In the decades that followed, Polish cinema contributed to the mythologisation of jazz which became part of the post-war history of Polish society. And although the use of jazz was private rather than political in the films of Wajda, Morgenstern and Polański, over time, Polish cinema increasingly embraced it and harnessed it for ideological warfare.
Feliks Falk’s 1981 film Był jazz [There was Jazz] is an example of this strategy. Inspired by the story of the band Melomani – young jazz musicians who wanted, in the land of the Vistula, to play ‘the music of the oppressed blacks’ in the final years of Stalinism, is not only one of the most jazzy films of communist cinema, but also an example of how depictions of historical processes and cultural phenomena in cinema change with time.
This story of music that refuses to give in to political oppression itself fell victim to historical turmoil. The imposition of martial law in December of 1981 meant that Falk’s film could not be released for three years, placing it among the films of that era that were shelved. This was no coincidence, as the cinematic story of the band was full of political references and undertones that were to become topical again in 1981.
The story of friends fascinated with jazz music was a depiction of the era, not a story about exceptional individuals. Falk presented a world abounding in deep divides: members of a communist youth group in uniform recited political poetry and protested against the American war in Korea, and a dissenting painter listened to the banned Voice of America, while a university lecturer criticised the imperial influence in the work of Wyspiański. Jazz was a symbol of American freedom, a breath of fresh air and rebellion, and, above all, a forbidden fruit. Today, Falk’s film is perceived as paradoxical. On the one hand, the music is the lead (eponymous, after all) protagonist, while, on the other, it is used entirely instrumentally, as a handy symbol of political differences, ambitions and aspirations. Although musicians comprise almost all the characters in the film, artistic ambitions, predicaments and dilemmas are secondary in their lives. A political odium leaves its mark on everything, stealing the show and pushing the stories of the young people into the background.
The sunny side of the street