Classic International Movie: “Kolya”

October is classic international movies month. Today’s guest post comes from Melinda Mahaffey Icden.

Movie Title: Kolya

Year: 1996

Writers: Screenplay by Zdenek Sverák, story by Pavel Taussig

Lead Actors: Zdenek Sverák, Andrey Khalimon, Libuse Safránková

Director: Jan Sverák

IMDb Plot Summary (sort of): Louka is a cellist, confirmed bachelor and ladies’ man in Soviet-occupied Czechoslovakia. Needing money, he agrees to marry a Russian woman seeking immigration papers but ends up saddled with Kolya, her 5-year-old son, when she flees to Germany.

Why I Think This Is A Classic International Movie

On the surface, Kolya is a pretty simple movie, and the thematic arc — while endearing — is not all that surprising. There are only two main characters, plus a handful of supporters, and little in the way of subplots. But Kolya plays on multiple levels, set as it is against 1989’s Velvet Revolution. As Louka breaks out of his emotional prison because of Kolya, his life also changes for the better as Czechoslovakia frees itself from Russian rule. He’s personally liberated because of a Russian and also professionally/societally freed from the Russians.

My Favorite Moment In The Movie

This is really hard to choose, partially because Kolya isn’t strongly plot driven, where one action leads directly to another — rather, it’s mainly about Louka and Kolya’s relationship over a period of time, as they tolerate, adapt and then come to love each other. As a result, the film at times is more like a series of small moments that, when combined, add up to the greater picture — and there’s a lot of great moments between them.

Probably my favorite, though, comes near the beginning of their relationship, when Louka takes Kolya to visit his elderly mother and tries to pawn the boy off on her. She doesn’t want a Russian in her house, so he lies about Kolya’s nationality — but gets caught when a homesick Kolya sneaks outside to pal around with some Russian soldiers.

My Favorite Dialogue In the Movie

Just as Broz is proposing the arranged marriage, his young daughters interrupt, and one grills Louka in a simple but elegant statement of the movie’s main theme.

BROZ’S DAUGHTER: Do you have a pet at home?
LOUKA: No, no pets.
BROZ’S DAUGHTER: Do you have a kid at least?
LOUKA: No kids, either.
BROZ’S DAUGHTER: What do you have?

Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie

I think the film makes some smart choices in terms of visual details. Take the opening scene, for example, and the characterization of Louka it provides — without anyone saying a word. His circumstances are clear through the hole in his sock, while his inappropriate behavior toward Klara speaks of a womanizer, and his location says it all about the status of his life — he’s a talented musician playing at a funeral.

Kolya epitomizes show-don’t-tell, and it never over-explains. (Arguably, it under-explains at times.) To my recollection, at no point does Kolya ever say he’s homesick or ask for his mother. And yet, you feel how sad he is because of things he does — most notably, when he tries to reach his (dead) grandmother through the showerhead while he’s taking a bath. It’s so much more effective — and affecting — than if he’d complained or thrown a tantrum.

Also, check out the trailer from Miramax. They’ve used an exceptionally cheery soundtrack and voiceover, giving a very different feel of the film’s tone.

[Scott’s note: Here is a fan-made trailer which is more to the tone of the movie.]

Trivia:

• The actor who plays Louka, Zdenek Sverák, wrote the screenplay, while his son Jan directed the film.
• In 1997, Kolya won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for best foreign language film.

Thanks, Melinda!

To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!

We already have a set of classic 30s movies, 40s movies, 5os movies, 60s Movies, 70s movies, 80s Movies and 90s Movies. This month, we’re working on classic international movies. And thanks to the GITS community, we’ve got at least 22 movies in the works and hopefully more!

Those who I put in bold have already sent me their posts. If you haven’t sent yours to me, please do so as soon as you can!!!

A Prophet — Paul Graunke
Akira — Clay Mitchell
Amelie — Kevin Curran
Belle Epoque — Melinda Mahaffey
Cinema Paradiso — Traci Nell Peterson
Diabolique — Sherin Nicole
Jules et Jim — Susan Winchell
Kolya — Melinda Mahaffey
Lady Vengeance — David Joyner
Millennium Actress — Chris Neumann
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies — John Henderson
Reprise — Wally Marzano-Lesnevich
Seven Samurai — Will King
The Lives of Others — PaulG
The Tenant — Marija Nielsen
This Man Must Die — Marija Nielsen

Looking for more volunteers, your chance to memorialize your favorite international movie and yourself as a contributor to our ongoing blog series on classic movies.