Students (1916)

Overview

The story follows two young students, Ładnowski and Paszkowski. Bound by honour, Ładnowski marries the woman he loves. Paszkowski, however, abandons his lover the moment she tells him she is pregnant. Left alone and unable to support herself, she dies, leaving behind a baby daughter named Pola. Years later, Pola has grown into a beautiful young woman working in a fashion salon. One day she delivers a dress to the home of her unknown father, the engineer Paszkowski. Captivated by her charm, he takes her under his wing. Pola soon becomes a celebrated dancer. After the death of his wife, Paszkowski falls madly in love with her and wishes to marry her. Out of gratitude, Pola is prepared to make this sacrifice—even though she herself loves the young painter Henryk, who is Ładnowski’s son. Thus life, more vivid and intricate than any poet’s invention, creates a tangled and tragic dilemma. No copies of the film have survived.