Lemonade Joe
Encyclopedia
Lemonade Joe is a 1964 Czechoslovak
comedy film, directed by Oldřich Lipský and written by Jiří Brdečka, based on his own novel and theatre play. The film, a parody of old-time westerns, became a cult classic in Czechoslovakia, and apparently Henry Fonda
was amongst its foreign admirers. The film was selected as the Czechoslovakia entry for the Best Foreign Language Film
at the 37th Academy Awards
, but was not accepted as a nominee.
, Lemonade Joe is a clean-living gunfighter who drinks only Kolaloka lemonade
and takes on a town full of whiskey-drinking cowboy
s. It is a musical comedy parodying the old silent
westerns, with colour tinting, sped up fight scenes including the obligatory breaking banister.
"What's good for Kolaloka is good for the law!" says one of the characters, and by the end of the film both villains and heroes learn to work together for the sake of business — i.e. the Kolaloka company, whose name is obviously based on Coca Cola. As the film progresses, it becomes clearer that Joe doesn't just clean up the town for morality's sake, but because he wants whiskey out of the way.
One of the subplots involves the arrival of an evangelist
in the town, with his daughter. Although the evangelist doesn't seem to be working purely for financial motives, he is both contrasted and likened to Joe in his techniques.
The film's main theme is the continuing controversy of interconnection of big business
and government in society. While some would see this as necessary, and good, others think the opposite, hence the film's opinions on large scale American marketing
campaigns, such as Coca Cola's, are embodied in Joe's ambiguity as a character... is he an all American hero, or just a shameless shill and coward? Likewise Joe's love interests are torn between the dark haired beauty who works in the bawdy-house, and the clean living blonde evangelist's daughter. Initially he is more interested in the latter, especially as she is involved in a temperance
campaign which would be good for his Kolaloka franchise business.
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
comedy film, directed by Oldřich Lipský and written by Jiří Brdečka, based on his own novel and theatre play. The film, a parody of old-time westerns, became a cult classic in Czechoslovakia, and apparently Henry Fonda
Henry Fonda
Henry Jaynes Fonda was an American film and stage actor.Fonda made his mark early as a Broadway actor. He also appeared in 1938 in plays performed in White Plains, New York, with Joan Tompkins...
was amongst its foreign admirers. The film was selected as the Czechoslovakia entry for the Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
at the 37th Academy Awards
37th Academy Awards
The 37th Academy Awards honored film achievements of 1964. For the first time, an award was presented in the field of makeup. All four acting awards went to non-American actors, something not repeated until the 80th Academy Awards were awarded for 2007....
, but was not accepted as a nominee.
Plot
Satirising the American Western genreWestern (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
, Lemonade Joe is a clean-living gunfighter who drinks only Kolaloka lemonade
Lemonade
Lemonade is a lemon-flavored drink, typically made from lemons, water and sugar.The term can refer to three different types of beverage:...
and takes on a town full of whiskey-drinking cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
s. It is a musical comedy parodying the old silent
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
westerns, with colour tinting, sped up fight scenes including the obligatory breaking banister.
"What's good for Kolaloka is good for the law!" says one of the characters, and by the end of the film both villains and heroes learn to work together for the sake of business — i.e. the Kolaloka company, whose name is obviously based on Coca Cola. As the film progresses, it becomes clearer that Joe doesn't just clean up the town for morality's sake, but because he wants whiskey out of the way.
One of the subplots involves the arrival of an evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
in the town, with his daughter. Although the evangelist doesn't seem to be working purely for financial motives, he is both contrasted and likened to Joe in his techniques.
The film's main theme is the continuing controversy of interconnection of big business
Big Business
Big business is a term used to describe large corporations, in either an individual or collective sense. The term first came into use in a symbolic sense subsequent to the American Civil War, particularly after 1880, in connection with the combination movement that began in American business at...
and government in society. While some would see this as necessary, and good, others think the opposite, hence the film's opinions on large scale American marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
campaigns, such as Coca Cola's, are embodied in Joe's ambiguity as a character... is he an all American hero, or just a shameless shill and coward? Likewise Joe's love interests are torn between the dark haired beauty who works in the bawdy-house, and the clean living blonde evangelist's daughter. Initially he is more interested in the latter, especially as she is involved in a temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
campaign which would be good for his Kolaloka franchise business.
Cast
- Karel FialaKarel FialaKarel Fiala is a Czech operatic tenor and film actor. He initially worked as a chimney sweeper before entering the Prague Conservatory in 1947...
as Lemonade Joe - Salesman fy Kolalok & Son - Rudolf Deyl as Dough Badman - Owner of Trigger Whisky Saloon (as Rudolf Deyl ml.)
- Milos KopeckýMiloš KopeckýMiloš Kopecký was a Czech actor, active mainly in the second half of the 20th century.- Biography :...
as Horác Badman Alias 'hogofogo' - Kveta FialováKvěta FialováKvěta Fialová is a Czech actress. She is best known for her performance in Lemonade Joe.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
as Tornado Lou - Arizona Warbler - Olga SchoberováOlga SchoberováOlga Schoberová or Olinka Bérová born March 15, 1943 in Prague, Czech Republic , Czech-American actress, was often compared with Brigitte Bardot and Ursula Andress. She acted in 22 Czech, German, Italian and American movies. Olga was married to Brad Harris on 16 November 1967 and divorced in 1969...
as Winnifred Goodman - Bohus Záhorský as Ezra Goodman - Father
- Josef HlinomazJosef HlinomazJosef Hlinomaz was a Czechoslovak film actor and painter. He appeared in over 150 films and television shows between 1948 and 1978.-Selected filmography:* Komedianti * Hvězda jede na jih...
as Gunslinger Grimpo - Karel Effa as Pancho Kid - Gunslinger
- Waldemar MatuskaWaldemar MatuškaWaldemar Matuška was a Czech singer who became popular in his homeland during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1986, he emigrated to the United States.-Early career:...
as Banjo Kid - Gunslinger - Eman Fiala as Pianist
- Vladimír MensíkVladimír MenšíkVladimír Menšík was a popular Czech actor and entertainer, born in Ivančice, Moravia, Czechoslovakia. Both comedian and serious actor, he created a wide range of lively characters...
as Barman #1 - Jirí Lír as Barman #2
- Jirí Steimar as Kolalok - Joe's Father
Production
Brdečka's Limonade Joe short stories were written for magazines in the early 1940's. They were adapted as a stage play in 1946 and inspired the 1949 puppet film The Song of the Prairie where the theme song appeared for the first time. Brdečka's experience as an animator made for several effects and ideas derived from animation being incorporated into the film.See also
- Ostern/Red WesternOsternThe Ostern or Red Western was the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries' take on the Western.It generally took two forms:...
- Revisionist WesternRevisionist WesternThe Revisionist Western, Modern Western or Anti-Western traces to the mid 1960s and early 1970s as a sub-genre of the Western movie....
- List of submissions to the 37th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Czechoslovakia submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film