Maria Probosz Movies
Triumph of the Spirit is the true story of Salamo Arouch, a Greek-Jewish boxer imprisoned in Auschwitz during World War II. Arrested while attempting to help his family and friends escape the Nazi juggernaut, Arouch (Dafoe) is slated for extermination. He manages to survive--and to serve as an inspiration for his fellow inmates--by literally boxing for his life. He does this at the orders of his SS captors, who gamble on the outcome of Arouch's bouts. With each victory, Arouch is rewarded with extra bread rations, which he passes on to his family. Counterpointing the main story is the seemingly foredoomed romantic relationship between Arouch and female inmate Allegra (Wendy Gazelle). An uplifting coda rounds out this grim factual account. Triumph of the Spirit was filmed on location at Auschwitz--the first film of its kind to be lensed in that infamous locale. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Willem Dafoe, Edward James Olmos, (more)
- 1988
Stefan (Jan Peszek) is a scriptwriter who searches for someone to produce his next play in this film-industry spoof. Hounded by actors, his wife, and insufferable producers, Stefan runs into financial problems with his dentist and auto mechanic. He daydreams about producing his own features that include a send up of Gene Kelly's dance in Singing In The Rain along with a musical, a porno movie, a romantic melodrama, and a gangster feature. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jan Peszek, Grazyna Barszczewska, (more)
- 1987
Wojciech is nothing if not difficult, bitter, vituperative, cynical and suspicious. In this black comedy, he is also a quintessential victim of circumstances. Nothing seems to go right in his life, and this, it seems, is as it should be. As he tells his mousy wife, whom he hates with a special passion: "You have to be attractive to have attractive things happen to you." On one occasion, the decidedly unattractive man becomes subjected to harassment by not one but three policemen while out taking an innocent stroll. His family and neighbors receive the same treatment from him that he dishes out to his wife, and his nearly forgotten son appears to be storing up his unhappy experiences in order to have an Inner Life at least as rich (and ugly) as his father's. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Wojciech Wysocki, Maria Probosz, (more)
