The Master and Margarita (1988 TV series)

The Master and Margarita (Mistrz i Małgorzata) is a Polish television production of Polish Film Producers Teams (Zespoły Polskich Producentów Filmowych), based on the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov.

The Master and Margarita
The Master and Margarita (1988)
Also known asMistrz i Malgorzata
Created byMaciej Wojtyszko
Based onThe Master and Margarita
by Mikhail Bulgakov
StarringAnna Dymna
Władysław Kowalski
Gustaw Holoubek
Zbigniew Zapasiewicz
Janusz Michałowski
Country of originPoland
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes4
Production
Running time4 x 52 minutes
Release
Original releaseMarch 20, 1990 (1990-03-20)

Background

Director and screenwriter of this adaptation is Maciej Wojtyszko.

The story

Three layers

The film is an adaptation of the novel The Master and Margarita written by the Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov. Three storylines are interwoven.

  • The first one is a satire of the ‘30s in the 20th century, the period during which Joseph Stalin is in power in the Soviet Union. The demon Woland comes to Moscow to have his annual Spring Ball of the Full Moon. Together with his demonic suite, he challenges the corrupt lucky ones, bureaucrats and profiteers of that period in an hilarious way..
  • The second one is set in the biblical Yershalaim, and describes the inner struggle of Pontius Pilate before, during and after the conviction and execution of Yeshua Ha Nozri.
  • The third one tells the love story between a nameless writer in Moscow in the ’30s and his lover Margarita. The Master has written a novel on Pontius Pilate, a subject which was taboo in the officially atheistic Soviet Union.

Differences with the novel

This series follows faithfully the storyline of Bulgakov’s original novel, except for the nighttime scenes. While many scenes in Bulgakov’s novel are playing in the dark, it's always daytime in this adaptation. Due to the limited budget, Wojtyszko said he had focused on good acting rather than on special effects. At least one character was 'added' by the staff of Mr. Wojtyszko to the number appearing in the original novel by Bulgakov - i. e. a 'Ms. Karaulina' (featured by Ms. K. Sienkiewicz [1935-2017]) - a 'mother' (as she describes herself at the Griboyedov) and a writer, who 'wrote five kolkhoz novels in sixteen years with no leave', whose 'windows face a WC' and who is 'chased around the flat by a lunatic with axt'. As well, Anna Richardovna (featured by Ms. M. Zawadzka, b. 1944) is falsely described at the end of Part 2 as 'the secretary to Proleshnev' actually being one to Prokhor Petrovich.

Episodes

1. The Black Magic Séance
2. The Master
3. Margarita
4. Saying goodbye

Credits
  • Director: Maciej Wojtyszko
  • Screenplay: Maciej Wojtyszko
  • Production: CWPiFTV Poltel (Warszawa)
  • Camera: Dariusz Kuc

Main cast

Soundtrack

All tracks composed by Zbigniew Karnecki

Other screen adaptations of The Master and Margarita
To be expected
  • Logos Film Company - The Master and Margarita - 2018 (film)
  • Katariina Lillqvist - Mistr a Markétka - 2013 (animation film)
  • Nikolai Lebedev - Master i Margarita - 2019 (film)
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