The love of the blonde

The place is Zruč, a godforsaken shrew in a corner of Czechoslovakia. Or rather: It's the men who have left town -- and the many young women in the city's big factory are about to go to for lack of romance and testosterone. In order to dissuade the employees from also leaving, the cunning factory management invites a company of soldiers to settle in the city. The disappointment, however, is to be spotted as the soldiers turn out to be ageing reservists!

The comedic qualities of the setup are obvious, but Forman is more interested in individuals than in satire. So he follows one of the girls who chooses to leave -- to even funnier mischief.

As film critic Antonín Liehm has pointed out, there is as much understanding as delivery in Forman's films: “He is not afraid to let his characters appear ridiculous, for he knows that it does not make them any less essential or valuable”.

Director: Miloš Forman
Starring: Hana Brejchová, Vladimír Pucholt, Vladimír Menshik, Milada Ježková
Country/year: Czech Republic, 1965
Running time: 90 min.
Formato: DCP
Language: English subtitles
Age limit: Allowed for children over 15
Original title: Láky plovsky

Part of the series: Miloš Forman: Ambassador of Anarchy
Forman's films are often hilarious, but never just comedies. “I don't tell stories in black and white. I tell stories in gray,” he himself said. The Cinematek will unfold from 13 October the entire Miloš Forman feature film work — with the Czechoslovak films in autumn 2026 and the American films in early 2027.