Frantisek Pechka was widely known for the role of Gustav Elen in the serial film about the war "Four Tankers and a Dog." This Polish actor has played many roles in film and theater throughout his life. Despite his popularity, he prefers not to attract special attention in his daily life. He is much calmer to live in a house that will "stand apart from everyone."
short biography
The actor was born on January 18, 1928 in the city of Godow (Poland). At twenty-six, he graduated from a theater school in Warsaw. At the same time, he played his first role in the movie - the German patrol in the film "Generation" directed by Andrzej Wajda.
Frantisek Pechka is known for his work in the theater. During his career, he played in the troupes of the city of Jelenia Gora, Krakow, Warsaw. Since 1974, he was listed as an actor in the Povšehny Theater (Warsaw).
Filmography
Actor Frantisek Pechka for his life starred in a huge number of films. Many of them were quite popular and famous.
List of several roles:
- Müller in The Promised Land brought an element of comic into the social drama.
- Audrin in "Mother John of the Angels." The film has a real historical incident that happened in a monastery.
- The Apostle Peter in "Camo Comes?". The film received mixed reviews from critics.
- Pacheco in the “Manuscript Found in Zaragoza”. The film received worldwide success at the beginning of the 21st century, after it was restored and released on disks. This was sponsored by rock guitarist Jerry Garcia, Martin Scorsese, Francis F. Coppola.
- Sergeant Pelka in The Liberation. The epic consists of five parts, telling about the events of the war from 1943 to Victory Day.
Frantisek Pechka starred, whose biography is little known in other films released from 1954 to 2006. At the same time, one should not forget his work in the theater, the last is the production of "Iron Construction".
Over the years, he tried on the masks of many characters. He was a patrolman, a nurse, a peasant, a military man, a restorer of paintings, a priest, a sailor, an innkeeper. He skillfully embodied all these images. Once the Polish film director Kazimierz Kutz said about him that Pechka "... can safely take on the role of the Lord God."
Role in the film “Four Tankers and a Dog”
Before filming in the film, the actor was already quite famous both in his own country and in the USSR. The image of Gustlik did not introduce him in the network of one role, as happened with the actor Janusz Gayos, who played Jan Kos.
Frantisek Pechka after the release of the first episodes began to receive many offers from directors. The premiere of the film 09.09.1966. Further, the series was shown in three stages - 1966, 1969, 1970. During this time, 21 episodes, each of 50-60 minutes each, were shot and released on television. All series had their own names and the logical conclusion to the plot.
The series belongs to the genre of military and adventure cinema. Its directors were Andrzej Chekalsky and Konrad Naletsky.
Gustlik Elen
One of the main characters of the film is Gustlik. He was born in Poland, and before the war he worked as a blacksmith at a factory in Silesia. This region in national historical terms was associated with Germany, therefore, one of the first was annexed to the Third Reich.
The hero has Germans among his relatives. Initially, he was called up to fight on the side of Germany, but was sent to the Eastern Front and soon switched to the side of the Red Army.
He was incredible in strength. An example is the episode in which Gustlik was able to twist a nail with his bare hands, pulling it out of the pine before it. Mechanic Gregory drove a nail into a tree with the help of a tank.
By nature, Gustlik was a good-natured man; he often restrained his comrades from committing rash acts, including harming captured Germans. Once he even makes acquaintance with Kugel, who was at that time a captured German officer. Together they help the Soviet troops enter the city of Ritsen. Subsequently, Kugel is involved in the restoration of the liberated city.
There is also a lyrical line in the film Four Tankers and a Dog. Gustav is in love with his countrywoman, whom she and her comrades freed from the Germans. The last series, entitled "Home" ends with a double wedding of heroes. Yanek marries Marus, and Gustlik on his beloved Honorat.
Together with his team, which consisted of three Poles, one Georgian and a dog named Sharik, the heroes became a well-coordinated crew of the T-34 tank. Officially, he had tail number 102, but according to the plot of the film he was given the nickname "Red" in honor of one of the heroines who had reddish hair.
Actor awards
For any actor, the biggest reward is the love of the audience and the demand among directors. This was more in the work of Frantisek Pechka than he would have liked.
For his work, Frantisek Pechka was awarded:
- in 1974 - the Golden Cross of Merit;
- in 1998 - the title of Commander and star of the Order of the Renaissance of Poland;
- in 2008 - the gold medal "For Merits in Culture";
- in 2011 - the grand cross of the Order of the Renaissance of Poland.