Scene from the film Cutting It Short
Scene from the film Cutting It Short
Scene from the film Cutting It Short
Scene from the film Cutting It Short

Cutting It Short

Direction
Year 
1980
Country
  • Czech Republic
Duration
98min 
Audio Tracks 
Subtitles 

Adaptation of Bohumil Hrabal's novel is a nostalgic look at small-town life in the idyllic times of the First Czechoslovak Republic, driven by autobiographical insights and observations.

The playful story concerns the beautiful Maryška and her young husband, brewery manager Francin, a character inspired by Hrabal´s stepfather. Maryška is a fragile blonde who is in love with beer, meat and also her meticulous husband who she torments with her mischievous sense of fun. Dutiful Francin is obsessed by his job but his position at work is far from secure. Members of the board of trustees disapprove of the inconsistency with which he treats his beloved spouse. When Francin´s noisy and incurably hare-brained brother Pepin comes to stay, it is Maryška who encourages his wacky poetic performances. All would be well if only Francin would assert some authority over his spouse. The story’s happy ending is further underlined by the revelation that its author (little Bohumil) is being conceived...

By his ninth feature, Menzel had proved himself to be a faithful and resonant interpreter of Hrabal´s prose. His ideal domain is the tragicomic miniature, while he is able to employ a playful hyperbole to soften the rougher edges of Hrabal’s original dialogue and descriptions. Postřižiny also owes its abundant warmth to one of the director´s favourite collaborators, cameraman Jaromír Šofr. Variations of light, shade and pastel colour create a harmonious backdrop for the winsome atmosphere of nostalgia, while the vividly drawn characters are given every opportunity to come through. Magda Vášáryová (Maryška), Jiří Schmitzer (Francin) and Jaromír Hanzlík (Pepin) all warm to their roles.

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Details

  • Original title
    Postřižiny
  • Direction
  • Screenplay
    Bohumil Hrabal, Jiří Menzel
  • Cast
    Magda Vášáryová, Jiří Schmitzer, Jaromír Hanzlík, Rudolf Hrušínský, Petr Čepek, Oldřich Vlach, František Řehák, Miloslav Štibich, Alois Liškutín, Pavel Vondruška, Rudolf Hrušínský ml., Oldřich Vízner, Miroslav Donutil, Josef Vondráček, Jaroslav Vozáb...
  • DOP
    Jaromír Šofr
  • Editing
    Jiří Brožek
  • Music
    Jiří Šust
  • Duration
    98 min (91+ min.)
  • Year
    1980
  • Country
    • Czech Republic
  • Colour
    • Colour
  • Distribution
      • Národní filmový archiv
      • Závišova 502/5
      • 14000 Praha 4
      • Czech Republic
      • web: http://nfa.cz/

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