Firemen’s Ball, The (1967)

Firemen’s Ball, The (1967)

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“We want the beauty queen! We want the beauty queen!”

Synopsis:
At a small town Czechoslovakian celebration meant to honor a retiring fireman with cancer, absolutely nothing goes as expected.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Beauty Contests
  • Black Comedy
  • Eastern European Films
  • Living Nightmare
  • Milos Forman Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this film — “the last movie [Milos Forman] made in his native Czechoslovakia” — is “somewhat reminiscent of Bunuel’s The Exterminating Angel, in which bourgeois party guests can’t get home — [only] here the party guests stick around to commit mean acts or have them perpetrated on them.” When “firemen decide to throw a ball to honor their retired chief” because “it will be good for their own image”:

… “everything goes wrong: the leering, dirty old firemen decide to hold a beauty contest, but only ugly girls enter”:

… “the firemen are late to a fire that burns down an old man’s house”:

… “people steal the raffle prizes meant to benefit the old man”:

… “a respected fireman is caught red-handed with stolen meat;” and “the ex-chief’s gift disappears.” Peary argues that the “laughter comes from watching self-serving people try to show off their ‘generosity, benevolence, [and] solidarity’,” but he argues that “cruelty often overwhelms the humor.”

To be honest, Peary’s review weirdly misses the point of this 72-minute satire, which is clearly a direct allegory for the corruption of the Czech government, pre-Prague Spring. Nothing taking place here is kind, respectful, or even logical — presumably because nothing about how the government was being run at the time felt humanistic or made sense. The country was metaphorically burning down, and even its designated “firemen” weren’t able to save it. Thankfully, Forman got out, came to America, and started his own career anew; this remains a potent cinematic artifact of why that was necessary (at the time).

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Numerous surreally outlandish moments

Must See?
Yes, for its historical relevance as Forman’s final film before leaving Czechoslovakia, and for its Oscar nomination.

Categories

  • Historically Relevant

(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)

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One thought on “Firemen’s Ball, The (1967)”

  1. First viewing (10/11/20).

    A once-must, for its place in world cinema history. (A film I’m likely to return to.)

    In a short interview on the Criterion DVD, director Forman gives the film some necessary (or let’s say helpful) political context. But it’s not like, otherwise, the film would be hard to follow as not only a straightforward depiction of corruption but also a snapshot of social mores which are both specific and universal.

    ‘TFB’ reveals Forman’s ability in capturing people being all-too-human – to both dramatic and comic effect. It’s a film that surprises by not going where you might anticipate that it will at any given time.

    72 minutes used to their fullest potential.

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