The Stone Sky (1959)

Original title: Kamienne niebo

A deeply touching psychological drama adapted from the novel 'Kamienne niebo' showing the Warsaw Uprising through the prism of civilians’ tragedy. A classic feature trick of locking characters up in a confined space allowed the film creators to focus on the psychological portraits of their characters and the experience of an individual facing a hopeless situation. Warsaw, the last days of the Warsaw Uprising. A few inhabitants are imprisoned under the rubble of a tenement house in the Old Town. To start with the characters are not very worried by the incident. They are convinced they will be freed soon, however no help is in sight. They run out of food and their attempts to get out of the trap prove unsuccessful. Every captive reacts differently to the extreme and life-threatening situation. A Warsaw wheeler-dealer Maniuś tries to take some action, an old professor loses his eyesight and the seemingly rational janitor goes crazy… The last oil-lamp goes out.