Ashes and Diamonds (1958): cast, story & where to watch
1958 · Film · ★ 7.5
Released in 1958, Ashes and Diamonds is a drama, war and romance film directed by Andrzej Wajda, running about 103 minutes. “Touched with the fire and rebellion of a new generation of Polish film makers” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. A young academy soldier, Maciek Chelmicki, is ordered to shoot the secretary of the KW PPR. A coincidence causes him to kill someone else. Meeting face to face with his victim, he gets a shock. He faces the necessity of repeating the assassination. He meets Krystyna, a girl working as a barmaid in the restaurant of the "Monopol" hotel. His affection for her makes him even more aware of the senselessness of killing at the end of the war. Loyalty to the oath he took, and thus the obligation to obey the order, tips the scales.
Who’s in it. Ashes and Diamonds stars Zbigniew Cybulski as Maciek Chełmicki, Ewa Krzyżewska as Krystyna Rozbicka, Waclaw Zastrzezynski as Szczuka and Adam Pawlikowski as Andrzej Kossecki, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.5/10, Ashes and Diamonds has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel and HBO Max and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Ashes and Diamonds page.
If you liked it. Fans of Ashes and Diamonds tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Ashes and Diamonds (1958)?
- In US, Ashes and Diamonds is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV and Criterion Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Ashes and Diamonds worth watching?
- Ashes and Diamonds holds an audience score of 7.5 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, war and romance. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Ashes and Diamonds?
- Ashes and Diamonds stars Zbigniew Cybulski, Ewa Krzyżewska, Waclaw Zastrzezynski, Adam Pawlikowski and Bogumił Kobiela.
- When was Ashes and Diamonds released?
- Ashes and Diamonds was released in 1958, with a runtime of about 103 minutes.