''Intimate Lighting'' () is a

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...

comedy-drama film Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, illness, betrayal, grief, etc. ...

directed by Ivan Passer. It was released in 1965. It is widely considered a major film of the Czechoslovak New Wave and to be Passer's most significant film.

Plot

A cello player in an orchestra, Peter, returns to his home village to see a childhood friend, Bambas. Bambas is a local music teacher and performs at funerals. Peter and his fiancee stay with Bambas and his family for the day and get involved in some comic exploits, including a possible symphony concert.

Cast

* Zdeněk Bezušek - Petr * Karel Blažek - Bambas * Věra Křesadlová - Štěpa, Petr's girlfriend * Jaroslava Štědrá - Marie, Karel's wife * Miroslav Cvrk - Kája, Karel's son * Dagmar Redinová - Marie, Karel's daughter * Karel Uhlík - Pharmacist * Vlastimila Vlková - Grandmother * Jan Vostrčil - Grandfather

Production

Ivan Passer had previously made a short film, ''A Boring Afternoon'', which took home a prize at the Lorcano International Film Festival, but he had not directed any features when he was approached by his screenwriting friend Jaroslav Papoušek to direct ''Intimate Lighting''. According to Passer, Papoušek needed money but he could not get paid until he found a director who was willing to attach themselves to his script. Papoušek was rejected by everyone he contacted, forcing him to ask Passer for a favor despite his lack of experience. Passer agreed to help his friend, never expecting the film to be actually made. A few months later, he was surprised when he was told to start work on the project even though the studio had openly expressed their reservations about the script.

Reception

Dave Kehr David Kehr (born 1953) is an American museum curator and film critic. For many years a critic at the ''Chicago Reader'' and the ''Chicago Tribune,'' he later wrote a weekly column for ''The New York Times'' on DVD releases. He later became a c ...

of '' The Chicago Reader'' called it "one of the finest works of the short-lived Czech New Wave...Passer has forged something funny and rare: a genuine comedy of melancholy — a ''gray'' comedy." Jim Hoberman of ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...

'' wrote that it was "a small masterpiece...less interested in narrative than a state of being, the movie is as subtle in its emotional effects as its title would suggest."

References

External links

* 1965 films 1965 comedy-drama films 1960s Czech-language films Czech black-and-white films Czech comedy-drama films Films directed by Ivan Passer Films with screenplays by Ivan Passer 1960s Czech films {{1960s-CzechRepublic-film-stub