Few weeks ago our national television have premiered A Better Tomorrow, and official TV guides had labeled this film as American. Of course, even the most ignorant people would hardly mistake Hong Kong for American federal state so this move should be explained as an attempt to draw as many audience to TV sets as possible. General audience today perceives only American films to be worth watching. Few decades ago it was the same, but there were few dissenting voices that were pointing the fact that non American films can be entertaining too and some of them even superior to Hollywood products. One of the best arguments for that is the Czech cinema. Even the Communism couldn't prevent Czechs from creating films that later turned out to be pleasant viewing experience for the audience outside festival circles. There were two areas that brought fame to Czech cinema - children's films and comedies. In the case of the latter, it was mostly due to the fact that Communist rulers of Czechoslovakia discouraged filmmakers from creating serious films about obvious shortcomings of their socialist utopia. However, the long tradition of Czech humour, forged through the centuries of foreign rule, proved to be too big challenge even for the most diligent censors. Czech comedies, with their focus on the ordinary life of individuals, used indirect approach to criticise the state of the society in general. That approach was somewhat less indirect in early to mid 1960s, when the wave of liberalisation that would culminate in Prague Spring created some of the most successful and memorable films in the history of Czech cinema. One of such films is Closely Watched Trains, 1966 comedy by Jiři Menzel, which won "Oscar" for best foreign film.
Plot of the film, based on the short story by Bohumil Hrabal, is set in Autumn of 1944. Bohemia is occupied by Nazis, but not for long, because Germany is losing on all fronts. But the prospect of liberation doesn't seem to bother ordinary people, at least those employed in Kostomlaty rail station. One of them is Miloš Hrma (played by Václav Neckár), young trainee who has just began to follow family tradition and earn his living by working in government service. He is introduced to the job by Hubička (played by Josef Somr), womanising train dispatcher whose constant success with opposite sex causes the envy of an old and obese station manager Max (played by Vladimir Valenta). But Max is not the only one sexually frustrated; in such atmosphere of debauchery Miloš is painfully reminded of his own problems in relationship with conductress Máša (played by Jitka Bendová), caused by his sexual inexperience. In the meantime, war is still going on, and Hubička, who is involved in resistance movement, has a big ammunition train to stop.
Those unfamiliar with East European films would have some difficulties with the beginning of Closely Watched Trains. The interesting prologue (very funny and almost prophetic, when we consider that this film was made two years before Warsaw Pact invasion) is followed by scenes in which black and white photography looks unappealing and the tempo is slow, with director Menzel often focusing on some often pointless naturalistic details. However, viewer who is patient enough to adapt to the film's unusual and often minimalistic style would be rewarded with an excellent comedy. The characters are perfectly drawn and the actors are doing the great job in bringing them to life with small gestures. Václav Neckár is great as protagonist, but even the actors in supporting roles are great, like director Jiři Menzel in hilarious cameo of a young doctor. Vlastimil Brodský, one of the best Czech character actors, is simply brilliant in the role of collaborationist bureaucrat (and his character could be read as the metaphor for aparatchicks of Communist Czechoslovakia). Humour, which is often very dark, brilliantly corresponds with the realism of the film; characters talk and behave like people we would expect to see in such circumstances. Humour and hedonism is their way of combating the sinister reality of war, foreign occupation and poverty it brings to people.
Unfortunately, the dark overtones of this comedy are broadened in the last part and Closely Watched Trains slowly turns into drama. Hubička's transformation from hedonistic womaniser into dedicated resistance fighter isn't quite explained. The subplot dealing with German ammunition train still provides good opportunity for a laugh or two which is missed. On the other hand, we have an unnecessary symbolism – Miloš’s sexual maturity as metaphor for his political self-awareness looks too much like similar cliches in many WW2 films made in former Yugoslavia. Menzel ends film rather abruptly, without proper epilogue and with the unusual, but rather realistic combination of tragedy and comedy. Even with the flaws that deprived Closely Watched Trains of being the true masterpiece, this is still a great film that truly deserved its Academy Award. Those who would like to enter the magic world of Czech cinema should use it as starting point.
RATING: 8/10 (+++)
(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.movies.reviews on November 22nd 1999)
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Movie URL: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/789-ost-e-sledovan-vlaky
Critic: AAA