Milenky starého kriminálníka is one of the most playful and spirited silent comedies I have ever seen, featuring an absolutely stunning Anny Ondra in an atypical role for her. The protagonist is a fearless, tomboyish young woman who delights in mischief for the thrill of it. The film partially subverts stereotypes (although, as we’ll see, not entirely by the end). Within Innemann’s trilogy of comedies scripted by Josef Skružný, this one stands out as the most original, enjoyable, and modern, able to surprise and entertain while maintaining a coherent narrative—unlike Lásky Kačenky Strnadové, which feels more episodic.

Pardon (Jan W. Speerger) is a desirable young man who has been promised the hand of Fifi Hrazánková (Anny Ondra). However, he has fallen in love with Olga (Věra Hlavatá), daughter of the clairvoyant Štefanie Lesczynská (Betty Kysilková), who does everything she can to keep Olga away from him. The two devise a plan: Olga pretends to feel unwell on a train, and Pardon kindly offers to host them for the night since the next train is the following day. Meanwhile, Fifi arrives at the mansion and meets Cyril Pondělíček (Vlasta Burian), Pardon’s uncle. Cyril bears an uncanny resemblance to the notorious criminal Alois Kanibal, and Fifi, thrilled at the idea of being near such a dangerous figure, begins to court him fervently. As it happens, Cyril is actually a former flame of Štefanie Lesczynská and Olga’s father. Through a series of misunderstandings and gags, Cyril eventually finds himself confronting the real criminal and ends up arrested in his place. In the finale, Fifi flirts with Alois Kanibal, but he dismisses her, unwilling to share his loot. Olga and Pardon are free to marry and live happily ever after, as do Cyril and Štefanie.

Although the story ostensibly revolves around the romance between Pardon and Olga, the true star is Fifi, who dominates the screen, overshadowing even Vlasta Burian, who plays two very different roles. To honor Anny Ondra, I’ve dedicated the screenshots below to her various costumes (one is already shown above). It’s fascinating to imagine how contemporary audiences reacted to a female character who drives, smokes, drinks, boxes, and takes initiative in romantic relationships—a surprising and delightful figure, at least to modern viewers like myself.

In short, if you want to see something truly different, I strongly recommend tracking down the DVD, which includes English subtitles. You may need to search on eBay or through Czech distributors, but it’s absolutely worth it.

This article was originally published in Italian on emutofu.com