The Ear (1970)

The Ear (Ucho)
Directed by Karel Kachyna
Written by Karel Kachyna and Jan Prochazka
1970/Czechoslovakia
IMDb page
First viewing/Criterion Channel
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

Anywhere, anytime ordinary people are given the chance to choose, the choice is the same: freedom, not tyranny; democracy, not dictatorship; the rule of law, not the rule of the secret police. — Tony Blair

Harold Pinter meets Kafka in this interesting entry from the tail end of the Czech New Wave.

Ludvik is a Vice Minister.  He has a turbulent relationship with his wife Anna, who looks to be a chronic drunk.  At any rate she is drinking or drunk throughout the film.  The two spar with each other like George and Martha, with the wife possessing the  sharper tongue. They have one child whom we hardly meet.

Ludvik and Anna attend a Party function where Ludvik learns that several of his colleagues have been removed from their posts.  When the couple arrive home they can’t find their keys and discover other suspicious changes such as cuts in power and telephone.  They already know that parts of the apartment are bugged.  Now Ludvik frantically searches the house for additional bugs.  Meanwhile, the marital squabbling doesn’t stop.

Government agents are parked outside throughout.  As dark turns to dawn a bunch of highly inebriated and shady looking men talk the their way into the house.  I will stop here. This movie has a rather neat ending.

This movie possesses all the wry irony of the Czech New Wave that I love so much.  The screenplay is clever and amusing.  I don’t know if its a must-see but I enjoyed it.

No subtitles.  Print on Criterion Channel is far superior