''The Ear'' () is a

Czech language Czech ( ; ), historically known as Bohemian ( ; ), is a West Slavic language of the Czech–Slovak group, written in Latin script. Spoken by over 12 million people including second language speakers, it serves as the official language of the ...

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

Karel Kachyňa Karel Kachyňa (1 May 1924 – 12 March 2004) was a Czech film director and screenwriter. His career spanned over five decades. Early life He was born on May 1, 1924, in Vyškov, Czechoslovakia. His father was a government officer. His mother wa ...

, completed in 1970. This film was

banned A ban is a formal or informal prohibition of something. Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some bans in commerce are referred to as embargoes. ''Ban'' is also used as a verb similar in meaning ...

by the nation's ruling Communist party (who were supported by the occupying Soviet forces). It wasn't released until the fall of the communist regime in 1989.

Plot

The film is about a bitter married couple that consists of Ludvík, a senior official of Prague's ruling

Communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...

regime, and his alcoholic wife Anna. They return home after attending a political party dinner and notice their home has been broken into. Several strange occurrences, including the disappearance of their spare house keys and dead phone lines, lead them to believe that they are under surveillance by their own government. As the night progresses, the flaws of their marriage and of each other are exposed.

Cast

Radoslav Brzobohatý Radoslav Brzobohatý (; 13 September 1932 – 12 September 2012) was a Czech actor. He acted in film, television and theatre, portraying around 200 roles during his career. Life and career Radoslav Brzobohatý was born on 13 September 1932 in ...

as Ludvík * Jiřina Bohdalová as Anna *

Jiří Císler Jiří (; ''YI-RZHEE'') is a Czech masculine given name, equivalent to English George. Notable people with the name include: B *Georg Benda (Jiří Antonín Benda), Czech composer, violinist and Kapellmeister * Jiří Baborovský, Czech physi ...

as Standa * Miroslav Holub as Russian general * Milica Kolofiková as Woman at the party * Jaroslav Moučka as Vagera

Awards

1990 Cannes Film Festival - Nominated for the Golden Palm for

Book

* ''Ear'', Karolinum Press, 2022. .

References

External links