The End of Old Times

In 1934, the novel The End of Old Times by Vladislav Vančura was published. Fifty years later, it was revived by Jiří Menzel’s film adaptation. The nostalgic comedy is set shortly after the First World War on a farm with a castle, where a Russian emigrant, Megalrogov (Josef Abrhám), a would-be prince, arrives. A charming man of refined manners, he is in fact above all a skilful storyteller and fantasist who likes to embellish his stories. That is why he manages to charm the snobbish society so much that the running of the estate starts to revolve around him. The basic theme of Vančura’s satirical story is the conflict between two social orders. Menzel has shifted this conflict to a more conciliatory lyrical level through the camera of Jaromír Šofr, and has strengthened the comedy by imitating the style of silent slapstick.