Vendelínův očistec a ráj stages the lively and often chaotic misadventures of the Žemlička family and their determined efforts to push their daughter Amálka (Máňa Ženíšková) into marrying Vendelín Hrom (Jiří Hron). Vendelín soon discovers—very much to his own detriment—the intrusiveness and boundless enthusiasm of the family of the woman he loves. Their lack of boundaries reaches its peak when they repeatedly burst into the newlyweds’ home, even interrupting their wedding night. In the finale, driven to desperation, the couple find a simple but effective solution: they cut the bell wire, finally granting themselves some privacy and allowing them to retreat peacefully to the bedroom.

Vendelínův očistec a ráj is a brisk and energetic comedy that strongly recalls Italian films of a similar vein from the same period—most notably the legendary Famiglia Passaguai with Aldo Fabrizi. One scene follows another in rapid succession, each showcasing the Žemličkas getting into increasingly absurd situations, motivated above all by their fear that Vendelín, an eligible bachelor with a respectable job at the Ministry of Supplies, might reconsider marrying Amálka. Everything ultimately resolves happily, delivering a steady stream of laughs—even from someone like me, who generally isn’t particularly fond of this genre.

This article was originally published in Italian on emutofu.com