Summary
Not until after the 1989 Velvet Revolution were Czechoslovak filmmakers free to openly address the tragic fate that befell members of the ‘Auxiliary technical battalions’ (or ‘PTP’ for short, in Czech) in which descendants of capitalists, priests and other ‘undesirables’ were obliged to serve (while not allowed to carry arms) and subjected to humiliation. In addition to the highly popular tragicomedy Černí baroni (The Black Barons, 1992) directed by Zdenek Sirový, and a TV series of the same name directed by Juraj Herz (2004), inspired by a humorous novel penned by Miloslav Švandrlík, the 1950s military camps of forced labour were also the theme of director Martin Hollý in his drama Tichá bolest (Silent Pain, 1990). Jiří Křižan's autobiographical script tells the story of lead character Janek Kadavý following two timelines: one depicts the childhood of the main protagonist whose father was executed by the regime in 1949; the other describes Kadavý’s time as a conscript spent with a PTP unit. While Janek’s childhood was marred by the bullying of children and adults in equal measure, his military service brought the questionable honour of looking after the tank of permanently drunk first lieutenant Kopřiva. Although the youth’s father had been considered an enemy of the people after serving in the RAF during the war (and reaching the rank of captain), Janek shows an affinity with military machines. A rare glimpse of light in the otherwise grim life of the lead character is grandfather Kadavý who looked after Janek following the death of his mother. Janek escapes from the camp to be at the old man’s deathbed. However, the cycle of revenge, guilt and forgiveness stops neither with the death of an old man nor with his grandson’s return to a “normal” life... Tichá bolest is another in a line of Martin Hollý dramas (Signum laudis [Signum Laudis, 1980], Mŕtvi učia živých [The Dead Teach the Living, 1983], ...nebo být zabit [...or Be Killed, 1985]). The director’s usual targeted and robust grip on the chosen theme is somewhat diluted in this case by the story’s two timelines. Rudolf Hrušínský excelled in the role of the granddad while the part of Janek as a student was played by Ivan Jiřík. Vítězslav Jandák played first lieutenant Kopřiva with fervour and Martin Dejdar along with Tomáš Juřička took on the parts of “insubordinate” lowly privates who dared protest against the all-pervading folly of their commanding officers.
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