(Winner of the Best Director Award to Vojtech Jasny and Special Mention for Technical Grand Prize at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival)
Told in the span of nearly 15 to 20 years following the end of World War II, the film revolves life in a small village as they go from this idyllic land of farmers and locals to a town that would be ravaged by communist ideals and leadership to the point of near-ruin. It’s a film that explores a village and the people living in this town adjust to these newfound changes but also to try and find some hope and joy no matter how dire things are. Vojtech Jasny’s screenplay is episodic in some respect as it breaks down from 1945 to 1958 with an epilogue set years later as it play into a village’s evolution and its outcome as it would venture into the modern world. Notably as the focus are on a group of people including farmers, locals, and those who would be these simple village people who gain power by joining the Communist party. The farmer Frantisek (Radoslav Brzobohaty) is one of several characters who encounter these changes as he’s just a simple man that likes to do his job and raise his family but the arrival of the Communist regime in 1948 starts this slow change for everyone. Notably as the lives of some of the villagers go through changes where deaths become more recurring as well as the growing disdain towards officials of the Communist party.
Jasny’s direction is definitely filled with rapturous imagery of the locations in Czechoslovakia in its farm land and rural areas as it plays into this world that is idyllic as the first chapter of the film presents this post-war world where peace is emerging despite the fact that two young boys find handguns and shoot at an old man with real bullets though he doesn’t get hit. It does play into this sense of foreshadowing of a world that is about to be undone by politics as farmers have to adjust to rules but also giving up their land to these political officials. Jasny uses a lot of wide and medium shots to play into the landscape in the different seasons they’re set in as each season and period play into a different mood but there are also these stylish slow-motion images that play into this sense of dread or death that is to come. There would be close-ups in some shots that Jasny uses as it relates to the widow Machacova (Drahomira Hofmanova) and the many relationships she has been in. The film’s third act play into the growing tension between Frantisek and the Communist officials as it shows the people also standing by Frantisek including the elderly.
Jasny does emphasize this sense of community as he’s always shooting crowds whether it’s at a gathering, a town meeting, or a funeral as they would get smaller when the film progresses. Even towards the end and its epilogue where the church’s old organist Ocenas (Vlastimil Brodsky) returns following a period of exile to see what had happened as he’s sort of the film’s narrator to see a village’s evolution. Notably in what it had become but also what was lost but also the people who lived in the village and those who remain. Overall, Jasny crafts a compelling and melancholic film about life in Czech village following the aftermath of World War II and the emergence of communism.
Cinematographer Jaroslav Kucera does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on natural lighting for many of the exterior scenes along with some low-key lighting for the interior scenes at night. Editor Miroslav Hajek does terrific work with the editing as it has some style in some slow-motion work in some bits of the film but also some jump-cuts to play into some of the action and humor. Production designer Karel Lier does brilliant work with the look of the homes of some of the villagers as well as the town hall building and the church where many of the villagers go to as it would evolve to showcase who are still here in the ongoing years.
Costume designer Ester Krumbachova does nice work with the costumes as it play into the evolution of the dresses the young women wear but also the suits of the Communist officials. The sound work of Dobroslav Sramek is superb as it play into the location and the way folk is played on location as its emphasis on naturalism is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Svatopluk Havelka is amazing for its mixture of folk and orchestral music as it help play into the drama and humor as its soundtrack also feature waltzes and folk themes to play into the small town environment.
The film’s wonderful cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Pavel Pavlovsky as a postman who becomes an official only to cause the ire of the locals, Josef Hlinomaz as a painter who likes to paint art including portraits of the locals, Ilja Prachar as the photographer Josef Plecmera who becomes a political official, Vaclav Lohnisky as a Communist party member who betrays his community, Vaclav Babka as a tailor who loses his business to the party, and Drahomira Hofmanova as the widow Machacova as a woman of immense beauty who marries multiple times only for the marriages to end tragically.
Vera Galatikova is fantastic as Frantisek’s wife who observes much of the chaos in communism as well as her husband’s struggle to maintain their farm. Waldemar Matsuka is superb as the peasant Zasinek as a man who copes with the death of wife back in World War II as well as the emergence of communism as he tries to hold on to his faith. Vladimir Mensik is excellent as the thief Jorka Pyrk who deals with the changing times that forces him to steal but also deals with the chaos of communism. Vlastimil Brodsky is brilliant as the church organist Ocenas as a man who leaves his role in the church to become an official only to exile himself from the village as he would return for the epilogue to see what the village had become. Finally, there’s Radoslav Brzobohaty as Frantisek as a farmer who is wary of communist rule as he deals with its drawbacks while defying them despite the tactics of the party towards other farmers as he also copes with the decisions he has to make to help them.
Vsichni dobri rodaci is a marvelous film from Vojtech Jasny. Featuring a great cast, lush visuals, a terrific music score, and its study of life in a village following the aftermath of World War II and into communist rule. The film is a captivating look into a period in the life of a village and its people as they deal with changing times as well as the outcome of its changes into the modern world. In the end, Vsichni dobri rodaci is a remarkable film from Vojtech Jasny.
© thevoid99 2021
Based on the novel by Vladislav Vancura, Marketa Lazarova is the story of a lord’s daughter who had been kidnapped by knights from a different clan leading to an intense feud between the two factions during medieval times. Directed by Frantisek Vlacil and screenplay by Vlacil and Frantisek Pavlicek, the film is an exploration of a young woman caught up in the middle of a war where she’s become the pawn of this bloody conflict with Magda Vasaryova starring in the titular role and narration by Zdenek Stepanek. Also starring Josef Kemr, Frantisek Velecky, Nad’a Hejna, and Jaroslav Moucka. Marketa Lazarova is an entrancing and evocative film from Frantisek Vlacil.
Set in medieval times, the film revolves around a conflict between two different factions in the Germany/Czechoslovakia border as a lord’s daughter finds herself in the middle of this conflict as it would complicate things during the course of the conflict. It’s a film that doesn’t have much of a plot in favor of exploring a period in time in which conflict was part of the norm but also the way they live their life as a way to survive regardless of how they treat other people. The film’s screenplay by Frantisek Vlacil and Frantisek Pavlicek is loose in its story though it’s mainly a two-part story about this conflict and how this young woman in Marketa Lazarova is caught in the middle where she is part of one faction and then be part of another although she is mainly a supporting character in a large ensemble filled with thieves, knights, killers, and con artists. Even the captives that include the son of a bishop becomes troubled by this conflict as he had fallen for a young woman who is part of another faction. It all play into this idea of bargaining and survival as this young woman who is dealing with all of this chaos as she turns to God for answers while Zdenek Stepanek’s narration adds some clarity into some of the loose tone of the plot which does meander at times.
Vlacil’s direction is definitely intoxicating in its imagery as it is shot on various locations in Czechoslovakia in the course of nearly 2 years as it play into the harsh conditions of wintery forests and desolate swamps. Yet, it does add a unique atmosphere into the look and tone of the film where Vlacil aims for an element of realism in these settings. The usage of the wide shots do allow Vlacil to get a lot of coverage and depth of field into the locations it would play into a world that is tranquil and serene but can also be unsettling and unforgiving at times. The locations also play into some of the battles where Vlacil uses some hand-held camera for some scenes in the film along with some long shots that goes on for a few minutes with stark imagery that often include shots of wolves getting ready to attack. It does play into moments of symbolism into what these men are dealing with a world that is about survival and keeping what they have.
Vlacil’s direction also play into religious symbolism where there’s Marketa’s father Lord Lazar (Michal Kozuch with the voice of Martin Ruzek) has his hands nailed to a door or Marketa at a Catholic convent where her father tried to enter her there for safety only to not have enough money. The religious symbolism would come to play towards the film’s ending with its usage of close-ups and medium shots while Vlacil would use these shots to play into interaction with the characters or in some surreal dream sequences that would have Marketa walking on a field naked or another female character in Alexandra (Pavla Polaskova with the voice of Karolina Sluneckova) who is the object of affection to the bishop’s son Kristian (Vlastimil Harapes with the voice of Klaus-Peter-Thiele). It would all play into this desire of leading a pure life but the atmosphere of greed and deception would still emerge with Marketa being this idea of purity as she eventually comes to term with her role but also accept a different role that would allow her to create a better future. Overall, Vlacil crafts a mesmerizing and ravishing film about a feud between factions in medieval times at the Czechoslovakian-German border with a young woman caught in the middle.
Cinematographer Bedrich Bat’ka does amazing work with the film’s black-and-white photography with its usage of natural lighting for some of the interiors as well as the usage of available light for some of the exterior shots as it is a highlight of the film. Editor Miroslav Hajek does excellent work with the editing as it has elements of jump-cuts to play into some of the action while much of the editing is straightforward. Art director Oldrich Okac, with set decorators Josef Pavlik and Vladislav Rada, does brilliant work with the look of the ruined castles and forts as well as some of the places that the characters go to.
Costume designer Theodor Pistek does fantastic work with the costumes with its ragged look of some of the knights and thieves as well as the lavish robes of some of the lords and bishops. The sound work of Frantisek Fabian is superb for its intricate approach to sound in capturing the natural elements of sound and mixing it with some sound collage to play into some of the surreal moments of the film. The film’s music by Zdenek Liska is great for its usage of Gregorian-like vocal choir chants, layers of string and percussion arrangements, and its broad orchestral sound to play into the period of the times as it is a highlight of the film.
The film’s wonderful cast feature some notable small roles from Karla Chadimova as the Abbess Priory who considers taking Marketa into her convent, Na’da Hejna as Kozlik’s wife Katerina with Antoine Hegerlikova as the voice actress for the part, Zdenek Rehor as Captain Pivo’s second-in-command in Sovicka who is attracted to Marketa, Zdenek Kryzanek as Captain Pivo who is tasked to rescue the bishop’s son, Harry Studt as the bishop whose son had been captured, and Vladimir Mensik in a terrific performance as the wandering monk Bernard who is a witness to everything as he serves as a Greek chorus of sorts to the audience while observing everything that is happening as well as provide some guidance to the characters in the film. Vlastimil Harapes, with the voice of Klaus-Peter-Thiele, is superb as the bishop’s son Kristian as a young man captured by Kozlik’s men as he would fall for Kozlik’s daughter Alexandra as he becomes confused by whom he should be loyalty to. Ivan Puluch, with the voice of Ladislav Trojan, is fantastic as Kozlik’s one-armed son Adam who is known for having an incestuous relationship with Alexandra as he’s also one of Kozlik’s fiercest knights only to deal with the turmoil of Alexandra’s relationship with Kristian.
Josef Kemr and Michael Kozuch, with the voice Martin Rusek for the latter, are excellent in their respective roles as the faction leaders Kozlik and Lazar with the former as a leader of knights who rebels against the royals while the latter is a lord loyal to the royal family who also head a gang of bandits. Pavla Polaskova, with the voice of Karolina Sluneckova, is amazing as Alexandra as Kozlik’s daughter who is a mysterious woman known for her dark look yet becomes fond of Kristian as she would see him as a beacon of hope in her dark surroundings. Frantisek Velecky, with the voice of Petr Kostka, is brilliant as Mikolas as one of Kozlik’s sons who would capture Marketa and would torture and rape only to later be protective of her as he would also question his loyalty towards his own father and their rebellion. Finally, there’s Magda Vasaryova, with the voice of Gabriela Vranova, in an incredible performance as the titular character as the daughter of a lord loyal to the royal family who finds herself used as she is sent from one faction to another as bait or bargaining as she questions her own being as well as seeking answers from God to help those she grows to care for.
Marketa Lazarova is a tremendous film from Frantisek Vlacil. Featuring a great ensemble cast, ravishing visuals, an eerie music soundtrack, stark depiction of medieval life, and naturalistic sound design. It’s a film that explores a moment in time that was brutal as it showcases how similar it is to some of the conflicts of the present day while it is told in an unconventional presentation that isn’t for everyone due to the looseness of the plot. In the end, Marketa Lazarova is a spectacular film from Frantisek Vlacil.
© thevoid99 2019
