Mark of Cain

"A historical adventure film about the betrayal of one’s own conscience."

1989 1h 41m PL

🤯

10.0

MASTERPIECE

★10.0TMDB · 1

DramaHistoryAction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In 1866, as Austria faces war with Prussia, 19-year-old Ludvík Machl joins a secret Czech resistance group. When he is caught with stolen funds and a weapon, the police commissioner spares him from prison on the condition that he work as an informant. Trapped by fear and betrayal, Ludvík is forced down a path that leads inexorably toward his own destruction.

“A historical adventure film about the betrayal of one’s own conscience.”

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Cast

Olaf Lubaszenko
Ludvík Machl
Petr Čepek
Capt. Truxa
Wiktor Zborowski
Capt. Truxa (voice)
Anna Majcher
Kitty
Michał Pawlicki
Count Rożyński
Adam Ferency
Roman Zalewski
Jiří Kodet
Commissioner Lottes
Jerzy Kryszak
Commissioner Lottes (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Janusz Majewski
Writers: Vladimír Körner
Languages: Polish
Countries: Czechoslovakia, Poland

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Czechoslovakia, Poland.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Janusz Majewski, shot by Richard Valenta. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Jerzy Matuszkiewicz. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Elżbieta Kurkowska shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Olaf Lubaszenko and Petr Čepek and Wiktor Zborowski carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "A historical adventure film about the betrayal of one’s own conscience.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0097139 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Janusz Majewski directs. Richard Valenta behind the camera. Jerzy Matuszkiewicz scores. Elżbieta Kurkowska cuts. Produced in Czechoslovakia, Poland. Dialogue in Polish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

137 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2International production across 2 countries: Czechoslovakia, Poland.
3Directed by Janusz Majewski, shot by Richard Valenta. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Jerzy Matuszkiewicz. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Elżbieta Kurkowska shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Olaf Lubaszenko and Petr Čepek and Wiktor Zborowski carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "A historical adventure film about the betrayal of one’s own conscience.".
8IMDB entry: tt0097139 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 1 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.