Henryk Rydzewski

A Polish silent film from 1922, it was the first adaptation of Stefan Żeromski's 1912 novel "The Faithful River." The film's central theme is the love story of Prince Odrowąż, a wounded insurgent, and Salomea, and the fateful intervention of the prince's mother. The plot is complemented by allegorical tableaux vivants by Artur Grottger from the "Polonia" and "Lithuania" series. The final scene depicts a group of veterans of the January Uprising in independent Poland.

The film was made under the terms of the partition agreement and with the participation of Władysław Reymont. However, numerous cuts and alterations detracted from the film's educational intent. Only Mieczysław Frenkel, who made his screen debut with this film, received praise. The film has not survived to this day, all copies burned during World War II.

The film’s plot is set during the war between Poland and the Soviet Russia (1919 – 1921). Wartime brutally encroaches on the life of a couple in love – Franek and Hanka. The Bolshevik troops cause damage to Polish villages and manor houses, and in one of the manor houses the invaders have a carousel. Luckily, the Polish cavalry comes to the relief just in time. Unable to wait passively, Hanka becomes a sister of mercy in one of the field hospitals near Vilnius, while Franek gains wide recognition after capturing a Russian spy.

A bleak tale of an affair between an actress and a Russian officer, based on the real story of the affair between Maria Wisnowska and Aleksandr Barteniew.