The People of Prague Understand Me

Summary

According to the Czech director Věra Chytilová, her film The People of Prague Understand Me was originally conceived as "a solemn tribute Mozart's three visits to Prague; unfortunately things went a little awry..." It became a parody, as stated in the subtitle of the film, or rather a crazy comedy, which is far from being a solemn depiction. On the contrary, the creators deliberately undermine the reverent and academic approach to the artist's legacy and personality, depicting him as an animalistic being full of passion, indulgence, human weaknesses, and whims. They thus preserved the idea of Mozart as a genius artist who never lost the behaviour of a spoiled, whimsical child even in his adulthood (thus following, for example, Forman's Amadeus). In depicting his stays in Prague, they relied on the biographical book Spi, můj krásný plameni by Zdeněk Mahler. – Chytilová did not attempt to reconstruct the historical realities and unhesitatingly filmed in the then-contemporary Prague exteriors and in the Estates Theatre while under reconstruction. Therefore, we can spot passing cars in the distance behind the carriage. Characters in historical costumes move in today's streets, and the mischievous Mozart cannot resist making various comparisons. However, the director did not carry this line of alienating effects to the end; the film shows rush and nervousness. Milan Šteindler seems to be a perfect fit for Mozart, playing him with enthusiasm and with the appropriate ironic distance in line with the director's intention. In addition to him, other actors from the Sklep Theatre also appear, as well as for example Miloš Kopecký. Mozart's music has a significant presence in the piece, supplemented by "collages" of Miroslav Kořínek and excerpts from Maestro's "Prague operas" performed by the Mozart Opera. – The film was shown in cinemas together with Petr Slavík's documentary Valčík na čtyři doby (1991).

Synopsis