Reviewed by Guy Clapperton
Stars Jan Vostrcil, Josef Sebanek, Josef Valnoha, Frantisek Debelka | Written by Milos Forman & Jaroslav Papousek
UK certification PG | UK RRP £15.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 71 minutes | Directed by Milos Forman
This short film was first released in 1967 in what was then Czechoslovakia – a word I’d assumed I’d never have to spell again, but never mind that. You need to understand this because only then does this apparently slight tale of a bunch of incompetent firemen who couldn’t put out a cat add up to more than a bit of sub-Ealing-Comedy nonsense.
The premise is simple. The elderly chairman of the fire brigade is retiring so the others hold a ball in his honour. They hold a raffle but it becomes apparent early on that the prizes are being stolen systematically. They try to organise a beauty parade but obviously don’t know what they’re doing. A neighbour’s house catches fire and although they show willing, once again they’re a pretty hopeless bunch of old men, neither fit enough nor skilled enough for the job in which they’ve put themselves. On that level it’s an amusing enough way to spend 70 minutes or so.
Thing is, the Czech authorities at the time – when there was a communist dictatorship – saw it as a pretty biting satire. You can see why – a bunch of elderly, incompetent crooks who haven’t got the respect of the people in whose interests they’re supposed to be working; who turn a simple beauty contest (it was the sixties, this wouldn’t have seemed questionable at the time) into an excuse for staring at the only attractive woman who turns up in her swim suit (and who take the machinations of shortlisting behind closed doors anyway) and who can’t cope with their core tasks when the necessity arises was never going to be a flattering picture. Take it as an image to apply to the Government of the day and you have political dynamite.
It’s likeable and well-made regardless, but add that political frisson and it looks like a damned daring film too.
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