With this article we are going to analyze a couple of short films that were made before the creation of the Czechoslovak state but shot within its territory by local directors. Both are rather short comedies with little bite, but they help us build an early history of Czech cinema. České hrady a zámky was screened during the Pordenone Silent Film Festival, while Polykarpovo zimní dobrodružství is included among the bonus films on the double DVD containing Otrávené světlo and Příchozí z temnot.

– Czech Castles and Palaces (České hrady a zámky) – Karel Hašler (1914/1916)

This short film is a true stroke of genius because it was designed to be screened before Hašler’s live performance. On screen, we see Karel Hašler visiting the splendid Czech castles of Bezděz, Točník, and Karlštejn. While at the latter, he is approached by a bar patron who shows him the advertisement for a show he is supposed to perform shortly thereafter. This triggers Hašler’s frantic race, full of mishaps, to arrive in time for the performance.

The absurdity of the story is that, after stealing the most disparate means of transport, the actor ends up being pursued by two stubborn chasers. In the finale, the two fall into the void and die, as confirmed by an intertitle—something that left me stunned. Hašler himself, however, amused by his own prank, is anything but troubled: he flashes a dazzling smile and tips his hat to the spectators he is about to meet.

Among the funniest scenes of the short, I particularly enjoyed the one (from which a GIF was made) in which Hašler forces a poor driver to turn back—threatening him with his fingers instead of a real gun. The man obeys and drives the entire road in reverse. Someone in the audience shouted, “Better than Tenet!” which really made me laugh.

– Polykarp’s Winter Adventure (Polykarpovo zimní dobrodružství) – Jan S. Kolár (1917)

In 1917 we witness an attempt to launch a comic persona with the character of Polykarp, featured both in this winter adventure and in Polykarp aprovisuje (“Polykarp Forages for Food”). Since there seem to be no further films in the series, I assume it did not enjoy much success—and, indeed, this episode is not particularly brilliant.

Polykarp (František Nesvadba) loses his hat while on a tram. He jumps off and meets Mimì (Marie Vítková), offering to accompany her. On the way, they run into Jarda (Jaroslav Výborný), her fiancé, who overhears them agreeing to meet at 3 o’clock under the town square clock. The story culminates in an unusual duel fought with snowballs, in which Jarda emerges victorious.

The choice to stage an honorable duel with snowballs is cute, but it fails to redeem what is otherwise a rather dull and uninspired comedy. The “gags” are not very funny and there are many dead moments. In short, if the first installment was of the same type, it’s no wonder the series didn’t continue!

This article was originally published in Italian on emutofu.com