Richard J. Brzostek - 10/27/2008 
"It's Spring, Sergeant" (Wiosna, Panie Sierzancie) is a great comedy about a quaint town and it's police sergeant. Sergeant Wladyslaw Lichniak (Józef Nowak) goes out of his way to help the people in his town. He cheers the birth of every child, as it adds another citizen to his town, and is saddened every time someone moves out of it. The feeling is mutual as the townspeople adore him and seek his advice. The people also go out of their way to help him. The relationship between the sergeant and the townspeople is unique and often very funny.
In a way, I consider "It's Spring, Sergeant" an unwilling romance because the sergeant falls in love reluctantly. A much younger woman peruses him for some time and he gives in eventually. She has a boyfriend but her boyfriend's mother doesn't like her so she changes her attention onto the town hero.
Many scenes take place on the waterfront. Although it probably isn't, one could almost get the impression the town is an island because people come and go by the ferry. Some people feel the town is isolated and that a better life awaits them in a bigger city. I would say that an underlining theme in this movie is the idea some have of the grass being greener on the other side.
Tadeusz Chmielewski directs "It's Spring, Sergeant." Chmielewski is best known for directing "Jak Rozpetalem Druga Wojne Swiatowa/How I Unleashed World War II," but has also worked in the film industry as an actor, writer and producer.
"It's Spring, Sergeant" is a mostly lighthearted comedy. The humor doesn't let up and just about every minute is funny. For example, when Sergeant Lichniak is directing traffic, it causes a big mess because the town people are not used to seeing the signals and he isn't used to using them. "It's Spring, Sergeant" also has an element of unpredictability, as one might expect in Polish films, which may give the viewer a surprise or two. |
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