The Doll is an adaptation of the novel, The Doll (novel) by Bolesław Prus, which is regarded by many as one of the finest Polish novels ever written and, along with Pharaoh (novel), made Bolesław Prus a potential candidate for the Nobel Prize in literature. The influence of Émile Zola is evident, and some have compared the novel to Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert; both were Prus's contemporaries. The movie, however, may be more compared to Stendhal's Le Rouge et le Noir, (The Red and the Black). The Doll constitutes a panorama of life in Warsaw between 1878 and 1879, and at the same time is a subtle story of three generations of Polish idealists, their psychological complications, their involvement in the history of the nineteenth century, social dramas, moral problems and the experience of tragic existence. At the same time this story describes the disintegration of social relationships and the growing separation of a society whose aristocratic elite spreads the models of vanity and idleness. In the bad air of a backward country, anti-Semitic ideas are born, valuable individuals meet obstacles on their way, and scoundrels are successful. This poetic love story follows a nouveau riche merchant, Stanislaw Wokulski, through a series of trials and tribulations occasioned by his obsessive passion for an aristocratic beauty, Izabela Lecka, played by the famous Polish actress, Beata Tyszkiewicz. Plot: As a descendant of an impoverished Polish noble family, young Wokulski is forced to work as a waiter at Hopfer's, a Warsaw restaurant, while dreaming of a life in science. After taking part in the failed 1863 Uprising against Tsarist Russia, he is sentenced to exile in Siberia. On eventual return to Warsaw, he becomes a salesman at Mincel's haberdashery. Marrying the late owner's widow (who eventually dies), he comes into money and uses it to set up a partnership with a Russian merchant he had met while in exile. The two merchants go to Bulgaria during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78, and Wokulski makes a fortune supplying the Russian Army. The enterprising Wokulski now proves a romantic at heart, falling in love with Izabela, daughter of the vacuous, bankrupt aristocrat, Tomasz Łęcki. In his quest to win Izabela, Wokulski begins frequenting theatres and aristocratic salons; and to help her financially distressed father, founds a company and sets the aristocrats up as shareholders in his business.The indolence of these aristocrats, who secure with their pensions, are too lazy to undertake new business risks, frustrates Wokulski. His ability to make money is respected but his lack of family and social rank is condescended to. Because of his "help" (in secret) to Izabela's impecunious but influential father, the girl becomes aware of his affection. In the end she consents to accept him, but without true devotion or love.(wikipedia)The Doll is an adaptation of the novel, The Doll (novel) by Bolesław Prus, which is regarded by many as one of the finest Polish novels ever written and, along with Pharaoh (novel), made Bolesław Prus a potential candidate for the Nobel Prize in literature. The influence of Émile Zola is evident, and some have compared the novel to Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert; both were Prus's contemporaries. The movie, however, may be more compared to Stendhal's Le Rouge et le Noir, (The Red and the Black). The Doll constitutes a panorama of life in Warsaw between 1878 and 1879, and at the same time is a subtle story of three generations of Polish idealists, their psychological complications, their involvement in the history of the nineteenth century, social dramas, moral problems and the experience of tragic existence. At the same time this story describes the disintegration of social relationships and the growing separation of a society whose aristocratic elite spreads the models of vanity and idleness. In the bad air of a backward country, anti-Semitic ideas are born, valuable individuals meet obstacles on their way, and scoundrels are successful. This poetic love story follows a nouveau riche merchant, Stanislaw Wokulski, through a series of trials and tribulations occasioned by his obsessive passion for an aristocratic beauty, Izabela Lecka, played by the famous Polish actress, Beata Tyszkiewicz. Plot: As a descen dant of an impoverishe d Polish no ble family , young Woku lski is forced to work as a w aiter at Hopfer' s, a Warsaw re stauran t, while dr eaming of a life in science. Afte r taking part in the fai led 1863 U prising agai nst Tsarist R ussia, he is sentence d to exile in Siberia. On eventua l return to Wa rsaw, he becomes a sal esman at Mincel 's haberdashery. Marrying the l ate owne r's w idow (who e ventually di es), he co mes into money and use s it to set up a partn ership wi th a Russian merchant h e had met whil e in exi le. The two merchants go to Bulga ria during the Russ o-Turkish Wa r of 1877-78, and W okulski makes a fortune supplying the Russian Army. The enter prising Woku lski now pr oves a romant ic at heart , falling i n love with Izabela, dau ghter of t he vacu ous, b ankrupt aristo crat, Toma sz Łęcki. In his quest to win Izabela , Wokuls ki begins frequ enting theatres and aristocrat ic salons; and to help her financi ally dis tressed father, foun ds a com pany and se ts the ar istocrats up as sharehol ders in hi s business.The indolence of these ari stocrats, who secure with th eir pensi ons, are too lazy to un dertake new busines s risks, frustrates Wok ulski. His abi lity to mak e money is resp ected but his l ack of fami ly and s ocial rank i s condescend ed to. Because of his & ;quot;help&am p;quot; (i n secret) to Izabela& #39;s impecun ious but influ ential f ather, the girl becomes aware of h is affecti on. In the end she con sents to a ccept him, b ut without true devotio n or love. (wikiped ia)详情