Vrchní, prchni!

It's been over 20 years since I saw this movie in The Nuart, L.A.'s premiere art house theatre, and it's still one of the funniest, most memorable films I've ever seen. A suave but down-and-out would-be concert violinist on his way to an audition, is mistaken for a waiter and discovers a new, if not terribly legal or honest, source of income. I won't say anything more, I don't want to spoil the fun.

Good writing, creative gags, a fine sense of irony, and a refreshing respect for the audience's intelligence. I wish this movie were available in the USA on DVD or VHS, I'd snatch up a copy without hesitation.

I saw this movie on a trip to Prague several years ago. I missed the title and so have been looking for it ever since. Since there were subtitles in English at that time, it is possible that it may turn up again on DVD. I am delighted to at last know what it is called in English.

This film is very funny and skilfully made. It uses a wide range of film humor styles, from farce including slapstick to satire. It reflects on human (male) behavior in general and on Czechoslovak communist society. At the end of the film, there is a fantastically shot chase scene. I do not agree at all with the qualification "small comedy", because the film is based on a very developed script that contains many sub-plots with people commenting or reacting on the behavior of the main character. The result is a picture that gives you pleasure and enjoyment while watching it and amusement after when recalling different scenes and characters.

This movie is written by Zdenek Sverák, the author of Kolya, and beautifully directed by Ladislav Smoljak (Sverák's partner in theater for many years). It is one of the very best Czech movies - it is inspired by slapstick comedies (note the "Keystone waiters" at the end of the movie) and full of great comic situations and brilliant dialogues ("I wish a love story" "To read through or to live through?" /// "Where did you use to sit?" "In front of the class." "In the first row?" "More ahead" "But there's only the teacher's table there" "Well, that's were I used to sit." "Oh... Mr. professor... I didn't recognize you!") I hope you understand the gracefulness of these dialogues from my translation.

I have no doubt - this movie is more amusing, more entertaining and more humorous than Sverak's Kolya.

This is one of pearls of Czech filmography. The intro-song Severni vitr (The northern wind) links the fate of the main character with the goldseekers of Northern America, though his territory is much more common - restaurants. Here he finds his original way out of financial problems.