EN
The articles provides an analysis of historical Polish themes in the American and European cinema. The analysis shows close relation between cinema and national literary and artistic tradition of the time. It was a general rule that subsequent transformations of popular themes were appearing, along with changing means of expression and technical capabilities. In that tradition Polish themes were rare and not many of them could be found in plots of contemporary historical fi lms. In keeping with that tradition, historical subject matter was freely travestied according to aesthetic and entertainment needs.