From a Far Country

From a Far Country

140 mins | Drama, History | Sept. 15, 1981

This heroic story follows the life of Karol Wojtyla, a Polish Roman catholic who ascends the throne of St. Peter as Pope John Paul II. As a young boy, Karol is a bright and talented student. Archbishop Sapieha recognizes the very special, moving qualities Karol possesses and encourages him to consider the priesthood. Although determined to study Polish literature, Karol turns to the church; he is ordained and studies in Italy, France, and Belgium. Torn by fear and repression in post-Stalin Eastern Europe, Karol becomes a poisonous thorn in the communists' side. His deer reverence and commitment return him to Poland as Pope John Paul II.

From a Far Country

140 mins | Drama, History | Sept. 15, 1981

From a Far Country
This heroic story follows the life of Karol Wojtyla, a Polish Roman catholic who ascends the throne of St. Peter as Pope John Paul II. As a young boy, Karol is a bright and talented student. Archbishop Sapieha recognizes the very special, moving qualities Karol possesses and encourages him to consider the priesthood. Although determined to study Polish literature, Karol turns to the church; he is ordained and studies in Italy, France, and Belgium. Torn by fear and repression in post-Stalin Eastern Europe, Karol becomes a poisonous thorn in the communists' side. His deer reverence and commitment return him to Poland as Pope John Paul II.
IMDb rating 5.3
Producers Film Polski Film Agency, ITC, RAI, Trans World Film
Original title From a Far Country
Directors Krzysztof Zanussi
Writers Jan Józef Szczepański, Andrzej Kijowski, Krzysztof Zanussi, Diego Fabbri, Vincenzo Labella

Cast

Sam Neill

as Marian

Christopher Cazenove

as Tadek Sobański

Lisa Harrow

as Wanda

John Welsh

as Priest

Maurice Denham

as Sapieha

Cezary Morawski

as Karol Wojtyła

Daniel Olbrychski

as Captain

Andrzej Łapicki

as German Officer

Zbigniew Zapasiewicz

as Mieczysław Kotlarczyk

Piotr Fronczewski

as Palitsch

Marek Kondrat

as Policeman

Jerzy Stuhr

as Engineer

Jerzy Nowak

as Professor

Warren Clarke

as Władek

Jonathan Blake

as Jozef

Kathleen Byron

as Tadek's Mother

Carol Gillies

as Wladek's Wife

Philip Latham

as Chaplain

Emma Relph

as Magda

Susan Dutton

as Activist

Rupert Frazer

as 1st Security Officer

Michael Jayston

as Narrator (voice)

Kazimierz Borowiec

as Wladek's Father (Christ in the Passion)

Simon Dutton

as Assistant

Anne Dyson

as Wladek's Mother

Kazimierz Kursa

as Father Kolbe

Edward Linde-Lubaszenko

as Priest from Warsaw

Matthew Long

as Official

Timothy Morand

as Operator

Geoffrey Russell

as Curate

Andrew Seear

as Stefan

Philip Trewinnard

as Investigating Official

Andrzej Żarnecki

as Karol Wojtyla's Father

Malgorzata Zajaczkowska

as Nun (uncredited)