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Closely Watched Trains (1966) |
Czechoslovakian film shows Austrian Empire 1850 silver gulden coin
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The 1966 Czechoslovakian film "Closely Watched Trains" is a comedy set in that country during the
World War II German occupation. A young man, Milos Hrma, enters the family profession of railroad dispatcher.
He has problems with a young woman railroad stewardess and then is asked to do a dangerous job for the
resistance movement.
Milos Hrma introduces the story and describes an ancestor, his great-grandfather Lucas, who
was injured in an 1848 battle when Czechoslovakia was part of the Austrian Empire and received a pension
of one gulden per day. An illustration of the reverse of a silver gulden coin dated 1850 is shown.
1. Title
A young Czechoslovakian man living in Kostomlaty in Bohemia introduces himself.
2. Milos Hrma
My name is Milos Hrma.
People used to laugh at me, since Hrma means 'mound of Venus.'
Still, our family was famous.
My great-grandfather Lukas was a drummer boy in 1848 and fought in the battle on Charles Bridge in Prague.
The students threw cobblestones at the soldiers and broke Great-grandpa's leg, so he got a pension out of it.
One gulden per day.
People used to laugh at me, since Hrma means 'mound of Venus.'
Still, our family was famous.
My great-grandfather Lukas was a drummer boy in 1848 and fought in the battle on Charles Bridge in Prague.
The students threw cobblestones at the soldiers and broke Great-grandpa's leg, so he got a pension out of it.
The scene then shows an illustration of a gulden reverse.
3. Austrian gulden coin reverse illustration
An Austrian gulden silver coin is around 31 millimeters in diameter and weighs around 14 grams.
The obverse has the Austrian Emperor's bust and the reverse has the Austrian arms.
The reverse inscription is: HVNG BOH LOMB ET VEN GAL LOD ILL REX A A 1850
Hungariae Bohemiae Lombardiae Venetiae Galiciae Lodomiriae Illyriae Rex Archidux Austriae
(King of Hungary, Bohemia, Lombardy and Venetia, Galicia and Lodomeria, Illyria, Archduke of Austria)
The reverse inscription is: HVNG BOH LOMB ET VEN GAL LOD ILL REX A A 1850
Hungariae Bohemiae Lombardiae Venetiae Galiciae Lodomiriae Illyriae Rex Archidux Austriae
(King of Hungary, Bohemia, Lombardy and Venetia, Galicia and Lodomeria, Illyria, Archduke of Austria)
Milos continues: "From then on all he did was buy a bottle of rum and a pouch of tobacco every day."
Milos reports for duty at the local train station.
He is told by his superior, Hubicka, that some trains are to be "closely watched", as they carry supplies
for the German Army.
4. A closely watched train
Milos likes Masa, a railroad stewardess.
5. Masa and Milos
One night they attempt to have sex but Milos suffers a failure.
He asks several people for advice including the local "Romeo", Hubicka.
6. Milos and Hubicka confer
Hubicka gives Milos some advice.
7. Railroad car
A special car known as a "draisine" which travels along railroad tracks arrives.
Several people get out including Councillor Zednicek, the local Nazi official.
Hubicka is a member of the local resistance and is given a package containing a bomb with a
time detonator which is to be placed on a German munitions train the next day. The woman who delivers
the package learns of Milos's sexual problem and seduces him. This time everything is all right.
Hubicka is called to a official disclipinary hearing and can not deliver the bomb.
Milos picks up the bomb package and takes it with him.
8. The train arrives
Milos climbs into a railroad signal structure and drops the bomb onto a railroad flat car.
9. Explosion
The explosion blows Milos hat off and it lands at Masa's feet.
She picks it up and realizes what has happened to Milos.
10. Masa says "goodbye"
Cast, Directors, Writers:
Vaclav Neckar as Milos Hrma
Jitka Bendova as Masa
Josef Somr as Hubicka
Vlastimil Brodsky as Zednicek
Vladimir Valenta as Lanska
Director: Jiri Menzel
Writers: Bohumil Hrabal, Jiri Menzel
Based on the 1965 novel Closely Watched Trains by Bohumil Hrabal
Jitka Bendova as Masa
Josef Somr as Hubicka
Vlastimil Brodsky as Zednicek
Vladimir Valenta as Lanska
Writers: Bohumil Hrabal, Jiri Menzel
Based on the 1965 novel Closely Watched Trains by Bohumil Hrabal
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