the income, he begins to catch the eye of the Polish aristocracy, who were quickly running out of money. One such aristocratic family is the Łęcki family, and the beautiful daughter of the struggling family, our doll Izabela Łęcka, catches the eye of the merchant.

The film follows the struggles of Wokulski as he slowly brings Bela’s family out of poverty, all while trying not to force her hand into marriage, which he easily could. The doll becomes his sole reason to breathe, and he says he would happily die for a love like that.

At the time, women in the Polish aristocracy married whom their family chose for them, often for the sole purpose of generating income and keeping a ‘pure’ aristocratic line, and a merchant, no matter their wealth, could never be in a high enough position to marry into a family like that.

One of Poland's best-known actresses, Agata Kulesza, plays the role of Mrs Meliton, who helps Wokulski get closer to the Łęcki family, for a high fee, of course. As a woman surrounded by aristocracy, she helps build his reputation till he can finally feel on an attainable level with Izabela, and she brings the main comedic moments in the film.

The characters perfectly show both comedic elements, which had the whole cinema laughing, and sombre moments where everyone was holding back tears.

The film perfectly encompasses the word yearning, with Wokulski constantly looking for Isabela in everything he does, while she rarely gives him the time of day. The film quotes a line from Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz: “Thus, in every place and at every hour, where I wept with you, where I laughed with you, everywhere and always, I shall be by your side, for I have left a part of my soul in every place.”

The interest between the two characters does develop, as Isabela is thrown to the side by her cousin for being poor; she comes to realise that while she doesn’t love Wokulski, he could provide her with comforts and certain freedoms, and begins to reciprocate his advances.

But to reach a position where he could ever ask for her hand, Wokulski must give up everything he ever worked for: his shop, his travels, his love for science and ultimately his true self. But blinded by love, he happily throws it all away. But it’s still not enough for Isabela, and when Wokulski finally understands this, he tries to end his life, as what is life without his doll?

The film, cinematically speaking, is shot beautifully, perfectly showing the bustling streets of Warsaw as it builds itself up, as well as showing the divide between the rich and poor. The aristocrats live in enormous houses surrounded by beauty and colour, and the film makes the streets look warm and inviting, while the side streets which hide the poor are devoid of colour and seem so cold and wet in comparison; Wokulski travelling between the two helps to show his rise from the bottom to the top, while never being able to forget his roots.

The lighting and shots perfectly frame characters to show their emotions, even putting characters with big egos like Isabela in small rooms to show that despite her aristocracy, she is a poor woman with little choice, and the walls literally begin to close around her.

From the costumes to the cinematography to the music, technically, this film is near perfection, and as one reviewer said, “the creators of Lalka could do the odyssey, but Christopher Nolan could never do Lalka”

The story, following the book, is left open-ended, allowing viewers to decide whether Wokulski really couldn’t live without his doll, or if he simply left Warsaw and his past life behind.

The film aims to show that no matter what sacrifices one makes, love cannot be enough if it’s not felt by the other side, and it serves to warn that love cannot be the only reason for existence.

4/5 stars

Written by, Nat Synak