LARKS ON A THREAD - * * * - Vaclav Neckar, Jitka Zelenohorska; in Czech, with English subtitles; not rated, probable R (nudity, sex, profanity, violence); exclusively at the Tower Theater.
"Larks on a Thread" is a timely piece of art, despite being 30 years old - a comic film lampooning communism, a film that was repressed after the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968.Set in a scrap yard where workers are prisoners, "Larks on a Thread" (that's the title on the film, though the ads say "Larks on a String") succeeds in using offbeat humor and gentle sentiment to point out the fallacies of a government that attempts to stifle the human spirit while preaching a work ethic for the benefit "of the people."
That work ethic doesn't seem to phase the residents of this particular encampment, however, as the various, eccentric characters pretty much take it easy, discussing their predicament - and their feelings about it - quite openly.
Among the characters sentenced to terms in the work yard are a musician whose saxophone was deemed bourgeois; a cook who, "for religious reasons," didn't want to work Saturdays; a professor who refused to burn "decadent" Western books; and a small group of women who work across the yard. Naturally, any contact between the men and women is forbidden.
The most enjoyable scenes in "Larks" are the ways the men and women find to attract each other's attention, as romance grows in spite of the conditions. All of this is, of course, the triumph of the human spirit, and the cause of great irritation to the unhappily married guard who watches over them.
There are some gentle, sweet scenes here that will carry you away, such as a moment where the men and women are working together in the cold and remove their gloves so they can touch each other's hands. And the easy conversations between one young couple who eventually marry, as he asks her each time he sees her if she wants anything.
Director Jiri Menzen (best known for the 1966 "Closely Watched Trains") has created a wonderful ensemble here and, despite the claustrophobic nature of the setting, manages to keep the proceedings lively and interesting.
My guess is that some of the humor won't translate easily to American audiences, but there is enough that does, and the characters are endearing enough that it makes for a very enjoyable experience.
"Larks on a Thread" is not rated, but would probably carry an R for several scenes with nudity; there are also a few profanities and some violence and sex.