The Ear

Only a handful of openly socio-critical films made in 1960s communist Czechoslovakia managed to see the light of day, works which examined the devastating impact of the totalitarian machinery on the lives of ordinary citizens. The Ear, however, courageously focused its critical eye directly on the highest political circles. Over the course of a single night, a compelling and, in key aspects, exemplary drama unfolds within the confines of a government villa. A prominent representative of the party elite finds himself in the midst of a ruthless power struggle and faces the threat of immediate dismissal and perhaps even physical extermination. At the same time, the harrowing and darkly grotesque events of this troubling night test the relationship of the central married couple and provide an opportunity for a penetrating study of both characters; the outcome is unexpected. The political drama is thus neatly interwoven with the psychological narrative, while the exceptional persuasiveness of this formally sophisticated work is heightened throughout by superb performances from Jiřina Bohdalová and Radoslav Brzobohatý.