TheDollisanadaptationofthenovel,TheDoll(novel)byBolesławPrus,whichisregardedbymanyasoneofthefinestPolishnovelseverwrittenand,alongwithPharaoh(novel),madeBolesławPrusapotentialcandidatefortheNobelPrizeinliterature.TheinfluenceofÉmileZolaisevident,andsomehavecomparedthenoveltoMadameBovarybyGustaveFlaubertbothwerePrus'scontemporaries.Themovie,however,maybemorecomparedtoStendhal'sLeRougeetleNoir,(TheRedandtheBlack).
TheDollconstitutesapanoramaoflifeinWarsawbetween1878and1879,andatthesametimeisasubtlestoryofthreegenerationsofPolishidealists,theirpsychologicalcomplications,theirinvolvementinthehistoryofthenineteenthcentury,socialdramas,moralproblemsandtheexperienceoftragicexistence.Atthesametimethisstorydescribesthedisintegrationofsocialrelationshipsandthegrowingseparationofasocietywhosearistocraticelitespreadsthemodelsofvanityandidleness.Inthebadairofabackwardcountry,anti-Semiticideasareborn,valuableindividualsmeetobstaclesontheirway,andscoundrelsaresuccessful.
Thispoeticlovestoryfollowsanouveaurichemerchant,StanislawWokulski,throughaseriesoftrialsandtribulationsoccasionedbyhisobsessivepassionforanaristocraticbeauty,IzabelaLecka,playedbythefamousPolishactress,BeataTyszkiewicz.
Plot:
AsadescendantofanimpoverishedPolishnoblefamily,youngWokulskiisforcedtoworkasawaiteratHopfer's,aWarsawrestaurant,whiledreamingofalifeinscience.Aftertakingpartinthefailed1863UprisingagainstTsaristRussia,heissentencedtoexileinSiberia.OneventualreturntoWarsaw,hebecomesasalesmanatMincel'shaberdashery.Marryingthelateowner'swidow(whoeventuallydies),hecomesintomoneyandusesittosetupapartnershipwithaRussianmerchanthehadmetwhileinexile.ThetwomerchantsgotoBulgariaduringtheRusso-TurkishWarof1877-78,andWokulskimakesafortunesupplyingtheRussianArmy.TheenterprisingWokulskinowprovesaromanticatheart,fallinginlovewithIzabela,daughterofthevacuous,bankruptaristocrat,TomaszŁęcki.InhisquesttowinIzabela,Wokulskibeginsfrequentingtheatresandaristocraticsalonsandtohelpherfinanciallydistressedfather,foundsacompanyandsetsthearistocratsupasshareholdersinhisbusiness.Theindolenceofthesearistocrats,whosecurewiththeirpensions,aretoolazytoundertakenewbusinessrisks,frustratesWokulski.Hisabilitytomakemoneyisrespectedbuthislackoffamilyandsocialrankiscondescendedto.Becauseofhis"help"(insecret)toIzabela'simpecuniousbutinfluentialfather,thegirlbecomesawareofhisaffection.Intheendsheconsentstoaccepthim,butwithouttruedevotionorlove.(wikipedia)