Ashes and Diamonds

Ashes and Diamonds

Touched with the fire and rebellion of a new generation of Polish film makers

1958 · 103 min · ★ 7.4 · Drama, War, Romance

A young academy soldier, Maciek Chelmicki, is ordered to shoot the secretary of the KW PPR. A coincidence causes him to kill someone else. Meeting face to face with his victim, he gets a shock. He faces the necessity of repeating the assassination. He meets Krystyna, a girl working as a barmaid in the restaurant of the "Monopol" hotel. His affection for her makes him even more aware of the senselessness of killing at the end of the war. Loyalty to the oath he took, and thus the obligation to obey the order, tips the scales.

Directed by Andrzej Wajda · Written by Jerzy Andrzejewski

Your Rating

Where to Watch

Streaming

HBO Max Amazon ChannelHBO Max

Rent or Buy

Amazon VideoApple TV StoreFandango At Home

Cast

Trailers & Videos

Make it a double feature

3h 19m together

Ashes and Diamonds

Kanal

Both from Andrzej Wajda.

More from Andrzej WajdaSee all →

Schindler's ListSchindler's List · 1993
Schindler's List
★ 8.61993
MovieDramaHistory
The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.
Ziemia obiecanaZiemia obiecana · 1978
Ziemia obiecana
★ 8.01978
Series
Tokyo OlympiadTokyo Olympiad · 1965
Tokyo Olympiad
★ 7.71965
MovieDocumentary
This impressionistic portrait of the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics pays as much attention to the crowds and workers as it does to the actual competitive events. Highlights include an epic pole-vaulting match between West Germany and America, and the final marathon race through Tokyo's streets. Two athletes are highlighted: Ethiopian marathon runner Abebe Bikila, who receives his second gold medal, and runner Ahamed Isa from Chad, representing a country younger than he is.
KanalKanal · 1957
Kanal
★ 7.61957
MovieWarDrama
In the last few days of the Warsaw Uprising during World War II, a modest group of Resistance members remains. The band must take refuge in the sewers under the orders of leader Zadra, but it's only a matter of time before they will have to emerge. However, when they try, they are met only with intense hostility from the Nazis. Despite their attempts stay resolute through immense mental strain, it becomes increasingly apparent that they may be doomed.
The Promised LandThe Promised Land · 1975
The Promised Land
★ 7.41975
MovieDramaHistory
At the turn of the century, Lodz, Poland, was a quick-paced manufacturing center for textiles, replete with cutthroat industrialists and unsafe working conditions. Three young friends, a Pole, a Jew, and a German, pool their money together to build a factory.
The WeddingThe Wedding · 1973
The Wedding
★ 7.31973
MovieDramaFantasy
Set at the turn of the century, the story concerns a Polish poet living in Cracow who has decided to marry a peasant girl. The wedding is attended by a heterogenous group of people from all strata of Polish society, who dance, get drunk and lament Poland's 100-year-long division under Russia, Prussia, and Austria. The bridegroom, a painter friend, and a journalist each in turn is confronted with spectres of Polish past.
InterrogationInterrogation · 1989
Interrogation
★ 7.11989
MovieDramaThriller
In Stalinist Poland, cabaret singer Tonia decides to spend the evening drinking with a group of friends. The next morning, she awakes to find that, for reasons unknown to her, she has been jailed as a political prisoner. As prison officials interrogate, torture and humiliate her, she fights for survival and to maintain her innocence by refusing to sign a false confession. As her years of imprisonment pass, her relationship with her captors grows more complicated.
Screen TwoScreen Two · 1985
Screen Two
★ 7.11985
SeriesDrama
Series of single made-for-television dramas.
The Third Part of the NightThe Third Part of the Night · 1972
The Third Part of the Night
★ 7.01972
MovieWarDrama
Set during the Nazi occupation of Poland, the story follows Michał, who witnesses the murder of his mother, wife and child and then is hurled into a life that is not his own; a surreal world littered with trapdoors, doppelgängers and wormholes.
Man of IronMan of Iron · 1981
Man of Iron
★ 7.01981
MovieDramaHistory
In Warsaw in 1980, the Communist Party sends disgruntled radio reporter Winkel to Gdańsk to dig up dirt on the shipyard strikers - particularly on Maciek Tomczyk, an independent labour union leader whose father was killed in the December 1970 protests. Posing as sympathetic, Winkel interviews the people surrounding Tomczyk, including his detained wife, Agnieszka.
As the Years Go By, As the Days Go By...As the Years Go By, As the Days Go By... · 1980
As the Years Go By, As the Days Go By...
★ 7.01980
SeriesDrama
Created to mark the 60th anniversary of Poland's regained independence, Andrzej Wajda's acclaimed seven-hour stage production As the Years Go By, As the Days go By... follows two Kraków families between 1874 and 1914.
Broken SilenceBroken Silence · 2002
Broken Silence
★ 7.02002
SeriesDocumentary
“Broken Silence” is composed of five hourlong shorts from a quintet of international directors: Hungary’s Janos Szasz (“Eyes of the Holocaust”), Argentina’s Luis Puenzo (“Some Who Lived”), Russia’s Pavel Chukhraj (“Children From the Abyss”), the Czech Republic’s Vojtech Jasny (“Hell on Earth”) and Poland’s Andrzej Wajda (“I Remember”). The helmers, some descendants of Holocaust survivors, focus on the atrocities within their particular parts of the world, with testimonials, pictures and an overall tone as they pertain to each region’s culture and history.
DantonDanton · 1983
Danton
★ 6.91983
MovieDramaHistory
Danton and Robespierre were close friends and fought together in the French Revolution, but by 1793 Robespierre was France's ruler, determined to wipe out opposition with a series of mass executions that became known as the Reign of Terror. Danton, well known as a spokesman of the people, had been living in relative solitude in the French countryside, but he returned to Paris to challenge Robespierre's violent rule and call for the people to demand their rights. Robespierre, however, could not accept such a challenge, even from a friend and colleague, and he blocked out a plan for the capture and execution of Danton and his allies.
The French as Seen by…The French as Seen by… · 1988
The French as Seen by…
★ 6.91988
MovieWarDocumentary
In 1988, Figaro magazine asked a few famous directors to direct a series of short movies to celebrate the 10 years of the revue. The movies have been released for the French revolution bicentenary. Includes: Werner Herzog's Les Gaulois, David Lynch's The Cowboy and the Frenchman, Andrzej Wajda's Proust contre la déchéance, Luigi Comencini's Pèlerinage à Agen, Jean-Luc Godard's Le dernier mot.
KatynKatyn · 2007
Katyn
★ 6.72007
MovieDramaHistory
On September 1st, 1939, Nazi Germany invades Poland, unleashing World War II. On September 17th, the Soviet Red Army crosses the border. The Polish army, unable to fight on two fronts, is defeated. Thousands of Polish men, both military and government officials, are captured by the invaders. Their fate will only be known several years later.
Love at TwentyLove at Twenty · 1962
Love at Twenty
★ 6.71962
MovieDramaRomance
Love at Twenty unites five directors from five different countries to present their different perspectives on what love really is at the age of 20. The episodes are united with the score of Georges Delerue and still photos of Henri Cartier-Bresson.

More Like This

The Good GermanThe Good German · 2006
The Good German
★ 5.82006
MovieDramaMystery
An American journalist arrives in Berlin just after the end of World War Two. He becomes involved in a murder mystery surrounding a dead GI who washes up at a lakeside mansion during the Potsdam negotiations between the Allied powers. Soon his investigation connects with his search for his married pre-war German lover.
Trouble in ParadiseTrouble in Paradise · 1932
Trouble in Paradise
★ 7.41932
MovieComedyCrime
Thief Gaston Monescu and pickpocket Lily are partners in crime and love. Working for perfume company executive Mariette Colet, the two crooks decide to combine their criminal talents to rob their employer. Under the alias of Monsieur Laval, Gaston uses his position as Mariette's personal secretary to become closer to her. However, he takes things too far when he actually falls in love with Mariette, and has to choose between her and Lily.
To Be or Not to BeTo Be or Not to Be · 1942
To Be or Not to Be
★ 7.81942
MovieComedyWar
During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.
The Wages of FearThe Wages of Fear · 1953
The Wages of Fear
★ 8.01953
MovieDramaThriller
In a run-down South American town, four men are paid to drive trucks loaded with nitroglycerin into the jungle through to the oil field. Friendships are tested and rivalries develop as they embark upon the perilous journey.
Three Colors: BlueThree Colors: Blue · 1993
Three Colors: Blue
★ 7.61993
MovieDrama
The wife of a famous composer survives a car accident that kills her husband and daughter. Now alone, she shakes off her old identity and explores her newfound freedom but finds that she is unbreakably bound to other humans, including her husband’s mistress, whose existence she never suspected.
All About My MotherAll About My Mother · 1999
All About My Mother
★ 7.61999
MovieComedyDrama
Following the tragic death of her teenage son, Manuela travels from Madrid to Barcelona in an attempt to contact the long-estranged father the boy never knew. She reunites with an old friend, an outspoken transgender sex worker, and befriends a troubled actress and a pregnant, HIV-positive nun.
FreaksFreaks · 1932
Freaks
★ 7.81932
MovieDramaHorror
A circus' beautiful trapeze artist agrees to marry the leader of side-show performers, but his deformed friends discover she is only marrying him for his inheritance.
Three Colors: RedThree Colors: Red · 1994
Three Colors: Red
★ 7.91994
MovieDramaMystery
Part-time model Valentine unexpectedly befriends a retired judge after she runs over his dog. At first, the grumpy man shows no concern about the dog, and Valentine decides to keep it. But the two form a bond when she returns to his house and catches him listening to his neighbors’ phone calls.
Anatomy of a MurderAnatomy of a Murder · 1959
Anatomy of a Murder
★ 7.81959
MovieCrimeDrama
Semi-retired Michigan lawyer Paul Biegler takes the case of Army Lt. Manion, who murdered a local innkeeper after his wife claimed that he raped her. Over the course of an extensive trial, Biegler parries with District Attorney Lodwick and out-of-town prosecutor Claude Dancer to set his client free, but his case rests on the victim's mysterious business partner, who's hiding a dark secret.
All Quiet on the Western FrontAll Quiet on the Western Front · 1930
All Quiet on the Western Front
★ 7.81930
MovieDramaWar
When a group of idealistic young men join the German Army during the Great War, they are assigned to the Western Front, where their patriotism is destroyed by the harsh realities of combat.
Wings of DesireWings of Desire · 1987
Wings of Desire
★ 7.81987
MovieDramaFantasy
Two angels, Damiel and Cassiel, glide through the streets of Berlin, observing the bustling population, providing invisible rays of hope to the distressed but never interacting with them. When Damiel falls in love with lonely trapeze artist Marion, the angel longs to experience life in the physical world, and finds — with some words of wisdom from actor Peter Falk — that it might be possible for him to take human form.
Breaking the WavesBreaking the Waves · 1996
Breaking the Waves
★ 7.51996
MovieDramaRomance
In a small, conservative Scottish village, an oilman is paralyzed in an accident. His wife, who prayed for his return, feels guilty; even more, when he urges her to have sex with another.
The 400 BlowsThe 400 Blows · 1959
The 400 Blows
★ 8.01959
MovieDrama
For young Parisian boy Antoine Doinel, life is one difficult situation after another. Surrounded by inconsiderate adults, including his neglectful parents, Antoine spends his days with his best friend, Rene, trying to plan for a better life. When one of their schemes goes awry, Antoine ends up in trouble with the law, leading to even more conflicts with unsympathetic authority figures.
Some Like It HotSome Like It Hot · 1959
Some Like It Hot
★ 8.11959
MovieComedyRomance
In Prohibition-era Chicago, musicians Joe and Jerry witness a mob hit, and flee the state in an all-female band disguised as Josephine and Daphne, but further complications set in.
The KillingThe Killing · 1956
The Killing
★ 7.61956
MovieCrimeThriller
Career criminal Johnny Clay recruits a sharpshooter, a crooked police officer, a bartender and a betting teller named George, among others, for one last job before he goes straight and gets married. But when George tells his restless wife about the scheme to steal millions from the racetrack where he works, she hatches a plot of her own.
The Cabinet of Dr. CaligariThe Cabinet of Dr. Caligari · 1920
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
★ 7.91920
MovieDramaHorror
Francis, a young man, recalls in his memory the horrible experiences he and his fiancée Jane recently went through. Francis and his friend Alan visit The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, an exhibit where the mysterious doctor shows the somnambulist Cesare, and awakens him for some moments from his death-like sleep.
Ali: Fear Eats the SoulAli: Fear Eats the Soul · 1974
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul
★ 7.71974
MovieRomanceDrama
Emmi Kurowski, a cleaning lady, is lonely in her old age. Her husband died years ago, and her grown children offer little companionship. One night she goes to a bar frequented by Arab immigrants and strikes up a friendship with middle-aged mechanic Ali. Their relationship soon develops into something more, and Emmi's family and neighbors criticize their spontaneous marriage. Soon Emmi and Ali are forced to confront their own insecurities about their future.

More on MaxSee all →

The BatmanThe Batman · 2022
The Batman
★ 7.72022
MovieCrimeMystery
In his second year of fighting crime, Batman uncovers corruption in Gotham City that connects to his own family while facing a serial killer known as the Riddler.
InterstellarInterstellar · 2014
Interstellar
★ 8.52014
MovieAdventureDrama
The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone · 2001
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
★ 7.92001
MovieAdventureFantasy
Harry Potter has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle's house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday, he learns he's a powerful wizard—with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he learns to harness his newfound powers with the help of the school's kindly headmaster, Harry uncovers the truth about his parents' deaths—and about the villain who's to blame.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King · 2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
★ 8.52003
MovieAdventureFantasy
As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.​
Dune: Part TwoDune: Part Two · 2024
Dune: Part Two
★ 8.12024
MovieScience FictionAdventure
Follow the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, Paul endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
SupergirlSupergirl · 2026
Supergirl
★ 6.62026
MovieActionAdventure
When an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice.
InceptionInception · 2010
Inception
★ 8.42010
MovieActionScience Fiction
Cobb, a skilled thief who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: "inception", the implantation of another person's idea into a target's subconscious.
The Dark KnightThe Dark Knight · 2008
The Dark Knight
★ 8.52008
MovieActionThriller
Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.
Friday the 13thFriday the 13th · 1980
Friday the 13th
★ 6.41980
MovieHorror
Camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp that was the site of a child's drowning.
DuneDune · 2021
Dune
★ 7.82021
MovieScience FictionAdventure
Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence - a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential - only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets · 2002
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
★ 7.72002
MovieAdventureFantasy
Cars fly, trees fight back, and a mysterious house-elf comes to warn Harry Potter at the start of his second year at Hogwarts. Adventure and danger await when bloody writing on a wall announces: The Chamber Of Secrets Has Been Opened. To save Hogwarts will require all of Harry, Ron and Hermione's magical abilities and courage.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban · 2004
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
★ 8.02004
MovieAdventureFantasy
Harry Potter's life is in danger once more as dangerous wizard Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban Prison and is heading to Hogwarts.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire · 2005
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
★ 7.82005
MovieAdventureFantasy
When his name emerges from the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter becomes a competitor in a grueling battle for glory among three wizarding schools. Signs of Voldemort's return emerge as Harry's friends help him prepare for the Triwizard Tournament.
The MatrixThe Matrix · 1999
The Matrix
★ 8.31999
MovieActionScience Fiction
Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth.
A Minecraft MovieA Minecraft Movie · 2025
A Minecraft Movie
★ 6.22025
MovieFamilyFantasy
Four misfits find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they'll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 · 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
★ 8.12011
MovieAdventureFantasy
Harry, Ron and Hermione continue their quest to vanquish the evil Voldemort once and for all. Just as things begin to look hopeless for the young wizards, Harry discovers a trio of magical objects that endow him with powers to rival Voldemort's formidable skills.
SupermanSuperman · 2025
Superman
★ 7.32025
MovieScience FictionAdventure
Superman, a journalist in Metropolis, embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring · 2001
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
★ 8.42001
MovieAdventureFantasy
Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer and make sure that the ring arrives at its final destination: Mt. Doom, the only place where it can be destroyed.
Mortal Kombat IIMortal Kombat II · 2026
Mortal Kombat II
★ 7.82026
MovieActionFantasy
The fan favorite champions—now joined by Johnny Cage himself—are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.
JokerJoker · 2019
Joker
★ 8.12019
MovieCrimeThriller
During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter