Closely Watched Trains (1966)

 Jiri Menzel's "Closely Watched Trains"


Of all of the films to come out of the Czech New Wave movement, Jiri Menzel's 1966 film "Closely Watched Trains" is perhaps one of the most widely-known. It received widespread acclaim outside of Czechoslovak and even won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Based on Bohumil Hrabal's 1965 novella of the same name, "Closely Watched Trains" was director Menzel's debut feature and earned him respect for the rest of his long career.

The film centers on a young boy named Milos, who becomes an apprentice train dispatcher during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia. Beyond the continued external circumstances of their occupation, young Milos's priorities lie with securing a sexual relationship with a woman. However, his inability to perform the act causes him great concern and drives the entire emotional structure of the story.

The film is as quiet and unassuming as its young protagonist - never venturing into territories too intense, while still delighting in simple pleasures. It has the charm of a coming-of-age comedy while still using its sly thematic points to mock and take lightly the brutish intensity of its main villainous external forces. 

The Nazis occupation brings obvious unwantings to this country. However, the 'naughty' nature of our protagonist and his various companions exemplify the rebellious nature of the film. This rebellion is far more childlike, however, making the laughable foibles more innocent and exciting.

Overall, "Closely Watched Trains" is a great comedy. Its intensions are pure in its need to quietly get up to mischievous - natural, good mischief. Like some of the other Czech New Wave films of its time, there is an atmosphere of 'slice of life' that seems to pull the viewer into its carefree and ambient existence. It gets pretty difficult to top coming-of-age stories like this one.




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