Sól ziemi czarnej

A Polish war film that pays tribute to a group of Silesians that rose up against their German occupiers in 1920. Though details of character and setting are well rendered, the parts do not add up to a compelling whole. The understated plot is told through the eyes of a 16-year-old boy, the youngest of a family of seven brothers that are sent off by their patriotic father to join the force aimed at reuniting Silesia with Poland. Despite the director's technical abilities and apparent dedication to the subject matter, the movie is long and unwieldy. Even the exceptional cinematography cannot alleviate the boredom. Released in the U.S. in 1971 as The Taste of the Black Earth.