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The Firemen's Ball

Original title: Horí, má panenko
  • 19671967
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 13m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
11K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Horí, má panenko (1967)
  • Comedy
  • Drama
A volunteer fire department throws a party for their former boss with the whole town invited, but nothing goes as planned.A volunteer fire department throws a party for their former boss with the whole town invited, but nothing goes as planned.A volunteer fire department throws a party for their former boss with the whole town invited, but nothing goes as planned.
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
11K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Milos Forman
  • Writers
    • Milos Forman(screenplay)
    • Jaroslav Papousek(screenplay)
    • Ivan Passer(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Jan Vostrcil
    • Josef Sebánek
    • Josef Valnoha
Top credits
  • Director
    • Milos Forman
  • Writers
    • Milos Forman(screenplay)
    • Jaroslav Papousek(screenplay)
    • Ivan Passer(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Jan Vostrcil
    • Josef Sebánek
    • Josef Valnoha
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 46User reviews
    • 64Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 2 nominations total

    Photos94

    Josef Sebánek in Horí, má panenko (1967)
    Horí, má panenko (1967)
    Horí, má panenko (1967)
    Horí, má panenko (1967)
    Milos Forman directing "The Firemen's Ball" 1967 Cinema V
    Horí, má panenko (1967)
    Horí, má panenko (1967)
    Horí, má panenko (1967)
    Horí, má panenko (1967)
    Horí, má panenko (1967)
    Horí, má panenko (1967)
    Horí, má panenko (1967)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jan Vostrcil
    Jan Vostrcil
    • Predseda plesového výboruas Predseda plesového výboru
    Josef Sebánek
    Josef Sebánek
    • Clen plesového výboruas Clen plesového výboru
    Josef Valnoha
    • Clen plesového výboruas Clen plesového výboru
    Frantisek Debelka
    Frantisek Debelka
    • Clen plesového výboruas Clen plesového výboru
    Josef Rehorek
    • Clen plesového výboruas Clen plesového výboru
    Vratislav Cermák
    • Clen plesového výboruas Clen plesového výboru
    Jan Stöckl
    Jan Stöckl
    • Retired Fire Chiefas Retired Fire Chief
    Václav Novotný
    • Clen plesového výboruas Clen plesového výboru
    Frantisek Reinstein
    • Clen plesového výboruas Clen plesového výboru
    Frantisek Paska
    • Clen plesového výboruas Clen plesového výboru
    Ladislav Adam
    • Clen plesového výboruas Clen plesového výboru
    Josef Kolb
    Josef Kolb
    • Josefas Josef
    Stanislav Holubec
    • Karelas Karel
    Frantisek Svet
    Frantisek Svet
    • deda Havelkaas deda Havelka
    Josef Kutálek
    • Ludvaas Ludva
    Antonín Blazejovský
    • Standaas Standa
    Alena Kvetová
    • Ruzenkaas Ruzenka
    Hana Hanusová
    • Jarkaas Jarka
    • Director
      • Milos Forman
    • Writers
      • Milos Forman(screenplay)
      • Jaroslav Papousek(screenplay)
      • Ivan Passer(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    The volunteer fire department in a small town is having a big party when the ex-boss of the department celebrates his 86th birthday. The whole town is invited but things don't go as planned. Someone is stealing the prizes to the lottery and the candidates for the Miss Fire-Department beauty contest are neither willing nor particularly beautiful. —Mattias Thuresson
    • fireman's ball
    • beauty contest
    • corruption
    • bureaucracy
    • political satire
    • 90 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • A Masterpiece from Czechoslovakia
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In spite of many claims the film was banned in Czechoslovakia by the communists in power at the time, it was not. It actually sold over 750,000 tickets in the country and was shown on state-controlled television in 1969.
    • Quotes

      Ball Emcee: Attention please! Attention please! I ask all the chosen candidates for the beauty contest, all these comrades, should come to the room behind the bar. I repeat: behind the bar!

    • Alternate versions
      In the United States, this film was shown in both subtitled and English-dubbed versions.
    • Connections
      Edited into CzechMate: In Search of Jirí Menzel (2018)
    • Soundtracks
      From Me to you
      (uncredited)

      Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

      Played by the band at the ball

    User reviews46

    Review
    Top review
    Superb lost comedy
    Reaching 70 years young in a few weeks, I was thinking about some of the films I most enjoyed when young and would I still enjoy them now? The Fireman's Ball seems to be a lost comedy here in the UK. It never pops up on TV and does not appear in film festivals or revival houses.What a loss to those who were not alive in 1967. If your a Brit reading this think Dad's Army and then fireman instead and your nearly there.Its country of origin is Czechoslovakia,with a little help from Italy, a big hit with a best foreign film Oscar, a running time of 73 mins and not one minute wasted.A town's fire department celebrating with a ball to honour it's retired elderly chief, a beauty contest and a large table with raffle prizes that vanish one by one, that's it,but oh boy it is good, totally droll and very funny.The punchline at it's end maybe posted but who cares. If only some of the comedies today knew when to stop. Really pleased that this was one old film I rerented.
    helpful•7
    3
    • mikelang42
    • Sep 15, 2011

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 29, 1968 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Italy
    • Language
      • Czech
    • Also known as
      • The Firemen's Ball and Lottery
    • Filming locations
      • Restaurace Strelnice, Vrchlabí, Czech Republic
    • Production companies
      • Carlo Ponti Cinematografica
      • Filmové studio Barrandov
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $65,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 13 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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