Bielecki (Gregori Chmara) becomes determined to become a famous writer, but the means he employs in achieving his goal are far from ethical. Bielecki discourages his friend Jerzy Gorski (Artur Socha) by telling him his new work is rather poor, driving him into despair. But Bielecki is such a good friend that he even provides Gorski with the morphine so he can overdose too. With Gorski out of the way, Bielecki can now peddle his friend's book as his own. However, it doesn't take long for Bielecki's evil ways to catch up to him.
The film is set in 1905, in a time of feverish revolutionary underground activity in Poland partitioned between three neighbours. All the characters are committed anarchists. The bomb maker puts an invention together to place it at the disposal of young inexperienced terrorists fighting against Tsarist oppression. The story follows the passing of this bomb from anarchist to anarchist as several attempts are made on the life of Tsarist governor general, until, at the end, it is effectively and harmlessly defused by a bomb expert. The presence of the bomb has a destroying effect on all of the Polish revolutionaries, they either die or breakdown.
Post-WWI the Polish currency is practically worthless, and a timid bank clerk is pressured by gangsters, a temptress, and his fellow employees to help steal the bank's supply of dollars.
A young married couple is torn apart by WW1. When the news comes of her husband's death, Wanda marries another man, not knowing that her loved one is somewhere deep in the east.
Pan Tadeusz (film 1928) is a Polish historical film directed by Ryszard Ordynski based on the national epic of Poland, an 1834 poem by Adam Mickiewicz.
