The Shop On Main Street ( Czechoslovakia - 1965 )

Language : Slovak | Director : Jan Kadar, Elmar Klos | Starring : Ida Kaminska, Jozef Kroner | Country : Czechoslovakia | Year : 1965

When you talk about World Cinema, it's hard to miss World War-German-Jew plot films, particularly movies made in Europe. The Shop On Main Street, falls in this genre. Here, we don’t see the suffering or war terror, but the innocence and guilt takes a pivotal plot. Directed by Jan Kadar and Elmar Klos, this Czechoslovakian film was released in 1965. This film went on to win the Best Academy Award in Foreign Language category in 1966. The film is set in 1940’s, when Nazi troops occupy Czechoslovakia. Tony Brtko, a jobless carpenter, living with his nagging wife in a small Slovakian town.  Tony being an Aryan race, his brother Marks, who is a Nazi town commander, gives him an opportunity to serve as a “Aryan Administrator” in a Jewish Shop as a part of Aryanization program. Tony’ wife thinks this will bring them prosperity. Tony goes to the shop, only to find there isn't much business and the shop owner widow Jewess Mrs. Lautmann is nearly deaf old woman, who cannot comprehend the real world happenings and clueless. 1st Left- Jozef Kroner as Tony When Mrs. Lautmann couldn't understand Tony’ position as an Aryan Administrator, Tony upon the advice of Kuchar, a Jew sympathizer, agrees to  act as a distant relative to Mrs. Lautmann. The local Jewish community requests Tony not to quit the shop, fearing someone else will be appointed as a Aryan Manager.

As days pass, Tony & Mrs Lautmann develop a mother-son relationship. When the time arrives for the Nazi troops to take Jews to the concentration camps, Tony tries to save her. He manages to hide her in the shop, but the old woman becomes irritated and restless by the act of Tony, who is trying to prevent her going out. In this struggle, already drunk Tony pushes her into the closet; only discover later that she is dead by the impact. Now, Tony, with the guilt taking on him, with the one who he was trying to save is killed by himself. He then decides to take his life and hangs himself. Tony and Mrs. Lautmann A very simple story with lighter moments, except the surprising ending is told in a very linear way, there is no usage of complicated dramatics, nor new or old wave, no film noir, but just plain content with good music. The use of violin in the background score creates fear and doubtfulness. Who owns this film? In 1990’s after the fall of the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia was split into two- Czech and Slovakia. They can divide the land, but couldn't divide the film, which is regarded as the best. Film critics and viewers still argue which side the film is closely associated and the argument continues, ironically reflecting the essence of the film itself.

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