5. Miloš Forman: The Firemen´s Ball (Hoří, má panenko, 1967).




Screenplay: Jaroslav Papoušek, Ivan Passer, Miloš Forman. Director of photography: Miroslav
Ondříček. Editor: Miroslav Hájek. Music: Karel Mareš. Cast: Jan Vostrčil, Josef Šebánek, Josef
Valnoha, František Debelka, Milada Ježková, Josef Kolb. 69 min.



After the success of Loves of a Blonde, Miloš Forman made the greatest and cruellest political
metaphor in Czech cinema. The Czech national character was shown in a naked and very painful
fashion in this burlesque. But it is also a satire about the Communist regime and about relations
between the leaders and the people. The Italian co-producer Carlo Ponti was disappointed by the
film, as were Czech firemen.



Assigned reading:


Hames, Peter. The Czechoslovak New Wave: “Miloš Forman” – see lecture 3