Summary
Following his feature-film debut, Zvířata ve městě (Animals in Town, 1989), director Václav Křístek made this bittersweet comedy about two comics, who from 1971-1989 try to make a living as music hall comedians. Self-made provincial comic Láďa Boudník joins forces with the avant-garde actor and author Vyžilý. The comic duo find success with their “risque” sketches, perform in their own TV show, and even get the chance to host a New Year’s Eve “Silvestr” broadcast. But in the end, they encounter a series of obstacles to further success. The film offers the unusual pairing of actors Pavel Zedníček and Arnošt Goldflam as members of a “lost generation” of artists, robbed of their prospects by the communist regime. Miloslav Kopečný plays manipulative doctor Jonáš. The film was green-lit during the final days of the former regime, but was not produced until 1990. Consequently, the filmmakers were able to hastily update the story to reflect contemporary events.
Read more