Dancing in the Rain (1961)
"Ples v dezju" (original title)

Peter is the dark brooding type. Leading a vacuous, shapeless life, he longs for the ideal woman, while at the same time, half heartedly continuing with his habitual girlfriend, Marusa , ... See full summary »

Director:

Bostjan Hladnik

Writers:

Bostjan Hladnik, Dominik Smole (novel)

Stars:

Dusa Pockaj, Miha Baloh, Rado Nakrst

Cast

Cast overview:
Dusa Pockaj	...	Marusa
Miha Baloh	...	Peter
Rado Nakrst	...	Anton
Ali Raner	...	Sepetalec
Joza Zupan	...	Magda
Arnold Tovornik	...	Voznik
Janez Jerman	...	Direktor gledalisca
Janez Albreht	...	Natakar
Vida Juvan	...	Gospodinja
Demeter Bitenc	...	Profesor
Janko Hocevar
Franci Jez
Mojca Platner

Storyline

Peter is the dark brooding type. Leading a vacuous, shapeless life, he longs for the ideal woman, while at the same time, half heartedly continuing with his habitual girlfriend, Marusa , who is considerably older, a fact that Peter is quick to point out. As an ageing actress, struggling for parts in her local theatre, she oozes insecurity and breathes uncertainty. Together, they spend their time in the local restaurant, smoking, drinking and trading verbal blows. "I bet you'll just end up a drunk," she tells Peter each time. Peter just grins and tells her how old she looks. Compounded by a thankless director who soon shows her the door, Marusa finds her identity being squeezed harder and harder against the wall. To escape, Peter and Marusa dream...

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Plot Keywords:

kidnapping | based on novel

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Yugoslavia

Language:

Slovenian

Release Date:

27 March 1961 (Yugoslavia)

Also Known As:

Dancing in the Rain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Triglav Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min 100 min (dvd)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

User Reviews

True love comes only once in life, in an unexpected way. Don't miss it.

I was attracted by the DVD in the shop because the label said "acclaimed by critics as the best Slovenian film". My knowledge of Slovenian films was zero, so I decided to give it a chance. I am Italian, but the DVD edition offers subtitles in many languages, among which mine. Anyway, I wasn't disappointed. On the contrary, I very much liked this unknown (to non-Slovenian audiences) movie. It's the story of two people who meet and fall in love. He is one who likes to shift from one woman to another, and maybe he has never known love, like many others. She is a good woman, unlike many others. She's in her late thirties, and older than he. She falls in love with him and has the most serious intentions. They go on meeting for some time. Love is on both sides, but he lingers in front of the final decision. She waits for him to make up his mind, but he remains trapped in many thoughts, above all considerations on her age (he lays much importance on sex for itself, which is a deceit), and maybe that she is very different to what he had always expected and waited for. Though, she is the one for him. Will he grasp this truth, will he see clear in his heart? Time goes by quickly and this brief occasion can be lost forever. It is a melodrama, and a very intense one. Moving and well-depicted is the figure of her: the director describes finely her feelings, her fears, her sorrow for a man who can't understand his own heart and is bound to too many common places about how a love relationship should be like. The actress is perfect. We suffer with her, when he, who won't accept his feelings towards her, offends her in the most brutal way by mentioning her age (though not beyond 38, I guess). The movie also shows in a very effective way dreams and some pieces of imagination of the characters. It's a striking movie, which touches one's heart and remains in it. It is a pity that it is known by not many people in Slovenia, and almost nobody elsewhere (among which me). Though belonging to the former communist Europe, it does not even mention politics or have any kind of political propaganda. It is a very good melodrama, with surrealistic elements. That's all what it is. Now let's wait for the first Slovene to post a comment about this Slovenian movie.