Directed by:
Petr NýdrleCinematography:
Antonín WeiserComposer:
Zdenek MertaCast:
Jan Kraus, Josef Somr, Jiří Bartoška, Jiří Knot, Karel Heřmánek, Pavel Zedníček, Karel Augusta, Jan Schmid, Jana Synková, Marie Motlová, Lubomír Kostelka (more)Plots(1)
Young Eugene from the provinces travels to Prague in order to seek a better life and acquire recognition and fame. Initially he earns a living as a road sweeper; he writes rudimentary poetry and occasionally manages to get himself invited to drunken parties thrown by the Prague boho set. At one such gathering he gets an offer to write engagé pop lyrics expressing loyalty to the governing regime. Gradually the naive yet honourable country dweller becomes a cynical man of means, surrounded by beautiful women. While no-one likes him, everyone’s afraid of him, so he commands respect. The graduation film by Petr Nýdrle was made at Prague’s FAMU, thus outside the realms of official programming. After the success of a private screening held in 1980, the film never made it into distribution (although it was never officially banned), and audiences were only able to see it after November 1989. Thirty years have passed since the filming of this satire criticising the flexible morals of normalisation Czechoslovakia. To this day the black-and-white film appeals for its combination of raw shots and stylised acting performances. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)
(more)Cast
Jan Kraus
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
The Cremator (1968)
Happy End (1967)
The Stolen Airship (1966)
Josef Somr
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Hamlet (1986) (theatrical recording)
Naši furianti (1983) (theatrical recording)
Tažní ptáci (1983) (TV movie)
Jiří Bartoška
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Bratři Karamazovi (1981) (theatrical recording)
Hřbitov pro cizince (1991) (TV movie)
Sense of Tumour (2024) (series)
Jiří Knot
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Run, Waiter, Run! (1980)
Forbidden Dreams (1986)
Dissolved and Effused (1984)
Karel Heřmánek
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Give the Devil His Due (1984)
Bratři Karamazovi (1981) (theatrical recording)
Forbidden Dreams (1986)
Pavel Zedníček
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Tažní ptáci (1983) (TV movie)
Bratři Karamazovi (1981) (theatrical recording)
Silent Pain (1990)
Karel Augusta
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Run, Waiter, Run! (1980)
All My Compatriots (1968)
Joachim, Put It in the Machine (1974)
Jan Schmid
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
45 let Ypsilonky (2011) (theatrical recording)
The End of a Priest (1968)
Requiem for a Maiden (1991)
Jana Synková
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Best movies:
Forbidden Dreams (1986)
Saturnin (1994)
45 let Ypsilonky (2011) (theatrical recording)
Marie Motlová
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
Marecek, Pass Me the Pen! (1976)
Behold Homolka (1969)
The Petroleum Lamps (1971)
Lubomír Kostelka
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Těžká Barbora (1960) (theatrical recording)
Balada z hadrů (1960) (theatrical recording)
All My Compatriots (1968)
Jiří Kodet
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Cosy Dens (1999)
Higher Principle (1960)
Revizor (1971) (theatrical recording)
Zdeněk Dušek
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Best movies:
Major Case Squad (2014) (series)
The Cow (1993)
The Millennial Bee (1983)
Jan Vala
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Best movies:
Joachim, Put It in the Machine (1974)
Larks on a String (1969)
Dvacet let Olympicu (1983) (concert) - moderator