Out of the Past 2017 / Limonádový Joe aneb Koňská opera / Czechoslovakia 1964
This brilliant parody of the classic Western, which apparently had master of the genre John Ford rolling in the aisles, is unique among Czech comedies. Others of its type usually disappear together with their film-viewing generation, while Lemonade Joe enchants audiences today just as it did back then. You can bet your bottom dollar you won’t find a single minute without an original idea, witty rejoinder, or ingenious special effect.
Anything could happen in this movie: you might be quietly reading the paper in the saloon or belting out notes on the piano while cowboys indulge in a bit of fisticuffs; the bad guy might get strung up by the ankles, spun around and tossed about like a rag doll; and the sterling hero might have to suffer the heartbreak of seeing his snow-white suit deliberately trashed. All this and countless other comic scenes make for mighty fine entertainment. The profusion of brilliant gags embellishing the action, situations and characterisation arises from the filmmaker’s parody of the traditional Western genre, with its ultimate clash of goodies and baddies, and from his send-up of overly sentimental opera scenarios. As in opera, feelings are here expressed in song, while conscious affectation alternates with the naive in both lyrics and dialogue. More than four and a half million Czech moviegoers were enchanted by the subtle blend of humour and nostalgia, as they were by the filmmakers’ cinematic vision, reflected in a rich variety of special effects and in their stylisation of set, performance and movement.
Zdena Škapová
95 min / Color, Black & White, 35 mm
Director Oldřich Lipský
/ Screenplay Jiří Brdečka, Oldřich Lipský
/ Dir. of Photography Vladimír Novotný
/ Music Jan Rychlík, Vlastimil Hála
/ Editor Miroslav Hájek
/ Art Director Karel Škvor, Jiří Trnka, Břetislav Pojar
/ Producer Jaroslav Jílovec
/ Production Filmové studio Barrandov
/ Cast Karel Fiala, Rudolf Deyl ml., Miloš Kopecký, Květa Fialová, Olga Schoberová
/ Sales Národní filmový archiv
Oldřich Lipský (1924–1986) is a legend of Czech film comedy from the latter half of the 20th century. He began as an actor and stage director, and shot his first comedy in 1950. Perhaps it was his lifelong love of the circus that gave his humour its eccentricity and playfulness, coupled with a sense of reckless hyperbole; he was also a great champion of visual effects. A whole series of writers and scripters worked on Lipský’s films, some of the most productive collaboration involving Jiří Brdečka, Miloš Macourek and duo Svěrák and Smoljak. Their contribution brought elements of sci-fi and crime into the stories, always steeped in a blend of fairytale fantasy and comic parody. His most celebrated classics alongside Lemonade Joe include I Killed Einstein, Gentlemen… (1969), Joachim, Put It in the Machine! (1974), Mareček, Pass Me the Pen! (1976), Adele’s Dinner (1977), The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians (1981) and The Three Veterans (1983).
Národní filmový archiv
Závišova 5, 140 00, Praha 4
Czech Republic
E-mail: [email protected]
Tereza Brdečková
Film Critic
Tomáš Žůrek
Distributor, Sales Agent
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