Kapryśne lato

How Menzel was able to do this is still not understood today. Bringing to the screen the warmness, kindness and extensibility of Vančura's book is an act worthy of a fool, but it works! Vančura's "unearthliness" in the mouths of the big names of Czech film does not sound violent or inappropriate - it sounds exactly as it should. Moreover, the almost poetic backdrop of a small town and a small magic variety show perfectly match the original text. "Humor is not to laugh, but to know better," Vančura wrote, and it is, after all, the most beautiful motto for this comedy, which I place on my personal leaderboard the highest of all. (25.01.2004)

Here we have a quite delightful Vančura transcription, which is beautiful in its rich Czech language, atypical in its use of color in 1967 and bringing the fresh charms of Jana Preissová to the movie theater screens. It may not be as relaxed and fine as Menzel in conjunction with Hrabal in other films, but the pearls of wisdom uttered by Brodsky, Hrušínský, and Myslíková are absolute. Then I can also ignore Řehák's torn ear. (16.11.2014)