The Joke (1969)
"Zert" (original title)

In the 1950's, Ludvik Jahn was expelled from the Communist Party and the University by his fellow students, because of a politically incorrect note he sent to his girlfriend. Fifteen years ... See full summary »

Director:

Jaromil Jires

Writers:

Zdenek Bláha (dramaturge), Jaromil Jires (screenplay),

Stars:

Josef Somr, Jana Dítetová, Ludek Munzar

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Josef Somr	...	Ludvik Jahn
Jana Dítetová	...	Helena Zemánková
Ludek Munzar	...	Pavel Zemánek
Evald Schorm	...	Kostka
Vera Kresadlová	...	Brozová
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jirí Cimický
Emil Haluska
Jaromír Hanzlík	...	Lieutenant
Josef Hruby
Michal Knapcik
Stanislav Litera
Jaroslava Obermaierová	...	Marie
Michal Pavlata	...	Jindra
Milos Rejchrt	...	Alexej
Václav Sverák

Storyline

In the 1950's, Ludvik Jahn was expelled from the Communist Party and the University by his fellow students, because of a politically incorrect note he sent to his girlfriend. Fifteen years later, he tries to get his revenge by seducing Helena, the wife of one of his accusers.

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Plot Keywords:

communist party | revenge | pickaxe | voted out | cigarette case | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Czechoslovakia

Language:

Czech

Release Date:

28 February 1969 (Czechoslovakia)

Also Known As:

The Joke

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmové studio Barrandov

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

User Reviews

A great adaptation of Kundera's great book

A movie adaptation that succeeds by remaining true to the novel's theme while telling the story with an exciting new structure and style. As opposed to the novel's use of more conventional flashback passages, in the film the past seems to attack Ludvik Jahn -- played brilliantly by Josef Somr of CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS -- from all sides, as the past echoes inescapably through the world of the present. It also doesn't hurt, I suppose, that Kundera himself co-wrote the screenplay.