Prague taxi service chief Mudroch (Miloš Willig) has no time for the irrational demands of his drivers for a pay rise. The drivers decide to strike and seek the support of the trade unions and “enemies of the state” in their fight against Murdoch. But the taxi firm boss is convinced that such an honest communist as himself cannot be overcome. Then saboteurs interfere with the brakes of his car… This 1974 drama made by a very old hand of filmmaking, Karel Steklý, amounts to a criticism of opponents of the contemporary regime. They are represented as indulging in dishonest intrigues in preparation for the 1968 disruption of the established political order. It is a forcible example of post-1968 “normalisation” cinema which makes use of many ideological clichés. The motion picture propagandistically presents honest comrades, corrupted long-haired citizens, taxi drivers who have no appetite for work and wicked emigrants stealing the wives of true communists. Today, the film might come across as an unintended comedy, but in its day, it clearly reflected the new doctrine of “normalisation” being pushed by the state.
Prague taxi drivers ask for an immoderate pay rise. Director Mudroch disapproves of their requirements, giving rise to their hostility. The drivers refuse to work and the chief dispatcher Chaluš is laughed at by them. They decide to win over director Mudroch, looking for support of anti-communists at the ministry and in the Trade Unions. On the contrary, Mudroch expects support from the ministry, but the office-holder Hlávka is not willing to burn his fingers, being threatened by anti-communist leaflets. Chaluš is aware of the company shortcomings, but his marriage problems prevail. His wife Zdena her ex-friend dates Rudolf who is back from emigration. Now, he talks her into leaving for the West with him. Mudroch struggles to cope with his new position, convinced that honest communists cannot be defeated. His hostile colleagues damage the brakes in his car. Chaluš learns from the driver Eugene that his wife is about to leave with Rudolf. He rushes to the airport with Mudroch. In the very last minute, Zdena changes her mind, leaving Rudolf at the airport. Mudroch's taxi crashed because of faulty brakes. Seriously injured Mudroch loses consciousness. His last words are: they can murder people, but they cannot win.
ředitel taxislužby Mudroch
Mudrochova manželka
hlavní dispečer taxislužby Chaluš
trenérka plavání Zdena, Chalušova žena
Rudolf, bývalý Zdenin milý
ing. Brotánek, pracovník ministerstva financí
dispečerka Jana
Bartošová, Rudolfova sestra
předseda Ústřední rady odborů dr. Ončák
šéfredaktor TV novin Winter
taxikář Bláha, bývalý právník
taxikář Hejtmánek
funkcionář Ústřední rady odborů Hlávka
Milan, Mudrochův syn
taxikář Evžen
taxikář Frühauf
taxikář Soukup
taxikář Koloušek
taxikář Patočka
taxikář Pařílek
předseda ZO ROH Šíma
taxikář Víšek
taxikář Kupšík
taxikář Beznoska
taxikář Pazdírek
strážmistr VB
politik
politik
automobilista v aerovce
telefonistka
vrchní ve varieté
řidič autojeřábu
muž s baretem na ulici
velvyslanecký rada
taxikář
taxikář
taxikář
zákazník na Hradčanském náměstí
zpěvák
Komárek
Hrdý
normální muž
zřízenec v livreji
vlasáč
tanečnice s ohněm
květinářka
hudebník
hudebník
dubl za Williga
reportér s politiky
brýlatý muž ve vinárně
motocyklisté
dívka u podpisových archů
hlas velvyslaneckého rady
hlas z televizoru
Jiří Koníček, Eva Truchlá
Antonín Šimral
Miroslav Himmer, Marcel Kříž, Eva Slívová
Karel Prchal, Vladimír Tišer
Václav Veruněk
Jan Kňákal, Miroslav Pešan, Regina Svobodová, Anna Mejtská
František Belfín (FISYO)
Bum, bum, bum
Ladislav Štaidl (Bum, bum, bum)
Jiří Štaidl (Bum, bum, bum)
Karel Gott (Bum, bum, bum)
Za volantem nepřítel
An Enemy Is at the Wheel
film
feature
drama
Czechoslovakia
1974
1974
3 October 1975
long
93 min
Czech
Exhibition: 17. přehlídka avantgardních neorealistických filmů Avellino
1976
Avellino / Italy
Festival: 13. festival českých a slovenských filmů Praha
1975
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Miloš Willig