The Teutonic Knights

Krzyżacy, 1960, 172 min.

The Teutonic Knights (1960)

Production

Director Aleksander Ford
Screenplay Jerzy Stefan StawińskiAleksander Ford
(based on the novel by Henryk Sienkiewicz)
Cinematography Mieczyslaw Jahoda
Music Kazimierz Serocki
Cast
Jagienka Urszula Modrzynska
Danusia Grażyna Staniszewska
Jurand of Spychów Andrzej Szalowski
Siegfried von Löwe Henryk Borowski
Maćko of Bogdaniec Aleksander Foviel
Zbyszko of Bogdaniec Mieczyslaw Kalenik
King Władyslaw Jagiełło Emil Karewicz
Rotiger Tadeusz Kosudarski
Story
This is the love story of Zbyszek and Danusia. Her kidnapping forces the young knight Zbyszek, her father Jurand of Spychow and their noble friends to declare a private war against the Order of Teutonic Knights. Simultaneously a personal conflict develops between Jurand and Zygfryd de Löwe, Commander of the Order from Szczytno. The movie depicts the historical background of the hostile Polish-Teutonic relations that culminated in a military confrontation on the battlefield of Grunwald.

The first historical epos and mega production in the Polish cinema, made in celebration of the 550th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald.