Introduction
Invasion 1700 (Italian: Col ferro e col fuoco, French: Par le fer et par le feu, also known as With Fire and Sword and Daggers of Blood) is a 1962 Italian-French historical epic film directed by Fernando Cerchio.
It is based on the 1884 Polish historical novel With Fire and Sword written by Henryk Sienkiewicz.
Another version, With Fire and Sword, was released in 1999.
Outline
Despite some deviations, the book’s historical framework is genuine and the fictional story is woven into real events.
Many characters are historical figures, including Jeremi Wiśniowiecki and Bohdan Khmelnytsky (Polish: Bohdan Chmielnicki). Sienkiewicz researched memoirs and chronicles of the Polish nobility, or szlachta, for details on life in 17th-century Poland.
The book was written, according to the author, “to lift up the heart” of the Polish nation in the unhappy period following the failed January Uprising during the era of the partitions of Poland.
Thus it often favours epic plots and heroic scenes over historical accuracy. Nonetheless, Sienkiewicz’s vivid language made it one of the most popular books about that particular place and era.
Production & Filming Details
- Director(s): Fernando Cerchio.
- Writer(s): Ugo Imperatore and George St. George.
- Music: Giovanni Fusco and Francesco De Masi.
- Cinematography: Pier Ludovico Pavoni.
- Release Date: 1962.
- Running Time: 112 minutes.
- Country: Italy.
- Language: Italian.
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