Summary
Mirroring the story found in Miloš Forman’s Lásky jedné plavovlásky (Loves of a Blonde, 1965), this 1974 film from Jaromír Borek is based on a novel by Karel Štorkán. Young workwoman Jana lives in a small town, which, thanks to its large textile plant, has a major demographic skew towards women. Instead of Forman’s bitter-sweet take on a socially awkward situation, Kvočny a Král (Clucking Hens and the King) offers a cautionary tale about how a delinquent, criminally inclined young man is guided towards a righteous path by a young woman’s love. While the role of Jana went to experienced young actress Milena Steinmasslová, the role of Jirka, the reformed former head of criminal gang “Král”, is played by Erik Tabery. This grandson of actor-writer-director Zdeňek Štěpánek, and father of journalist Erik Tabery, Jr., returned to the silver screen as a film actor only one more time, in Tchán (Father-in-Law, 1979). The part of Jan’s brother Pindi, who gives in to the allure of the gang, is played by Vladimír Dlouhý.
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