The Wednesday Play (TV Series) Pitchi Poi (1967) User Reviews

A tragic tale from a tragic era

[user-14466 · 10/10 · 15 January 2007]

I was just into adulthood when I saw this television drama in 1967, and it made such a deep impression on me that I found myself trying to track it down more than three decades later. All I could recall by way of identification, was that the central character was played by an actor who also appeared in the "Callan" series. I was unable to trace it until 2006, when I found it here, on IMDb - for which I am most grateful.

It still comes back to me after all these years, the sheer unremitting grind of hard travelling and disappointment that this man of simple faith and his young charge went through, because he had taken on, as a matter of honour, the hopeless quest of reuniting her with her lost mother. The whole of post-WWII Europe, it seemed, was full of displaced people on the move. Nobody could have done more, and yet he was unable ultimately to live with failure.

The performance of Ronald Radd is spot on. The ending is an absolute shock, throwing up resonances of "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?", which it predates by some years. I still find myself trying to get inside his mind, and it is a bleak feeling indeed. Full marks to the cast and the writers.

Glad to know I wasn't the only one searching for this film!

[cotters-2 · 10/10 · 14 May 2007]

I saw this film on television when I was 13 in 1967 and was profoundly moved by it. After searching for it, of and on, for the last 40 yrs; all I could remember was a vague story line, the novelty of using several actresses tracing the character of Rogation, the delicious Hermine Karzan, (well she seemed so to a moody 13 year old!), and the fact that I wept buckets at the end! I was getting nowhere tracing it, having mistakenly remembered Hermine's first name as Hermione, and unfortunately remembering no other name, not even the title of the film. Then, on 14th May 2007, the name Rogation came into my memory and it all clicked thanks to Google. It was/is a wonderful roller-coaster of a film that I would very much like to see again. It deserves a wider audience. Does anybody know if it is on release in video or DVD format? Can anyone tell me what happened to the actress, Hermine Karzan? Did she do anything else?

A vague memory, but an indelible impression

[paulhosey · 10/10 · 26 August 2007]

I, too, was a thirteen year-old lad when I watched this typically first-rate BBC T.V. drama.

At that age and in that decade, the war seemed to me to be actually within my lifetime, but just beyond my recollection. I knew something of the horrors of what had happened to Jews, gypsies and other minorities but it tended to be talked about rarely and in hushed tones by family. One of my schoolteachers actually told us (a horde of 11 year-bolds), 'You'll find out what happened when you're older - you're too young to know.' I'm not sure she was right, but she had good intentions.

I would love to be able to watch it again. I'd appreciate any help in obtaining a copy, or sight of the programme again. Also, any further detail on the actors and makers of the programme.

Pitchi Poi

[brdsb69 · 2 August 2009]

At the age of 14, I watched this film on television in 1967. I found it a truly moving experience, beautifully acted and directed. In common with one or two contributors on the subject of this film, I too have been trying to track it down in recent years, partly because I yearn to see it again, and partly to see whether I still feel the same way about it as I did when I was, admittedly, a callow youth with undeveloped critical faculties. I suspect, and hope, that I will react in a similar way to it now.

My search for this film has intensified because I'm convinced that it was shown on either BBC2 or BBC4 some time between 2000 and 2004 (I cannot now remember the year). It was screened under the title "Rogation", rather than as "Pitchi Poi" which, I believe, was its original title when first broadcast. Sadly, I missed it. My workload at that time was excessive, and I simply did not get round to checking that particular week's TV schedules thoroughly enough until it was too late. When I hurriedly scanned the schedules I did not pick up on the title "Rogation". Had it been listed as "Pitchi Poi" I would have noticed it straight away. Definitely kicking myself now.

I emailed BBC to enquire about the film, and to suggest a re-screening at some time in the future, but received no information. I have searched Amazon and other websites but this film does not appear to be available under either title. I hope that someone will recognise its value and release it on DVD before too long.

It's encouraging to know that there are a few of us out there who felt the same way about this film. If anyone does have any information about its availability on DVD I would love to hear from them.