Loves of a Blonde (1965) - Milos Forman

Taking place in communist Czechoslovakia, Milos Forman's Loves of a Blonde opens in the countryside, where a shoe factory owner desperately attempts to convince the Army to station a division of solidiers.  In his town, the woman outnumber the men sixteen to one, so the Army agrees, sparking excitement among the townsfolk.  Excitement turns into disappointment when the woman discover the soldiers to be older troops, instead of the strapping young men they envisioned.  Loves of a Blond is a film that masterfully walks the line between comedy and tragedy, delivering a effective portrait of communist Czechoslovakia.  This is a film thats narrative is rather bland and uninteresting but it's by design, with Forman being far more interested in exploring gender politics and the social perceptions of sexual relations.  Loves of a Blond is a film full of beautiful moments, with my favorite sequence being at the banquent hall where the young female factor workers first meet the older soliders.  The sequence is skillfully designed, capturing both the male and female perspectives in the primal games of courtmanship.  The film's more comedic elements slowly form into a tragedy towards the end of the film, with Forman seemingly commenting on the alienation of these female factory workers.  Milos Forman's Loves of a Blond is a low-key effort with solid craftmanship, effectively capturing the tragedy and comedy that so frequenly makes up gender politics.  

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