Playground

Yet another contribution to the list of enthusiastic, post-1968 socialism-building film dramas was Hřiště (Playground, 1975), directed by Štěpán Skalský. The main protagonist is a young civil engineer who upon graduating joins a prestigious design studio. Young Turna is blissfully unaware that his position has been previously arranged by his father, a prominent architect. After the clueless rookie attempts to steal a design created by his Canadian colleague, the truth comes to light. The flawed hero later finds redemption in a motorway bridge construction project... This standard-for-the-times tale about a conceited young intellectual who is set on the right tracks by honest outdoor work is only lifted above mediocrity by a strong performance from Jiří Bartoška in his first leading role. The part of the father comprised the last film performance of Karel Höger. In the 1970s, director Skalský also collaborated with screenwriter Karel Steigerwald in creating a similarly attuned film, environmental drama Čistá řeka (Pure River, 1978).