After the initial sets of trilogies, set #4 of the match between Satyajit Ray and Andrzej Wajda maintains the consistency through a common theme for each of their next films: they must be about an actor and include trains as a significant aspect of the story. Ray, always the train enthusiast, jumps at the chance and arrives on the court first, unveiling Nayak (1966), which is indeed about a famous Indian actor and is set almost entirely on board a train.

Wajda, unfortunately, does not arrive on time. He sends a message that he had trouble boarding a train. He puts up Everything for Sale (1969), which might be about an actor who was killed when jumping on a moving train, quite possible an actor he worked with in the previously reviewed film. Wajda, it seems, might be trying to put to rest the trains and death theme.

Ray doesn’t bother waiting for Wajda and serves his opening shot of a famous Indian actor, Arindam Mukherjee (Uttam Kumar), who is in a hurry to get to Delhi to receive an award. His assistant didn’t have time to book a flight or reserve a coach, so Arindam must ride on the train with other passengers. Once on the train, he is met with both admiration and derision, the latter mostly a result of a recent tabloid article about his involvement in a brawl. He admirably deals with everyone until approached by a young, female journalist named Aditi (Sharmila Tagore).

Wajda sends a representative to deliver his equipment as he tries to find a way to get to the match. Everyone waits patiently while making sure the show goes on. They realize there might be a problem, however, and do their best to hide their feelings. In Wajda’s film about an actor, the director has to fill in for the actor for a critical scene, one of the actor falling under a moving train. Much confusion ensues as the director tries to keep the cast and crew focused on completing the film without the lead actor. The point goes to Wajda for a more compelling opening, without even being there.

Ray allows Arindam time to reflect on his position in society through ongoing meetings with Aditi. Arindam seems both attracted to and repelled by her, but finally opens up to her, providing information that he keeps from the other journalists who hound him. She secretly takes notes, hoping to write an article that digs deeper into the life of the famed actor. Their volleys cause fitful sleep for Arindam as his dreams reveal his misgivings about his own life, even while being admired by his fellow travelers (a woman and her ill daughter). He seeks the advice of Aditi on what his dreams mean, providing more material for her article.

Wajda finally shows up to reveal that his actor did indeed die while attempting to jump on a moving train. A moment of silence is observed to honor Zbigniew Cybulski, the subject of the film. The shot to the left is a reference to a scene from Ashes and Diamonds when the character played by Zbigniew lit eight glasses of vodka to honor the fallen comrades of his and the character played by Adam Pawlikowski, who is shown here in his brief cameo in Everything for Sale. The point, however, goes to Ray for letting the complexity of Arindam’s character unfold along with the train journey, whereas the foreshadowing of Wajda’s opening makes the actual announcement of the death seem trite.

Wajda hurries to complete the set which is now overcast by news of the actor’s death. The director is confused about where to go. His intentions are for the best but the subject is perhaps too personal. Wajda wrote the script as well as being a character in the film. At times, it feels as if Everything for Sale is Wajda’s own 8½, except that it only adds up to five and three-quarters. The film seems like a rushed response to a tragedy. The initial concept was interesting, having the actor not be there, but once his actual death was announced, the film fell apart, which could be the director’s intention.

Ray, however, wraps things up for his actor, who has a final, drunken confrontation with Aditi, which is one of the stronger scenes in the film. It proves to be cathartic for both of them. She rips up the article she was writing, realizing it was for the wrong reasons. He ends up with a more humble view of himself, which finally allows him to sleep soundly. Turns out he just needed a good therapist. Uttam Kumar, who was a popular actor at the time, gives an outstanding performance. Ray paces the film perfectly, providing just enough material in the beginning before the journey on the train, and through Arindam’s life, begins. The point and set go to Ray.

Next up: Set #5, The Chess Player and Man of Marble