Hey Babu Riba
Encyclopedia
Dancing in Water is a 1987
Yugoslavia
n romantic-drama film directed by Jovan Aćin. In America it frequently shows under the title Hey Babu Riba. The screenplay is by Jovan Aćin, from the memories of Petar Janković, George Zecevic and Mr. Aćin with music by Zoran Simjanović
.
crew precipitates their reunion at her funeral. They called her 'Esther' in post-war Yugoslavia a generation ago, but they haven't seen her since her father forbade contact at that time, shortly after they helped her escape Yugoslavia to re-unite with him. Now that she is gone the way is clear for them to be together again and perhaps to see her child, whom they've never met.
Flashbacks return us to those days where they forged enduring friendships against the backdrop of the struggle between Communist and American ideals in Tito's
Yugoslavia
. The "four" are fascinated by American music and styles, while their rival rowing team is led by a competitor for Esther's affections, a rising member in the Communist elite who bears tattoos of Stalin and Lenin on his wrists.
Each of the four harbored a secret passion for Esther's inspiring beauty. The first modestly allows that he can't tell her what he feels. The next tempts her heart with poetry. Glenn then confesses his love in drunken confidence that he shrugs off as a joke. The last swaggers that it's obvious they are a couple and the rest will understand eventually. But Esther reminds each of them in turn that the five of them are "a four." Despite the shock when she finds herself with child by an outsider, they spirit her across the water to her father's protective embrace. Assuming their complicity in her fall from grace, he peremptorily strikes them from her life.
tattoo
during the period of the film. The American title Hey Babu Riba has nothing to do with the original title and comes from the brief appearance in the film of a recording of Lionel Hampton
's "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop
".
Esther's character is an homage to Esther Williams
whose music from Bathing Beauty
is a main tune in the movie.
1987 in film
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
n romantic-drama film directed by Jovan Aćin. In America it frequently shows under the title Hey Babu Riba. The screenplay is by Jovan Aćin, from the memories of Petar Janković, George Zecevic and Mr. Aćin with music by Zoran Simjanović
Zoran Simjanovic
Zoran Simjanović , was born in Belgrade on 11 May 1946. At the age of six he learned the piano, then went to the Mokranjac music school and then to the Belgrade music academy. Since 1961 he founded and played in some of the most popular rock'n'roll groups in Yugoslavia and abroad...
.
Plot
The death of the one-time coxswain of a Serbian rowingRowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
crew precipitates their reunion at her funeral. They called her 'Esther' in post-war Yugoslavia a generation ago, but they haven't seen her since her father forbade contact at that time, shortly after they helped her escape Yugoslavia to re-unite with him. Now that she is gone the way is clear for them to be together again and perhaps to see her child, whom they've never met.
Flashbacks return us to those days where they forged enduring friendships against the backdrop of the struggle between Communist and American ideals in Tito's
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. The "four" are fascinated by American music and styles, while their rival rowing team is led by a competitor for Esther's affections, a rising member in the Communist elite who bears tattoos of Stalin and Lenin on his wrists.
Each of the four harbored a secret passion for Esther's inspiring beauty. The first modestly allows that he can't tell her what he feels. The next tempts her heart with poetry. Glenn then confesses his love in drunken confidence that he shrugs off as a joke. The last swaggers that it's obvious they are a couple and the rest will understand eventually. But Esther reminds each of them in turn that the five of them are "a four." Despite the shock when she finds herself with child by an outsider, they spirit her across the water to her father's protective embrace. Assuming their complicity in her fall from grace, he peremptorily strikes them from her life.
Inspirations
Evidently part of the story is based on the life of Radomir Perica, who was jailed for flaunting a Mickey MouseMickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
during the period of the film. The American title Hey Babu Riba has nothing to do with the original title and comes from the brief appearance in the film of a recording of Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
's "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop
Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop
"Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" is a 1946 song by Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra. The song's lead vocals were performed by Lionel Hampton himself and featured Herbie Fields on alto sax. The song went to number one on the R&B Juke Box charts for sixteen non-consecutive weeks and reached number nine on the...
".
Esther's character is an homage to Esther Williams
Esther Williams
Esther Jane Williams is a retired American competitive swimmer and MGM movie star.Williams set multiple national and regional swimming records in her late teens as part of the Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team...
whose music from Bathing Beauty
Bathing Beauty
Bathing Beauty is a 1944 musical starring Red Skelton, Basil Rathbone and Esther Williams and directed by George Sidney.Although this was not William's screen debut, it was her first Technicolor musical. The film was initially to be titled "Mr. Co-Ed" with Red Skelton having top billing...
is a main tune in the movie.
Cast
- Esther ... Gala VidenovićGala VidenovicGala Videnović is Serbian actress who gained fame by appearing in some of the most popular films and TV shows in mid 1980s.-Filmography:* Happy Hell Night as Marjorie...
- Glen ... Nebojša Bakočević and Relja BašićRelja BašicRelja Bašić is a Croatian actor.A native of Zagreb , Bašić is one of the most prolific and versatile Croatian actors with a career which lasts for more than half a century. He first appeared on screen in 1954 classic film Koncert...
(as older man) - Sacha ... Dragan Bjelogrlić and Marko TodorovićMarko TodorovicMarko Todorović was a Serbian actor famous for playing roles of important historical figures...
(as older man) - Kica ... Srđan Todorović and Miloš Žutić (as older man)
- Pop ... Goran Radaković and Đorđe Nenadović (as older man)
- Rile ... Milan Štrljić and Dragomir Bojanić GidraDragomir Bojanic GidraDragomir Bojanić, best known by his nickname Gidra was a famous Serbian actor....
(as older man)
External links
- http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19871113/REVIEWS/711130303/1023 - Roger Ebert
- http://onfilm.chicagoreader.com/movies/capsules/9951_HEY_BABU_RIBA.html Hey Babu Riba Capsule, Jonathan Rosenbaum, The Chicago Reader