Balkan Spy (1984)

Convinced that his subtenant is a spy and an enemy of the state, a man falls into deep paranoia which leads to absurd and destructive chain of events.

Directors:

Dusan Kovacevic, Bozidar 'Bota' Nikolic

Writers:

Dusan Kovacevic (play), Dusan Kovacevic (screenplay)

Stars:

Danilo 'Bata' Stojkovic, Bora Todorovic, Mira Banjac

4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Danilo 'Bata' Stojkovic	...	Ilija Cvorovic
Bora Todorovic	...	Petar Markov Jakovljevic
Mira Banjac	...	Danica Cvorovic
Sonja Savic	...	Sonja Cvorovic
Zvonko Lepetic	...	Djura Cvorovic
Velimir 'Bata' Zivojinovic	...	Palacinkar (as Bata Zivojinovic)
Predrag Lakovic	...	Profesor
Branka Petric	...	Novinarka
Milivoje 'Mica' Tomic	...	Doktor (as Mica Tomic)
Milan Strljic	...	Inspektor Drazic
Milan 'Caci' Mihailovic	...	Moler (as Milan Mihailovic)
Vladan Zivkovic	...	Radnik sa resetkama
Ljiljana Jovanovic	...	Sekretarica inspektora
Zoran Ratkovic	...	Razroki mladic
Dragoljub Petrovic	...	Fotograf (as Dragan Petrovic)

Storyline

Ilija Cvorovic, a reformed former Stalinist who spent several years in a prison as a political prisoner, is called in for a routine conversation. He returns home convinced that the police is interested in his subtenant, a businessman returning from Paris to open a tailor shop. Convinced that his subtenant represents the greatest threat to national security Ilija begins his own surveillance operation against him.

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Plot Keywords:

paranoia | stalin | belgrade | twin brothers | violence | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

As of 2016 it was included in the #100 Serbian movies list (1911-1999) and protected as cultural heritage of great importance.

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Quotes

Ilija Cvorovic: [shouting into phone] The phone central does make a mistake once, but not a hundred times! Listen, mate, you may have gotten the wrong number, but you got who you were looking for!"

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Connections

References Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)

User Reviews

A comedy with a bitter aftertaste

As one of the most significant films in the Serbian and Yugoslavian cinematography ever, "Balkanski spijun" is most often regarded as a comedy, which it is only to a certain extent.

The film works on many different levels and it's virtually impossible to judge it after seeing it only once. Serving primarily as a social commentary and a metaphor for a national paranoia towards anything foreign, the film uses its main character Ilija Cvorovic as a vehicle to carry out both humorous and serious situations towards a bitter and somewhat prophetic ending. The great Bata Stojkovic (in one of his best roles here) has masterfully crafted a portrait of a man whose delusions progressively lead him from a state of comical confusion to a tragic crescendo of violence laden with conspiracy theories.

"Balkanski spijun" is a comedy that will make you think before you laugh and a tragedy that will make you laugh before you think.

Details

Country:

Yugoslavia

Language:

Serbo-Croatian

Release Date:

8 October 1987 (Hungary)

Also Known As:

Balkanski špijun

Filming Locations:

Serbia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Union Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color