The Barnabáš Kos Case

What happens to a humble tinkler of the triangle, suddenly appointed party director of his orchestra? The Barnabáš Kos Case works this fanciful scenario into a droll, sharp plot. Touched by a little power, a minor musician turns cultural tyrant. The story for the film languished for seven years before the stirrings of the Prague Spring permitted its production. Yet Slovak director Solan and his collaborators gave the film both the verve of the Czech New Wave and the economy of classical Hollywood cinema. With its satire of art in the grip of ignorant masters, Barnabáš has bite beyond the travesties of the socialist state.