A legendary piece of Polish surrealist cinema is making its way to streaming platforms this month. Wojciech Has's 1965 epic picaresque comedy The Saragossa Manuscript remains as bewildering and captivating today as when it first bewildered audiences nearly sixty years ago.
A Narrative Labyrinth Unfolds
The film begins during the Napoleonic wars in the Spanish town of Saragossa, where an officer discovers a fascinating manuscript about his own ancestor. The story then flashes back to follow the adventures of his grandfather, the nobleman Alfonse Van Worden, played by prominent Polish actor Zbigniew Cybulski.
Alfonse's journey through the parched landscapes of the Sierra Morena mountain range is anything but straightforward. He encounters grim gallows with hanged bandits, experiences erotic interludes with two Muslim princesses who demand his conversion, and finds himself arrested by the Spanish Inquisition. Throughout his travels, he meets a colourful cast including a hermit, a scholar of the occult, a mathematician, and a stylish Gypsy – all of whom contribute their own layered stories to the increasingly complex narrative tapestry.
Surrealism and Storytelling Chaos
The film's surrealism operates on multiple levels. Beyond the bizarre imagery of bleached skulls, crows, and mysterious inns, the true surrealist effect emerges from the bewildering juxtaposition of individual tales and anecdotes. Stories grow organically from other stories, creating a narrative kaleidoscope where meaning and resolution seem perpetually just out of reach.
This approach to storytelling creates a unique comedic effect through the jarring transitions between micro-narratives. The overall arc is consistently thwarted and undermined, leaving viewers in a state of delightful confusion. As Alfonse himself whimpers at one point: "I no longer know where reality ends and fantasy begins."
Enduring Influence and Legacy
The Saragossa Manuscript draws comparisons to literary giants like Cervantes and Borges, while also prefiguring the work of Alejandro Jodorowsky in its symbolic imagery and Terry Gilliam in its imaginative scope. The film's farcical encounters could easily be mistaken for a series of Monty Python sketches, shot in crisp, clean monochrome that gives the production the feel of binging on cult countercultural television from 1960s Poland.
What makes The Saragossa Manuscript particularly remarkable is its complete lack of irony and self-awareness. Despite its outrageous deviations from conventional storytelling, the film maintains a sense of innocence and refinement that makes its wild narrative swerves all the more compelling.
The film becomes available on the streaming service Klassiki from 20 November, offering new audiences the chance to experience this unique piece of cinema history that continues to influence filmmakers and captivate viewers with its pure narrative chaos.
