A Flame to the Phoenix (1983)

It is late in the uneasy summer of 1939. War threatens Poland, and invasion by Germany is a matter of hours away. Everyone knows what is about to happen, yet no one will admit it. Max, the soldier and Stefen, the foreign service officer, sons of the Countess Ragavvil-Kurowitska, each prepares in his own way for the inevitable conflict. Their youth will soon be cut short by World War II. German spies posing as tourists begin the violence and bloodshed. One of the most tragic stories in the history of civilized man is about to happen. The film¡s shocking climax brings destruction on two fronts. As the countess, her daughter and their household are slaughtered along with thousands of other innocent civilians by the German advance, Polish forces embark on a heroic but suicidal mission. It will prove to be the last ever cavalry charge in history as the outdated Polish cavalry is destroyed by the onslaught of the German tanks. Hitler has broken his non-aggression pact. A peaceful Poland is the first victim. World War II has begun.