Vlasta Burian being a chaotic legend in C. a k. polní maršálek

You should definitely watch this if you like fast-talking comedians who seem like they are vibrating with energy. If you can't stand old movies where people yell most of their lines, you will probably find this pretty annoying.

Vlasta Burian is basically a human cartoon in this. He plays a guy named Procházka who just really, really loves the military life even though he's retired.

The whole plot kicks off because he gets his hands on a Field Marshal uniform. Once he puts it on, his posture changes and he starts acting like he owns every room he walks into.

It is honestly kind of funny how easily everyone is fooled just by a fancy hat and some medals. People in the 1930s must have been really trusting about uniforms. 🎖️

There is a scene at an inn where he is trying to act important while eating, and his facial expressions are just gold. He does this thing with his eyes where he looks like he's about to explode from his own lies.

The movie is a bit clunky because it was one of the first talkies in Czech cinema. You can tell they weren't totally sure where to put the microphones sometimes.

Some of the side characters feel like they are just standing there waiting for Burian to finish his jokes. It reminds me a bit of the awkward pacing in The Wild Party where everyone is just too loud for no reason.

I noticed one extra in the background of a party scene who looked deeply confused about where he was supposed to stand. He just kind of wanders out of the frame while Burian is shouting.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of C. a k. polní marsálek (1930) through its definitive frames.

The script isn't exactly high art, but the physical comedy makes up for it. There's a bit with a horse that feels like it went on a minute too long, but I still laughed. 🐴

It is way more energetic than something like The Hand Invisible which just feels dusty and slow. Burian keeps the pace moving even when the story starts to loop in circles.

I love the moment when he has to inspect the troops. He's making up all these ridiculous military commands and the real soldiers are just sweating and trying to follow along.

The ending is pretty predictable, but I didn't really care. I was just there to see how many people he could insult before they figured out he was a fake.

One reaction shot of a general staring at him lingers for way too long. It goes from being serious to being funny to being awkward and then back to funny again.

If you enjoy seeing a guy dig a hole for himself and then somehow turn that hole into a palace, this is a good afternoon watch. Just don't expect the sound quality to be great. 🔊

It’s a loud, messy, and very human movie. It’s nice to see a comedy from this era that doesn't feel like it’s trying to be a stage play.

Burian’s mustache deserves its own credit in the cast list. It does a lot of the heavy lifting during the close-ups.

I’ll probably watch it again just to catch the jokes I missed because I was distracted by the weirdly tall hats everyone wears.