. . . . "A telling difference between the mood Wajda tries to conjure and most of the war films being made in the West at the time is the terse, stoic attitude of the heroes, the lack of tears and fireworks when tragedies and transcendences come, particularly apparent in this moment: Stach???s silent horror and despair as he watches her from behind a closed door, only his eyes visible through a grate, and" .