{"id":93497,"date":"2023-11-26T01:00:12","date_gmt":"2023-11-26T08:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=93497"},"modified":"2023-11-26T10:59:49","modified_gmt":"2023-11-26T17:59:49","slug":"firemens-ball-the-1967","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=93497","title":{"rendered":"Firemen&#8217;s Ball, The (1967)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;We want the beauty queen! We want the beauty queen!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Poster-219x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"219\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-93498\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Poster-219x300.png 219w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Poster-93x128.png 93w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Poster-197x270.png 197w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Poster.png 699w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 219px) 100vw, 219px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAt a small town Czechoslovakian celebration meant to honor a retiring fireman with cancer, absolutely nothing goes as expected.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Beauty Contests<\/li>\n<li>Black Comedy<\/li>\n<li>Eastern European Films<\/li>\n<li>Living Nightmare<\/li>\n<li>Milos Forman Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary writes that this film &#8212; &#8220;the last movie [Milos Forman] made in his native Czechoslovakia&#8221; &#8212; is &#8220;somewhat reminiscent of <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1356\">Bunuel&#8217;s <em>The Exterminating Angel<\/em><\/a>, in which bourgeois party guests can&#8217;t get home &#8212; [only] here the party guests stick around to commit mean acts or have them perpetrated on them.&#8221; When &#8220;firemen decide to throw a ball to honor their retired chief&#8221; because &#8220;it will be good for their own image&#8221;: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Planning.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Planning.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-93503\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Planning.png 960w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Planning-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Planning-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Planning-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Planning-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; &#8220;everything goes wrong: the leering, dirty old firemen decide to hold a beauty contest, but only ugly girls enter&#8221;: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Girls.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Girls.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-93504\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Girls.png 960w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Girls-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Girls-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Girls-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Girls-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; &#8220;the firemen are late to a fire that burns down an old man&#8217;s house&#8221;: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Fire.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Fire.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-93501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Fire.png 960w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Fire-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Fire-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Fire-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Fire-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; &#8220;people steal the raffle prizes meant to benefit the old man&#8221;: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Stolen.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Stolen.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-93502\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Stolen.png 960w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Stolen-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Stolen-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Stolen-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Stolen-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; &#8220;a respected fireman is caught red-handed with stolen meat;&#8221; and &#8220;the ex-chief&#8217;s gift disappears.&#8221; Peary argues that the &#8220;laughter comes from watching self-serving people try to show off their &#8216;generosity, benevolence, [and] solidarity&#8217;,&#8221; but he argues that &#8220;cruelty often overwhelms the humor.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>To be honest, Peary&#8217;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 &#8212; 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 &#8220;firemen&#8221; weren&#8217;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).  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Numerous surreally outlandish moments<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Hanging.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Hanging.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-93506\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Hanging.png 960w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Hanging-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Hanging-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Hanging-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firemens-Ball-Hanging-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, for its historical relevance as Forman&#8217;s final film before leaving Czechoslovakia, and for its Oscar nomination. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Historically Relevant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0061781\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tvguide.com\/movies\/the-firemens-ball\/review\/2000031688\/\">TV Guide Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s414czech.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/74969\/the-firemens-ball#articles-reviews?articleId=448251\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;We want the beauty queen! We want the beauty queen!&#8221; 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&#8217;s Review: Peary writes that this film &#8212; &#8220;the last movie [Milos Forman] made in his native Czechoslovakia&#8221; &#8212; is &#8220;somewhat reminiscent of Bunuel&#8217;s The Exterminating Angel, in which bourgeois party&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=93497\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-93497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=93497"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93497\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93519,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93497\/revisions\/93519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=93497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=93497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=93497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}