Lying in the construction industry used to be a criminal offence, but skilful people could do a lot of things. This somewhat embarrassing tragicomedy convinces us that even builders should be honest. The protagonist here is a moral designer who occasionally drops in to sing to enjoy something other than work.
Direction
Schmidt's deadpan satire of 1980s Czech society.
Score
Random musical numbers interrupting construction drama.
Acting
Havelka's moral architect singing through his crisis.
Director
Jan Schmidt
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released during late communist Czechoslovakia, the film's critique of institutional corruption had to be coded in absurdism.
Director Jan Schmidt was primarily known for children's films; this adult satire with musical elements was a significant departure.
XC
