Directed by:
Věra ChytilováCinematography:
Ervín SandersComposer:
Jiří BulisCast:
Bolek Polívka, Miroslav Donutil, Anna Pantůčková, Jozef Kroner, Dagmar Havlová, Šárka Vojtková, Pavel Zatloukal, Břetislav Rychlík, Pavel Brichta, Ján Sedal (more)Plots(1)
A comedy by eminent Czech director Věra Chytilová satirizing nouveaux riches who have acquired their wealth through post-Velvet Revolution property restitution. A simple villager named Bohuš inherits a fortune FROM his father but unfortunately trades common sense for the power of money. In the end, the likable hero, played by popular comedian Boleslav Polívka, loses it all - property, friends, and love - thanks to his blindness. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (9)
Despite the obtuse criticisms of the time, Věra Chytilová did not create a Troška-esque farce. Nor did she lose her sound judgment or sell out to commerce. However, contemporary and, unfortunately, later viewers were unable to tell the difference between satire and communal comedy. Chytilová was the only one to not go for superficiality, but instead created a timeless and unflattering – and thus all the more chilling – freak show in which she exposed Czech society drunk on a feverish vision of wealth, freedom and power in all its nakedness. Unfortunately, an inherent drawback of every satire is that some people see it as a confirmation of their own values and preen in front of the mirror that has been set in front of them instead of being horrified by what they see. And particularly the image reflected in The Inheritance is utterly, terrifyingly monstrous, though it is also a meaningful statement on more than just its own time and the deterioration of its values.
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I don't know, I was never entertained or captivated. I just kind of "missed it". I don't need this movie to live, I even breathe better when I don't have to say the title... They just had a certain lack of appeal for each other, and it's certain we'll never get past it. I don't mind, and I'm sure the movie doesn't either. And just to clarify a bit how much I dislike the movie (in case anyone cares), if I had to choose between it and, say, Pokémon, I choose you, Pikachu, you cute electric rat from Japan....
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Even though at first glance it's a film primarily about humor and crudeness, it takes years to realize that it's actually a very good piece of social criticism. Ironically, those being criticized often laugh at it because they probably don't even understand it. Bolek Polívka is truly incredible in his role, and Chytilová holds the directorial reins so firmly that it's almost unbelievable. Every scene makes sense for the overall impression.
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One of the best so-called post-revolutionary Czech films. Like The Firemen's Ball, I had to laugh at The Inheritance from beginning to end. I laughingly resist thinking for two hours about how timely and, yes, harshly true this film is. Each of us knows someone like Bohuš... And many people often are him.
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I've been putting off the cult classic The Inheritance for a very long time, and since it's one of the most quoted Czech comedies, the film didn't have much to surprise me anymore. The script by Věra Chytilová and Bolek Polívka is full of memorable gems, no doubt about it, but on the other hand there are some pretty futile parts with a supremely awkward touch, especially in the first third of the film. The Inheritance would certainly not be what it is if it wasn’t for Polívka in the lead role, who managed to portray the drunken and boorish Bohuš in a very convincing way – quite possibly he didn't even have to act much and was just being himself. Besides him, there the film features other memorable characters: the mini-aunt, Bohuš's mates, his two "femme fatales" Irenka and Vlastička. In the end, I found the film incredibly absurd – imaginative, yes – but somewhat bizarre and out of step with the overall concept. I can definitely understand any rating for The Inheritance. I liked the film as a humorous probe into the lives of the village hicks who are confronted with the seductions of the material world, but I was also tempted to turn the film off several times just because of these overly boorish characters.
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