About the Movie |
Czechoslovak New Wave |
Sometimes titled A Blonde in Love, this 1965 Czechoslovakian film was directed by Miloš Forman. Forman took inspiration for the movie’s plot from a story told to him by a young woman who had come to Prague from a small town. Because of this, he went to great lengths to make the movie feel realistic. It was filmed in a small Czech town and many of the actors weren’t professional; improvisation and documentary-style camera techniques were frequently used. Loves of a Blonde gained international recognition and was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 1966 Academy Awards.
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The Czech New Wave cinema movement was made up of movies made in the 1960s by some directors, including Věra Chytilová (Daises) and Miloš Forman. These directors took advantage of the temporary relaxing of state control over artists to make movies that critiqued socio-political situations under Soviet control. Compared to French New Wave, the Czech movement also explored new storytelling strategies and placed a stronger emphasis on the narrative. A majority of these new wave films were Czech language
rather than Slovak, with the major production studies based in or around Prague. |
I guess I'll always be moved by the sight of a young person with a suitcase seeking a connection in a big city.
Themes
Comedy/Humor
Humor is utilized throughout the film. During the dance, the trio of soldiers send a bottle of wine to the wrong table. One man attempts to hide his wedding ring and accidentally drops it, forcing him to crawl under said wrong table in order to retrieve it. Later that night, when Andula is with Milda, he repeatedly struggles to close the window blinds. Towards the end of the film, when Milda is in his parents’ bed, their argument and attempts to comfortably sleep three in one bed is portrayed in a comical manner.
A New View on Sex
Loves of a Blonde showcases a generational difference in opinion surrounding sex and relationships, especially in regards to how women should act. The dormitory housemother and Milda’s mother are both very concerned with honor and reputation. The older housemother tells the factory girls that if they keep treating their honor the way they do, they shouldn’t be surprised when boys treat them poorly. Milda’s mother is upset at her son for sleeping around and at Andula for showing up at their home, expecting to sleep there. Andula, many of the other women who work at the factory, and Milda’s father are less strict in their opinions on the subject.
Economic Organization
Life in Zruc is centered around the factory; the women who work there all in a dormitory together. When Andula and Tonda have their breakup, the other girls are there too. They tell Tonda: “It’s our business too. She’s our friend and this is our room.” There seems to be critique of the factory’s organizational skills and how it affects the people. It appears to be the factory management’s fault that the town is so gender imbalanced, and when the supervisor plans a social to remedy it, the men and women are of very different ages and stages of life. Very few are happy with out it turned out.
Humor is utilized throughout the film. During the dance, the trio of soldiers send a bottle of wine to the wrong table. One man attempts to hide his wedding ring and accidentally drops it, forcing him to crawl under said wrong table in order to retrieve it. Later that night, when Andula is with Milda, he repeatedly struggles to close the window blinds. Towards the end of the film, when Milda is in his parents’ bed, their argument and attempts to comfortably sleep three in one bed is portrayed in a comical manner.
A New View on Sex
Loves of a Blonde showcases a generational difference in opinion surrounding sex and relationships, especially in regards to how women should act. The dormitory housemother and Milda’s mother are both very concerned with honor and reputation. The older housemother tells the factory girls that if they keep treating their honor the way they do, they shouldn’t be surprised when boys treat them poorly. Milda’s mother is upset at her son for sleeping around and at Andula for showing up at their home, expecting to sleep there. Andula, many of the other women who work at the factory, and Milda’s father are less strict in their opinions on the subject.
Economic Organization
Life in Zruc is centered around the factory; the women who work there all in a dormitory together. When Andula and Tonda have their breakup, the other girls are there too. They tell Tonda: “It’s our business too. She’s our friend and this is our room.” There seems to be critique of the factory’s organizational skills and how it affects the people. It appears to be the factory management’s fault that the town is so gender imbalanced, and when the supervisor plans a social to remedy it, the men and women are of very different ages and stages of life. Very few are happy with out it turned out.