The World of Movies: Loves of a Blonde
Written by Rachael Crawley
The World of Movies is a series that explores global cinema, drawing on films from many countries, industries and eras. This week, we talk about love in 1960s Czechoslovakia.
Loves of a Blonde.
May contain spoilers.
A terrible mistake has occurred. Through an oversight in economic planning, a town in Czechoslovakia has sixteen women to every man. While officials fret about the consequences, a young woman named Andula discovers romance for herself.
Loves of a Blonde (1965) is a dramedy both firmly planted in the Czech New Wave and an early piece from Miloš Forman, future multiple Academy Award-winner. Controversial for political reasons at the time, it underwent significant preservation efforts and was screened at Cannes in 2019. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Film.
In fact, the premise is only a small factor in the film’s final story. Faced with an impending crisis, the officials conveniently place some military reservists close to the village – a move deemed unimpressive by the locals. At a gathering for the new visitors, Andula (Hannah Brejchová), who is semi-engaged, begins a romance with musician Milda (Vladimír Pucholt). From here, we veer away from anything to do with the village. The movie handles the sensual scenes quite frankly, but with moments of humour and an oddly sad tinge. (One thing that this film drove home to me – it must have been really, really inconvenient to carry on a romance at the time.) It reads as a realistically complex love affair. The two actors have a believable intimacy, and navigate these ever-shifting moods easily.
Loves of a Blonde.
The film is, not surprisingly, marked by stellar camera work – there are plenty of gorgeous shots, particularly a motif of hands. The romantic scenes are beautifully lit and staged. Its restoration is clear and shows this off very nicely. Forman seems to be aiming for a “slice of life” mood, which works overall. The scenes are filled with quirky asides and small details that round out the village nicely. While it is full of political jabs, the movie has an easy humour and a comfortable pace. That said, some moments can be jarringly somber. Somehow, all of these different tones are balanced well.
In general, I tend to find that most movies are too long. Here, I would have liked to see a bit more! The film is less than an hour and a half, and for the most part it makes use of this time. The final twenty minutes, which take place in Prague, feel a little aimless - though they are entertaining and provide an interesting view of the city at the time. Ultimately, with some added time to develop the characters and flesh out their world, I think this movie could have been even stronger.
Despite a slightly less effective ending, Loves of a Blonde is worth a watch. It can be viewed for its place in film history, but is also an entertaining and enlightening look at young romance. While filtered through the particularities of its time and place, it contains the missteps – and the highlights – that characterize so many of our early relationships. The movie combines a multitude of different feelings into a satirical and visually compelling portrait of self-discovery.
Rachael Crawley holds a Master's Degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, and has worked with film in Canada and in Europe. She adores language and cinema, and how these subjects interact with each other.