Run, Waiter, Run!

I saw Vrchni, prchni! When it was making the rounds in art house theaters in the 80's. A sweet comedy about a bookstore owner who owes alimony to several failed marriages tries to moonlight as a violinist to make ends meet. In doing so, he inadvertently finds a new occupation as a small-time but ubiquitous grifter.

Please be aware of spoilers in Pavel Vetesnik's and other reviews. They'll kill the surprises.

This movie is packed with inventive gags, clever writing, and wry comedy, and escalates towards an elaborate, over-the-top climax.

Interestingly, the American theatrical release ended with a title card noting that during his time in prison, he became so good at the violin that he was hired into the Prague Symphony Orchestra after his release. This is missing from the Czech DVD release (from which a friend converted a US-readable copy).

I saw this movie on a trip to Prague several years ago. I missed the title and so have been looking for it ever since. Since there were subtitles in English at that time, it is possible that it may turn up again on DVD. I am delighted to at last know what it is called in English.

This is one of pearls of Czech filmography. The intro-song Severni vitr (The northern wind) links the fate of the main character with the goldseekers of Northern America, though his territory is much more common - restaurants. Here he finds his original way out of financial problems.

This movie is written by Zdenek Sverák, the author of Kolya, and beautifully directed by Ladislav Smoljak (Sverák's partner in theater for many years). It is one of the very best Czech movies - it is inspired by slapstick comedies (note the "Keystone waiters" at the end of the movie) and full of great comic situations and brilliant dialogues ("I wish a love story" "To read through or to live through?" /// "Where did you use to sit?" "In front of the class." "In the first row?" "More ahead" "But there's only the teacher's table there" "Well, that's were I used to sit." "Oh... Mr. professor... I didn't recognize you!") I hope you understand the gracefulness of these dialogues from my translation.

I have no doubt - this movie is more amusing, more entertaining and more humorous than Sverak's Kolya.

First I would like to say it's a comedy for sure. But I would also add the genre crime to the movie.

In this movie there's a guy playing a fake waiter. That's not his only crime though. But the other crime is more in a moral way. But i'm not gonna spoil for you what that is. But basically these two "crimes" play a mayor part in this movie.

If you have a chance to see it be sure to grasp that chance. It's not a superb comedy, but a nice little comedy. There are enough jokes to keep you amused during the movie.

Greetings from the Netherlands.