Zähmung eines Teufels

A satire of male behavior so scathing that it might serve as a "what not to do" instructional video for men dating women. Seriously, this guy (Vladimir Mensík) is so self-absorbed, condescending, and gluttonous that it would be annoying if it weren't so comical. He gnaws her chair legs like a rodent, for god's sake, and then complains that she values her furniture more than him when she gets upset.

While she (Jirina Bohdalova) puts a lot of care into her home, cooking, and appearance, he's a complete slob, oblivious to her except as a way of satisfying his appetite. She lays out an array of delicious looking dishes for him which he enjoys in a piggish way, but he doesn't respond to her flirting with him. Meanwhile, as she subverts her own opinions, he mansplains anything that comes to mind when not stuffing his piehole, e.g. Freud or Darwin.

Maybe the film is also a small satire of women who, out of loneliness, sacrifice so many aspects of themselves to put up with men like this, or maybe it's saying that the behavior is so common that some form of it inevitably ends up being endured. The basic incompatibility between the sexes it shows, to the point of her going to Tibet to consider a Yeti instead, is undoubtedly exaggerated ("better a snowman than no man" she smiles), but the pointed truths embedded in the film, from a woman's perspective, are brilliant. Ester Krumbachova did great work in all three roles - director, writer, and costume designer - and this film is as beautiful as it is funny. Very enjoyable, and wisely concise at 77 minutes.

I thought I have watched almost all the Czech good comedies, especially with the unforgettable Mr. actor Vladimír Mensík. But this movie was so surprising... I remember I watched a poster on the wall of my roommate in the dormitory; I wanted to watch the movie that time, but no chance, till now. "You are getting fat, and you are not so young already; I hope we will eat immediately," MSc. Devil (Mensík) said when he met his girlfriend (Bohdalová) after very long time. And the whole movie he still eats, eats, eats. When she is cooking next food, he eats furniture. I smiled from the beginning to the end. 10/10