The Joke (1969) on Netflix
Ludvík Jahn's postcard joke cost him his place at the university and in the Communist Party. Years later he courts Helena, whose husband voted for his expulsion.
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- Netflix3.6/5
- IMDb7.1/101,916 votes
- Rotten TomatoesNot available
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Plot summary
Ludvík Jahn, a scientist, comes back to the town where he grew up after twenty years. There he meets Helena, an older woman who interviews him, and he sets out to win her. She is the wife of one of the men who voted to throw him out of the Communist Party and the university. His mind turns to his student years and to Markéta, a firm believer in communism; to make her laugh he sent her a postcard that mocked optimism, called a healthy spirit stupid and praised Trotsky. She handed it to the Party, and at the hearing a friend who had promised support voted to expel him instead. Six years of reeducation followed, part prison, part army labor battalion.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Joke (1969)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- The Joke was a success in Czechoslovak theaters, but the authorities banned it for the following twenty years, making it one of the Czech New Wave's most renowned casualties.
- The character of Pavel Zemánek was inspired by the writer Pavel Kohout; the director Jaromil Jireš wanted to cast Kohout in the film but instead chose the professional actor Luděk Munzar.
