Ko to tamo peva
Encyclopedia
Who's That Singing Over There is a 1980 Yugoslavia
n film written by Dušan Kovačević
and directed by Slobodan Šijan
. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard
section at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival
.
invasion
of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
, a colourful group of random passengers on a country road deep in the heart of Serbia
board a dilapidated Krstić & Son bus, headed for the capital Belgrade
: two Gypsy musicians, a World War I
veteran, a Germanophile
, a budding singer, a sickly looking man, and a hunter with a rifle. The bus is owned by Krstić Sr., and driven by his impressionable son Miško.
Along the way, they are joined by a priest and a pair of young newlyweds who are on their way to the seaside for their honeymoon
, and are faced with numerous difficulties: a flat tire, a shaky bridge, a farmer who's ploughed over the road, a funeral, two feuding families, Krstić Jr.'s recruitment into the army, and a lost wallet. All these slow the bus down and expose rifts among the travelers.
During the early morning of Sunday, April 6, amid rumours of war, they finally reach Belgrade
only to be caught in the middle of Luftwaffe
's raid (Operation Punishment). The only surviving passengers are two Gypsy musicians who sing the film's theme song before the end.
Being extremely irritable, he is very cantankerous in his dealings with the other passengers. He basically only addresses them when he's got something to complain and vent his anger about.
The old man expresses non-verbal concern about German rampage through Europe which was already in full swing at the time, but doesn't indicate a shred of fear regarding a possible attack on Yugoslavia. At one point, in response to Germanophile's praise of German medicine and work ethic, he confidently and angrily retorts: "I gather you'd kinda like it if those scumbags came again. Bring 'em on, I was picking them off like fleas 'round these parts in 1917".
In another situation while paying for the bus ticket, the veteran asks conductor Krstić Sr. if he can ride for free, reasoning that he's taking money to his son in the military who "needs every dinar
he can get". Krstić Sr. refuses, to which budding singer chimes in cynically from the back of the bus: "C'mon, let the old-timer ride for free, you can see he doesn't have a pot to piss in". Steamed by the snide comment, the veteran hops to his feet fuming and demanding to be sold 5 tickets in order to prove his buying power. Krstic Sr. turns him down again, this time angrily ("Stop annoying me old man"), and sells him a single ticket.
) is the polar opposite of the impulsive veteran. Speaking in proper and pointed tone, he displays constant subtle disdain for the surroundings he moves about in. From his straight posture with a nose pointed upwards to frequent condescending remarks, everything about him seems to indicate a personal opinion about being too good for people that surround him.
It is never explicitly indicated whether he's a Nazi sympathizer. He is, however, in utter awe of all aspects of German lifestyle. In the above testy discussion with the veteran, his parting shot regarding a possible Nazi invasion of Yugoslavia is: "Well, listen sir, at least we'd see some order around here".
The Germanophile is quick to criticize. While talking to the hypochondriac about a personal propensity for collecting rare rocks and folk tales, he laments the lack of interest in his activities that he encounters from everyday people.
He is also the first to castigate, chastising the young married couple for having been seen enjoying sex in the woods. As the two are doing the deed, unknowingly being peeped on
by the rest of the passengers, he remarks while watching them in disgust: "Have they no shame?". When reminded by the budding singer about the fact that "we came here to watch them", the Germanophile reasons that "that has no relevance". Later on the bus, the humiliated young bride offers him her seat, but he vehemently refuses: "You've shown yourself in that bush - who you are and what you are".
Still later when it is discovered that the veteran's wallet is missing and as Krstic Sr. announces he'd search every one of the passengers until wallet is produced, the Germanophile stops him: "Why bother all these honest people when we know who around here likes to steal" pointing to two Gypsies, thus prompting their wrongful beating since the wallet was dropped along the way.
The speech, manners and visual appearance of the Germanophile is constructed in order to bear a very clear resemblance to Milan Stojadinović
, the pro-German authoritarian conservative Prime Minister of Yugoslavia
between 1935 and 1939.
-like appearance and tipsy walking style, the hunter is a spaced-out goofball used mostly for comic relief. After initially being late for the bus, he attempts to board it by hailing it midway. This leads to an absurdly funny scene in which Krstic Sr. decides to exercise some misplaced authority by refusing to allow him onto the bus, reasoning: "The stop is 200m downhill. You want someone to see me letting you on outside it and fine me?", despite their surroundings at the time being a complete wasteland with absolutely no signs of life, and the fact that the Krstic Sr. is already transporting piglets in the back of the bus, which is also clearly not allowed.
The hunter is later thrown off the bus by Krstic Sr. when his rifle accidentally goes off. This was before he had the passengers angry for accidentally almost shooting the Germanophile while firing at a rabbit during an extended stopover and accidentally shooting from an army cannon...
The hunter is played by Taško Načić
.
with dreams of turning schlager
signing into a career and achieving fame. His reason for travelling to Belgrade is an audition for a signing stint at Lipov lad bohemian kafana
. Since the other passengers are older and of not much interest to him, he mostly communicates with the young bride through flirtatious banter to which she seems very receptive. When the group discovers the young married couple having sex in the woods and gathers to peep on them, the singer famously quips: "The kid doesn't have a clue" - referring to the young groom's seeming awkwardness in the sack. During the peeping, the Hypochondriac inadvertently coughs and the Singer disdainfully remarks: "May God let you cough to death!", disappointed because the cough was heard by the couple, making them stop. He later openly makes a pass at the bride, offering her to stay with him in Belgrade.
) is seen making health-related complaints and producing a hacking cough while holding a handkerchief up to his mouth. He is a bald, middle-aged, frail looking man with defeated demeanor and dark outlook on life that only add to his overall image of a doomed weakling.
Despite constant hacking and complaining, he's seen running and engaging in other physical activities in several scenes, leading to conclusion that some, if not all, of his health issues might be psychosomatic. At first some of the passengers offer positive reinforcement, but soon give up after facing his strong intent on feeling and displaying self-pity. Near the end, he coughs out some blood onto his handkerchief - a symptom of then common disease, tuberculosis
.
. One of them plays an accordion and sings, while the other plays a Jew's harp
. The movie begins with them singing their recurring song, to which the refrain is "I'm miserable, I was born that way, I sing to sing my pain away, I wish Mama dear that I had but dreamt it all." Near the end of the film, they are accused of stealing the World War I veteran's wallet, and during the ensuing scuffle the bus is bombed. The musicians are the only two who survive, and after they crawl out of the wreckage, the movie ends with them singing their song.
Reportedly, Goran Paskaljević
was their first choice for the movie's director. He was supposed to shoot the Kovačević script as a contemporary-themed 50-minute TV movie set in the late 1970s on a public transport bus with the central character being an old man (played by Mija Aleksić
) who is headed to visit his son in the army. However, Paskaljević decided to leave the project and shoot the film Zemaljski dani teku instead. The job then went to 33-year-old Slobodan Šijan who had never shot a feature film up to that point.
The movie was made on a budget of US$130,000 and had 21 days of shooting. The shooting began on April 3, 1980.
The final bombing scene was originally meant to include wild animals from the bombed Belgrade Zoo roaming through the city's downtown, which indeed happened during actual April 6, 1941 Luftwaffe air-raids
; in fact, an old newspaper article documenting this bizarre occurrence served as inspiration for the author Dušan Kovačević to include it in the film. However, at the time of movie's filming in 1980, Tito died, which resulted in the extended mourning period that effectively canceled all entertainment activities in the country - including the Italian circus tour
that was meant to provide the animals for the scene. Since working with untrained zoo animals was deemed too dangerous, the film-makers reluctantly had to abandon the idea at the time. However, the idea was used in the opening scene of Underground (1995), some 15 years later.
In 2004 the film was turned into a ballet by the National Theatre in Belgrade
. The music is again by Vojislav Kostić and the choreography is made by Staša Zurovac.
The film earned the special jury award at the 1981 Montréal World Film Festival
.
In 1996, members of the Yugoslavian Board of the Academy of Film Art and Science (AFUN) voted this movie as the best Serbian movie made in the 1947-1995 period.
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
n film written by Dušan Kovačević
Dušan Kovacevic
Dušan Kovačević is a Serbian playwright and director best known for his theater plays and movie scripts. He also served as the ambassador of Serbia in Lisbon, Portugal....
and directed by Slobodan Šijan
Slobodan Šijan
Slobodan Šijan is a Serbian film director.After graduating film direction and directing a handful of TV movies in the late 1970s, he caught a big break with his first full-length feature Ko to tamo peva in 1980...
. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's Official Selection. It is run at the Salle Debussy, parallel to the competition for the Palme d'Or.This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob...
section at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival
1981 Cannes Film Festival
- Jury :*Jacques Deray *Ellen Burstyn *Jean-Claude Carrière *Robert Chazal *Attilio D'Onofrio *Christian Defaye *Carlos Diegues *Antonio Gala...
.
Plot
On April 5, 1941, one day before the NaziNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
invasion
Invasion of Yugoslavia
The Invasion of Yugoslavia , also known as the April War , was the Axis Powers' attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II...
of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
, a colourful group of random passengers on a country road deep in the heart of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
board a dilapidated Krstić & Son bus, headed for the capital Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
: two Gypsy musicians, a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
veteran, a Germanophile
Germanophile
A Germanophile is a person who is fond of German culture, German people, and Germany in general, exhibiting as it were German nationalism in spite of not being an ethnic German or a German citizen. Its opposite is Germanophobia...
, a budding singer, a sickly looking man, and a hunter with a rifle. The bus is owned by Krstić Sr., and driven by his impressionable son Miško.
Along the way, they are joined by a priest and a pair of young newlyweds who are on their way to the seaside for their honeymoon
Honeymoon
-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
, and are faced with numerous difficulties: a flat tire, a shaky bridge, a farmer who's ploughed over the road, a funeral, two feuding families, Krstić Jr.'s recruitment into the army, and a lost wallet. All these slow the bus down and expose rifts among the travelers.
During the early morning of Sunday, April 6, amid rumours of war, they finally reach Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
only to be caught in the middle of Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
's raid (Operation Punishment). The only surviving passengers are two Gypsy musicians who sing the film's theme song before the end.
Characters & situations
Right from the start, through conversations about current events, issues of the day, and general chit-chat, the characters' individual traits and sensibilities are clearly established. None of the passengers refer to each other by name considering they're seeing each other for the first time and don't seem too keen on forging any deeper relationships. Although a comedy on the outer level, the movie's layers reveal many observant details that indicate the Serbian society's structure and atmosphere at the time.World War I veteran
The old World War I veteran (played by Mića Tomić) is a cranky oldtimer on his way to Belgrade to visit his recently drafted son. He's extremely gratified that his successor is continuing the family's proud military tradition and doesn't miss an opportunity to let anybody caring to listen know about it. He's also the only passenger whose name (Aleksa Simić) we learn when he defiantly states it along with his military regalia during a random conversation.Being extremely irritable, he is very cantankerous in his dealings with the other passengers. He basically only addresses them when he's got something to complain and vent his anger about.
The old man expresses non-verbal concern about German rampage through Europe which was already in full swing at the time, but doesn't indicate a shred of fear regarding a possible attack on Yugoslavia. At one point, in response to Germanophile's praise of German medicine and work ethic, he confidently and angrily retorts: "I gather you'd kinda like it if those scumbags came again. Bring 'em on, I was picking them off like fleas 'round these parts in 1917".
In another situation while paying for the bus ticket, the veteran asks conductor Krstić Sr. if he can ride for free, reasoning that he's taking money to his son in the military who "needs every dinar
Banknotes of the Yugoslav dinar
The banknotes of the Yugoslav dinar are the several series of paper money emitted by the central bank of the different consecutive states named Yugoslavia ....
he can get". Krstić Sr. refuses, to which budding singer chimes in cynically from the back of the bus: "C'mon, let the old-timer ride for free, you can see he doesn't have a pot to piss in". Steamed by the snide comment, the veteran hops to his feet fuming and demanding to be sold 5 tickets in order to prove his buying power. Krstic Sr. turns him down again, this time angrily ("Stop annoying me old man"), and sells him a single ticket.
Germanophile
The Germanophile (played by Bata StojkovićDanilo Bata Stojkovic
Danilo Stojković , commonly nicknamed Bata , was a Serbian theatre, television and film actor...
) is the polar opposite of the impulsive veteran. Speaking in proper and pointed tone, he displays constant subtle disdain for the surroundings he moves about in. From his straight posture with a nose pointed upwards to frequent condescending remarks, everything about him seems to indicate a personal opinion about being too good for people that surround him.
It is never explicitly indicated whether he's a Nazi sympathizer. He is, however, in utter awe of all aspects of German lifestyle. In the above testy discussion with the veteran, his parting shot regarding a possible Nazi invasion of Yugoslavia is: "Well, listen sir, at least we'd see some order around here".
The Germanophile is quick to criticize. While talking to the hypochondriac about a personal propensity for collecting rare rocks and folk tales, he laments the lack of interest in his activities that he encounters from everyday people.
He is also the first to castigate, chastising the young married couple for having been seen enjoying sex in the woods. As the two are doing the deed, unknowingly being peeped on
Voyeurism
In clinical psychology, voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of spying on people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other activity usually considered to be of a private nature....
by the rest of the passengers, he remarks while watching them in disgust: "Have they no shame?". When reminded by the budding singer about the fact that "we came here to watch them", the Germanophile reasons that "that has no relevance". Later on the bus, the humiliated young bride offers him her seat, but he vehemently refuses: "You've shown yourself in that bush - who you are and what you are".
Still later when it is discovered that the veteran's wallet is missing and as Krstic Sr. announces he'd search every one of the passengers until wallet is produced, the Germanophile stops him: "Why bother all these honest people when we know who around here likes to steal" pointing to two Gypsies, thus prompting their wrongful beating since the wallet was dropped along the way.
The speech, manners and visual appearance of the Germanophile is constructed in order to bear a very clear resemblance to Milan Stojadinović
Milan Stojadinovic
Milan Stojadinović was a Yugoslav political figure and a noted economist.Stojadinović was born in Čačak in central Serbia, and went to school in Užice and Kragujevac. In 1910 he graduated from the University of Belgrade's Law School, and gained a Ph.D. in economics in 1911...
, the pro-German authoritarian conservative Prime Minister of Yugoslavia
Prime Minister of Yugoslavia
The Prime Minister or the President of the Federal Executive Council of Yugoslavia was the head of government of the Yugoslav state, from the creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918 until the end of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992.-Kingdom of...
between 1935 and 1939.
Hunter
With his Elmer FuddElmer Fudd
Elmer J. Fudd/Egghead is a fictional cartoon character and one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, and the de facto archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheon . His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring...
-like appearance and tipsy walking style, the hunter is a spaced-out goofball used mostly for comic relief. After initially being late for the bus, he attempts to board it by hailing it midway. This leads to an absurdly funny scene in which Krstic Sr. decides to exercise some misplaced authority by refusing to allow him onto the bus, reasoning: "The stop is 200m downhill. You want someone to see me letting you on outside it and fine me?", despite their surroundings at the time being a complete wasteland with absolutely no signs of life, and the fact that the Krstic Sr. is already transporting piglets in the back of the bus, which is also clearly not allowed.
The hunter is later thrown off the bus by Krstic Sr. when his rifle accidentally goes off. This was before he had the passengers angry for accidentally almost shooting the Germanophile while firing at a rabbit during an extended stopover and accidentally shooting from an army cannon...
The hunter is played by Taško Načić
Taško Nacic
Taško Načić was a popular Serbian actor.He studied acting at The Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, where he graduated in 1956. In 1954 he became a member of National Theatre in Belgrade, where he acted in plays Stanoje Glavaš and Gospođa Ministarka. Soon after that he went to theater Boško...
.
Budding singer
The budding singer (played by Dragan Nikolić) is a small-town dandyDandy
A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self...
with dreams of turning schlager
Schlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...
signing into a career and achieving fame. His reason for travelling to Belgrade is an audition for a signing stint at Lipov lad bohemian kafana
Kafana
Kafana , kafeana , kavana are terms used in the former Yugoslav countries for a distinct type of local bistro which primarily serves alcoholic beverages and coffee , and which sometimes also has a live band.The concept of a social gathering place for men to drink...
. Since the other passengers are older and of not much interest to him, he mostly communicates with the young bride through flirtatious banter to which she seems very receptive. When the group discovers the young married couple having sex in the woods and gathers to peep on them, the singer famously quips: "The kid doesn't have a clue" - referring to the young groom's seeming awkwardness in the sack. During the peeping, the Hypochondriac inadvertently coughs and the Singer disdainfully remarks: "May God let you cough to death!", disappointed because the cough was heard by the couple, making them stop. He later openly makes a pass at the bride, offering her to stay with him in Belgrade.
Hypochondriac
From the very opening, the hypochondriac (played by Boro StjepanovićBoro Stjepanovic
Borislav "Boro" Stjepanović born May 8, 1946 in Vareš) is a Serbian actor and director. He played in over 50 films, most notably in Sjećaš li se Dolly Bell, Ko to tamo peva, Čudo neviđeno, Miris dunja, Kuduz, Gluvi barut and First Class Thieves...
) is seen making health-related complaints and producing a hacking cough while holding a handkerchief up to his mouth. He is a bald, middle-aged, frail looking man with defeated demeanor and dark outlook on life that only add to his overall image of a doomed weakling.
Despite constant hacking and complaining, he's seen running and engaging in other physical activities in several scenes, leading to conclusion that some, if not all, of his health issues might be psychosomatic. At first some of the passengers offer positive reinforcement, but soon give up after facing his strong intent on feeling and displaying self-pity. Near the end, he coughs out some blood onto his handkerchief - a symptom of then common disease, tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
.
Krstić Sr.
A very colorful character, Mr. Krstić is the owner of the old bus the story takes place in. He is in his late 50s, overweight, seemingly harsh and greedy but very supportive of his son, and determined to help his child and himself in life. He is the owner of the bus, but he is also a pig merchant and a sort of con man. Towards the beginning of the film, he loads several pigs onto the back of the bus, despite the obvious disgust of the passengers. "When I sell the pigs in Belgrade, I'll earn more money than your tickets brought me", he says. He is also quick to criticize and throw people off his bus, but only after they have paid the ticket. His character evolves from a stereo-typical grouch (although non-malevolent) at the beginning of the movie, to a loving, caring father towards the film's end. In the peeping scene, when Krstic Jr. says: "Dad, I would like to do this too", he, gaping at the young couple exhilarates: "And dad would also, son."Gypsy Musicians
The two Gypsy musicians provide a running commentary through the film, like a Greek chorusGreek chorus
A Greek chorus is a homogenous, non-individualised group of performers in the plays of classical Greece, who comment with a collective voice on the dramatic action....
. One of them plays an accordion and sings, while the other plays a Jew's harp
Jew's harp
The Jew's harp, jaw harp, mouth harp, Ozark harp, trump or juice harp, is thought to be one of the oldest musical instruments in the world; a musician apparently playing it can be seen in a Chinese drawing from the 4th century BC...
. The movie begins with them singing their recurring song, to which the refrain is "I'm miserable, I was born that way, I sing to sing my pain away, I wish Mama dear that I had but dreamt it all." Near the end of the film, they are accused of stealing the World War I veteran's wallet, and during the ensuing scuffle the bus is bombed. The musicians are the only two who survive, and after they crawl out of the wreckage, the movie ends with them singing their song.
Production
Centar Film, the state-owned production house, wanted to make Dušan Kovačević's script into a movie since 1978.Reportedly, Goran Paskaljević
Goran Paskaljevic
Goran Paskaljević is a Serbian film director. He was raised by his grandparents in Niš, following the divorce of his parents, and 14 years later returned to Belgrade where he worked in his stepfather's cinema....
was their first choice for the movie's director. He was supposed to shoot the Kovačević script as a contemporary-themed 50-minute TV movie set in the late 1970s on a public transport bus with the central character being an old man (played by Mija Aleksić
Mija Aleksic
Milosav "Mija" Aleksić was a beloved Serbian actor.Aleksić was born in Gornja Crnuća village in Gornji Milanovac municipality, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. During World War II, when Axis powers occupied the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, 17-year-old Mija Aleksić attended high school in Kragujevac...
) who is headed to visit his son in the army. However, Paskaljević decided to leave the project and shoot the film Zemaljski dani teku instead. The job then went to 33-year-old Slobodan Šijan who had never shot a feature film up to that point.
The movie was made on a budget of US$130,000 and had 21 days of shooting. The shooting began on April 3, 1980.
The final bombing scene was originally meant to include wild animals from the bombed Belgrade Zoo roaming through the city's downtown, which indeed happened during actual April 6, 1941 Luftwaffe air-raids
Bombing of Belgrade in World War II
The city of Belgrade was bombed during two campaigns in World War II, the first undertaken by the Luftwaffe in 1941, and the latter by Allied air forces in 1944.- German bombing :...
; in fact, an old newspaper article documenting this bizarre occurrence served as inspiration for the author Dušan Kovačević to include it in the film. However, at the time of movie's filming in 1980, Tito died, which resulted in the extended mourning period that effectively canceled all entertainment activities in the country - including the Italian circus tour
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
that was meant to provide the animals for the scene. Since working with untrained zoo animals was deemed too dangerous, the film-makers reluctantly had to abandon the idea at the time. However, the idea was used in the opening scene of Underground (1995), some 15 years later.
In 2004 the film was turned into a ballet by the National Theatre in Belgrade
National Theatre in Belgrade
The National Theatre was founded in the latter half of the 19th century. It is located on Republic Square, in Belgrade, Serbia.The National Theatre was declared a Monument of Culture of Great Importance in 1983, and it is protected by the Republic of Serbia....
. The music is again by Vojislav Kostić and the choreography is made by Staša Zurovac.
Reception and reaction
The movie became an instant classic all over SFR Yugoslavia immediately upon its release. To this day, almost three decades later, it endures as one of the most quotable movies ever to come out of the Balkans. Different scenes and dialogues are almost a part of general knowledge, with many entering public vernacular.The film earned the special jury award at the 1981 Montréal World Film Festival
Montreal World Film Festival
The Montreal World Film Festival , founded in 1977, is one of Canada's oldest international film festivals and the only competitive film festival in North America accredited by the FIAPF...
.
In 1996, members of the Yugoslavian Board of the Academy of Film Art and Science (AFUN) voted this movie as the best Serbian movie made in the 1947-1995 period.
Cast
- Pavle VujisićPavle VujisicPavle Vuisić Pavle Vuisić Pavle Vuisić (Serbian Cyrillic: Павле Вуисић, also known by his nickname Paja; (10 July 1926 - 1 October 1988) was a Serbian actor, known as one of the most recognisable faces of former Yugoslav cinema....
— Conductor - Dragan Nikolić — Singer
- Danilo "Bata" Stojković — Germanophile
- Aleksandar Berček — Miško Krstić
- Neda ArnerićNeda ArnericNeda Arnerić is a Serbian actress.-Selected filmography:*Shaft in Africa *The Republic of Užice *The Sensual Man *Who's That Singing Over There...
— Bride - Mića Tomić — Aleksa Simić
- Taško NačićTaško NacicTaško Načić was a popular Serbian actor.He studied acting at The Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, where he graduated in 1956. In 1954 he became a member of National Theatre in Belgrade, where he acted in plays Stanoje Glavaš and Gospođa Ministarka. Soon after that he went to theater Boško...
— Hunter - Boro StjepanovićBoro StjepanovicBorislav "Boro" Stjepanović born May 8, 1946 in Vareš) is a Serbian actor and director. He played in over 50 films, most notably in Sjećaš li se Dolly Bell, Ko to tamo peva, Čudo neviđeno, Miris dunja, Kuduz, Gluvi barut and First Class Thieves...
— Hypochondriac - Slavko ŠtimacSlavko ŠtimacSlavko Štimac is a Serbian actor. He graduated from The Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, Serbia.Slavko Štimac made his screen debut in the 1972 film Vuk samotnjak...
— Bridegroom - Miodrag Kostić — First musician
- Nenad Kostić — Second musician
- Bora TodorovićBora TodorovicBorivoje "Bora" Todorović is a Serbian actor...
— Mourner - Slobodan AligrudićSlobodan AligrudicSlobodan Aligrudić was a Serbian actor known for some of the most memorable roles in the history of former Yugoslav cinema.Aligrudić was born in Bitola....
— Lieutenant - Petar Lupa — Pop
- Stanojlo Milinković — Plowman