A Report on the Party and Guests (1966)

A small group of adult bourgeois friends are on a day outing in the country, that outing which includes having a picnic. While they are going for a walk after the picnic, they encounter a ... See full summary »

Director:

Jan Nemec

Writers:

Ester Krumbachová (screenplay), Ester Krumbachová (story)

Stars:

Ivan Vyskocil, Jan Klusák, Jiri Nemec

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ivan Vyskocil	...	Hostitel
Jan Klusák	...	Rudolf
Jiri Nemec	...	Josef
Pavel Bosek	...	Frantisek
Karel Mares	...	Karel
Evald Schorm	...	Manzel
Jana Pracharová	...	Paní
Zdena Skvorecka	...	Eva
Milon Novotny	...	Zenich (as Milon Novotný)
Helena Pejsková	...	Marta (as H. Pejsková)
Dana Nemcova	...	nevesta Olinka
Antonin Prazak	...	Antonín (as Antonín Prazák)
Josef Skvorecký	...	Guest #1
Adolf Siroký	...	Host
Václav Vodák	...	Host (as Dr. V. Vodák)

Storyline

A small group of adult bourgeois friends are on a day outing in the country, that outing which includes having a picnic. While they are going for a walk after the picnic, they encounter a group of officious looking men who commandeer them to a small clearing. Although there is no direct threat and the picnickers are not scared, they nonetheless feel the need to do what the men say. The men, led by one called Rudolph, set the rules of "the game". Ultimately, the picnickers learn that Rudolph was supposed to invite them to a party nearby. Much like the game, the party's host sets the rules for the party to which the picnickers and all the other guests must abide. Order in the eyes of the host seems to be paramount. Although the picnickers and the other guests enjoy many aspects of the party, some just do not want to be there, such thinking which cannot be tolerated.

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Plot Keywords:

immaturity | czech new wave | party | guest | host | 

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Taglines:

This is the most important Czrch film ever made. And for two years it was suppressed. When it was released in accord with the new freedom, it won the Czech Critics Prize. It was even shown as a special event on Czech national television the very night before the invasion.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

In this film not play professional actors, but different personalities from the artistic environment. Ivan Vyskocil is a theater director, Zdena Skvorecka and Josef Skvorecký are writers, Jan Klusák and Karel Mares are composers, Jiri Nemec was a philosopher and translator, his wife Dana Nemcova is a psychologist, Pavel Bosek is a theater author, Evald Schorm is a film director, Milon Novotny is a photographer, etc. In other roles also play their friends.

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Quotes

Hostitel: So will someone tell me what happened or not? A brother shouldn't turn against his brother. And a guest shouldn't turn against a guest.

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Connections

Featured in Fejezetek a film történetéböl: A cseh új hullám (1990)

User Reviews

Authority is authority

Masterfully lensed film. Wonderful black and white compositions with great placement of figures in the frame.

This is a fiercely anti-Stalinist work that can relate to anyone who hates unquestionable authority. It's opening scenes are pure Kafka-horror. A sadistic magistrate sent down to interrogate people just trying to live their lives seems to have absolute freedom to torment and humiliate.

Then, the magistrate is himself humiliated by a benevolent, yet all- powerful, "host". At this point the tone becomes one of blackest satire. Clearly a commentary on the post-Stalinist USSR and eastern block, the authorities "banned the film forever."

Details

Country:

Czechoslovakia

Language:

Czech

Release Date:

30 December 1966 (Czechoslovakia)

Also Known As:

A Report on the Party and Guests

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmové studio Barrandov

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1