Warsaw 1930s: The Hoodlums' polka - Adolf Dymsza

A u mnie siup, a u mnie cyk -- fox-polka z filmu "Dodek na froncie" ("When I do something it's done allright, and it's done at once" foxtrot - polka from film comedy "Dodek On The Front") (H.Wars /E.Schlechter) -- Adolf Dymsza & Orkiestra Syrena Rekord, 1936

NOTE: It is a true problem to translate that slang (or so to say, a "Polish cockney") term "A u mnie siup, a u mnie cyk". I a really rough interpretation it goes like: "When I do something it's done allright, and it'ts done at once". It could, however, mean as well "at me all goes fine, all goes right". In prewar Poland, such tongue was typical for big city street characters, especially in Warsaw -- the jargon of the guys who were not particularily dangerous, yet not very recommended for a naive newcomer to make deals with. If we were to find equivalent in other urban cultures, in London their perfect picture can be found in Noel Gay's musical comedy from 1938, "Me and My Girl".

In Poland, the best impersonator of such types was actor, singer and entertainer Adolf DYMSZA (his popular nickname was "Dodek"). Born in Warsaw in 1900, in age if 15 he started working in theatres as a busboy. He had to wait quite long for his first bigger role. In 1925 he debuted in "Qui pro Quo" as singer and dancer, immediately conquering the audience with his natural juvenile wit and temperamental performances of Warsaw street types. Having gained a permanent engagement in "Qui pro Quo", he quickly became a favourite of Warsaw. The numerous roles in film comedies eg. Ułani ułani-chłopcy malowani (Uhlans, uhlans, the Painted Boys, 1932), Sto metrów miłości (A Hundred Meters of Love, 1932), Bolek i Lolek, (Bolek And Lolek, 1936), Dodek na froncie (Dodek On The Front, 1936), ABC miłości (ABC Of Love, 1935), Niedorajda (Bungler, 1937), Robert i Bertrand (Robert & Bertrand, 1938), Sportowiec mimo woli (Involuntary Champion, 1939) made of him an icon of prewar Polish comedy. Unfortunately, reluctant or too busy to make recordings, he left only a handful of sides with great hits from his cabaret or film performances, written especially for him by best composers and lyricists.

After the German and Soviet invasion of Poland in September 1939, having ignored Polish actors' general boycott of such engaments Adolf Dymsza continued his career in the Nazi-administered cabaters of Warsaw. Yet, after 1945 when Second World War was over, his disloyal attitude to the patriotic attitude was quickly forgotten by Polish fans of his talent. Perhaps, need to laugh again was strong enough in the society so deeply traumatised by the atrocities of war, and Dymsza's talent in evoking happy-go-lucky air of the past Warsaw street was highly desirable. Also, rather proletaryan style of his roles was a helpful circumstance in revival of his career in a postwar communist Poland. After few years of being banned from public performing in Warsaw, in 1951 Dymsza was back on stage of the Warsaw comedy theatre "Syrena" and in the movies: Sprawa do załatwienia (A Matter to Fix, 1953 ) Irena, do domu! (Irena, Go Back Home!, 1955), Kariera Nikodema Dyzmy (The Career of Nikodem Dyzma, 1956), Cafe pod Minogą (The Lampreys' Cafe, 1959), Pan Dodek (Sir Dodek, 1970) In 1975, Dymsza died as resident of the Old Actor's Home in Góra Kalwaria near Warsaw.

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[XxXEMOBOYx]

Jedna z moich ulubionych polek! :D

[240252]

@XxXEMOBOYx Kiedyś będę musiał zaprezentować tez drugą stronę tej płyty - "Marysia", znana również w wyk. Chóru Dana. Ale za tą akurat piosenką zbytnio nie przepadam, choć orkiestralnie jest wykonana bodaj czy nawet nie jeszcze lepiej, niż ta polka. Ku memu zaskoczeniu, nawet trochę Dymszy jest tu na You Tube, również zupełnie mi nieznane jego nagrania dla Odeonu.

[dzheger]

Love the pounding cheerful rhythm. Grossowna, at 2:12, is the epitome of noble good looks. I remember her from your previous uploads. No peroxide glamor here, only uniquely elegant beauty.

[240252]

@dzheger I love her role in "Zapomniana melodia" (A Forgotten Tune) - one of the last Polish comedies before 1939 - where she dances a hot foxtrott on tables of the classroom accompanied by other students: a Polish version of the famous dance scene from the American film "Varsity Drag" with Ann Pennington. Yet, Grossowna presents that hot number in her own natural style and with that radiant joie de vivre that was one of her hallmarks. And - no peroxide glamour, I agree (oh, I love this term!)

[gfks11]

Once more very enjoyable....lovely Polka... and pics!!!!

[240252]

@gfks11 Thank you, I alsovery much enjoyed selecting photographs to this movie. Dymsza was such a picturesque actor and he incorporated so many various types that it was a satisfaction to look through all these posters and shots and to present at least a handful of his huge legacy

[240252]

@amarys2art Thank you...From time to time, one little polka can be useful among all these elegant foxtrotts and passionate tangoes :-))

[240252]

@barbcard Yes, it's a very good comparison with the "Wedding Dance". Indeed, in this Dymsza's polka you can almost feel the heavy clatter of the thick wooden soles and heels against a pine plank floor during some suburbian fun. 

[240252]

@tango3721 Twenty five years later, in 1980 another version of "Kariera Nikodema Dyzmy"was filmed in Poland with a fabulous title role by Roman Wilhelmi who created much much more predatory & merciless character than Dymsza did in 1956. You should see it!: it is still available on DVD as TV serial. It's a perfect portrait of the life in social "upper zone" of politicians, aristocracy and all these dusky gescheft - makers in prewar Poland. Also, fabulous is the decors and accuracy in details

[tango3721]

Hello Grzegorz - I vividly remember Dymsza in "Kariera Nikodema Dyzmy". Dolega-Mostowicz wrote some awesome stories. His style of narration had that enviable element of hugely involving the reader - so his stories were "hard to put down".

Truth be told - I read the story with hardly putting the book down. The movie adaptation - I could pause - even though Dymsza's performance was - flawless. Thanks and have a great day!

[barbcard]

In illiterate American slang, this is "sure different." The rhythms make me feel warm on this freezing day; somehow, I keep imagining Brueghel's painting "The Wedding Dance" though I know this dance is Polish, not Flemish.