The Firemen's Ball (1967)
1h 13m | PG-13
The firemen of a provincial Czechoslovakian town throw a ball in honor of the old chief's retirement. There will be music and dancing, a beauty pageant and a raffle. The whole town will be in attendance. However, the proceedings are dogged by difficulty at every step. Workplace injuries, stolen prizes, a shortage of pretty girls... and fire.
Director: Miloš Forman
Studio: Filmové studio Barrandov
Genre: Comedy
Video: 720p
Cast
Jan Vostrčil
as Head of Committee
Josef Šebánek
as Committee Member
František Debelka
as Committee Member
Josef Valnoha
as Committee Member
Ladislav Adam
as Committee Member
Vratislav Čermák
as Committee Member
Reviews
Miloš Forman's final film in the Czech language is a pure critique of bureaucracy. Set entirely at a banquet honoring a dying, 86-year-old former fire chief, it masterfully depicts the event's descent into fiasco. The film exposes the decay of Czechoslovak society and its so-called socialism, making the audience smile and even laugh, all without ever compromising its sharp comedic edge. It is a rare work that brilliantly critiques authority through humor.