Svatba jako řemen

Die ersten fünfzig Minuten mit den vielen verschiedenen Figuren und ihren Wortgefechten fand ich sehr amüsant. Bei den Szenen mit der Hochzeit habe ich mehrmals vor Lachen aufgeschrien. Vladimír Pucholt und Jan Vostrčil als Polizisten, die sich für Freunde des verzweifelten Jiří Hrzán ausgeben, František Filipovský als Vater mit (Selbst)Mordgedanken, die perfekte Iva Janžurová, die außerdem sehr schön ausgesehen hat, kleine und größere Figuren, die von Pavel Landovský, Josef Hlinomaz, Jan Libíček, Ilja Prachař, Jiří Lír und anderen Schauspielerinnen und Schauspielern großartig dargestellt wurden… Dazu Mahlers und Krejčíks schlaues und witziges Drehbuch (sie hatten keine Angst, das Regime zu kritisieren – tja, damals war die Zeit so), eine behagliche Regie und Liškas fröhliche Musik, die mit dem Motiv vom Lied "Už mou milou od oltáře vedou" arbeitet… Viereinhalb Sterne. (22.02.2012)

When it comes to this movie, I probably missed a bit more of a detached view that only Miloš Forman knows how to film. But I don’t want to claim that it’s a shame Forman didn’t get to do this movie. Because on the other hand, I can’t say that I wasn’t having fun. This movie is an excellent comedy, absolutely typical for Czech people. We can make fun of the most serious of topics… and what’s worse, the entire nation laughs about them. So why couldn’t we laugh at a rape? Now I know how Czech people are going to react when a young girl comes running, calmly claiming that she’s been raped. If the case gets at least a bit crazy, about a tenth of people will cry about it and the rest will turn to the internet with the blackest humor possible that will speak to us all. They managed to do the same with our government, with our president (especially with him), so why not rape? The Czech nature is probably not so easily understood… (28.06.2013)

In its time, this film represented a significant milestone in testing the boundaries of artistic and social freedom in Czechoslovakia. Seemingly a popular farce about a disillusioned drunken saleswoman, two horny men, and a failed attempt at rape, it is full of clever innuendos, references, and jokes at the expense of the regime at that time. A slimy party official who won't leave any woman alone, two members of the secret police who can twist the law as needed and aren't concerned with human rights, a wedding without a groom, lots of punchlines, and comedic characters together create an entertaining cocktail that doesn't lose its charm even years later. Along with Higher Principle, this film is probably the highest quality part of Krejčík's filmography. The presence of Pucholt and Vostrčil reminds one of the works of Miloš Forman, or at least both directors share their ability to use the awkwardness of ordinary people and make fun of their imperfections. Overall impression: 90%. (17.01.2014)