Petr Vacek Movies

In a story reminiscent of those of P.G. Wodehouse this Czech comedy follows the exploits of a butler who adds a little excitement to his master's drab life. Saturnin is the butler who serves Jiri, a clumsy, little nerd of a man. It is the butler who helps Jiri gain notoriety as a big game hunter and take off for a houseboat adventure. When Jiri's widowed Aunt Katerina and her son Milous, a spoiled brat, invite themselves to his home and begin mooching off of him it is the creative Saturnin who takes care of all the problems. Included in the household is the lovely Barbora whom Jiri has a crush on. Thanks to the butler, Jiri gets his girl, Aunt Katerina finds a new mate, and Milous gets his come-uppance. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

A filmmaker has to deal with obnoxious producers, uncooperative weather, and a troublesome cast -- not all of whom have opposable thumbs -- in this satiric comedy-drama. Rosta (Boleslav Polivka) is a director whose latest project is an ambitious film that draws parallels between the lives of humans and animals, and as illustration he's cast the members of a local nudist colony, who are to interact naked with a group of apes. However, the cold weather doesn't do much for the esprit de corps of his human cast, while the primates predictably refuse to take direction. Meanwhile, Rosta's backers are demanding more comic relief, the screenwriter argues for a more emotional approach, and Rosta's family shows up unannounced, getting in the way despite their best intentions. Vyhnani z Raje was directed by veteran filmmaker Vera Chytilova and was screened at the 2001 Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi