Loves of a Blonde (1965)

Loves of a Blonde is a charming, early Czech film from Milos Foreman. I've never seen any of Foreman's earlier films, only One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus and the People Vs. Larry Flynt. I was charmed by this heartwarming little flick, though.

In Andula's small town, there are sixteen women to every man. I don't know about the other male readers, but I think this would be totally awesome. Even if you're less than handsome, you can have your pick of great girls. But hey, maybe that's just me.

At first, I thought Milda, the piano player, would be everything Andula wanted. Handsome, charming, shy, caring..I really thought that he was the guy for her. Especially the shot when the 3 girls are walking to the bathroom. We see Milda beforehand, looking down at the girls, then a cut to the girls walking down the hallway. Andula is trailing slightly behind them, looking up, and as they pass past the stairway, Andula takes a couple steps back into the shot, looking up. You can practically feel her excitement.

However, Milda turns out to be a young womanizer of sorts, as Andula shows up at his house, hoping that they'll have a few days of bliss together. Instead, she gets berated by his parents and ends up suffering heartbreak as he pretends not to know her. For Andula, finding love is crucial to her happiness, so this is a huge blow for her. Foreman does a great job of showing her anguish. Never one to bog a film down, the interplay between Milda and his parents in the next room is hilarious.

Not the greatest film, but an entertaining, touching little gem from the Czech new wave.