The Barnabás Kos Case

The Barnabás Kos Case

88 mins | Drama, Comedy | April 16, 1965

In this bitingly satirical film Peter Slovan, a continuous source of trouble for the film functionaries of the socialist Slovakia, tackles an evergreen topic – the corruptive effects of power. Barnabáš Kos, a triangle player at a symphonic orchestra, is suddenly promoted to serve as the head of the said institution, even though both he and his superiors deem him completely unfit for the task. Encouraged in equal parts by this unexpected recognition and the servile praise of his colleagues, Kos’s modesty starts to gradually vanish. The erstwhile bashful and aloof percussionist quickly becomes aware of the advantages of his new office, and begins to realise his increasingly ludicrous artistic ambitions. Ultimately, the submissive marionette turns into a source of public humiliation, and his astonishing career finds an abrupt end. Orchestra serves here as a microcosm that grotesquely reflects the absurd and tragicomic mechanisms of the paranoid apparatus of power.

The Barnabás Kos Case

88 mins | Drama, Comedy | April 16, 1965

The Barnabás Kos Case
In this bitingly satirical film Peter Slovan, a continuous source of trouble for the film functionaries of the socialist Slovakia, tackles an evergreen topic – the corruptive effects of power. Barnabáš Kos, a triangle player at a symphonic orchestra, is suddenly promoted to serve as the head of the said institution, even though both he and his superiors deem him completely unfit for the task. Encouraged in equal parts by this unexpected recognition and the servile praise of his colleagues, Kos’s modesty starts to gradually vanish. The erstwhile bashful and aloof percussionist quickly becomes aware of the advantages of his new office, and begins to realise his increasingly ludicrous artistic ambitions. Ultimately, the submissive marionette turns into a source of public humiliation, and his astonishing career finds an abrupt end. Orchestra serves here as a microcosm that grotesquely reflects the absurd and tragicomic mechanisms of the paranoid apparatus of power.
Producers Studio Hraných Filmov Bratislava
Original title Prípad Barnabáš Kos
Directors Eva Štefankovičová, Jozef Šafarka, Peter Solan
Writers Peter Karvaš, Albert Marenčin

Cast

Josef Kemr

as Barnabáš Kos

Milivoj Uzelac

as Conductor Ruman

Ján Bzdúch

as Gregus

Viliam Polónyi

as Gajdoš

Naďa Hejná

as Růžičková

Ivan Krivosudský

as Barnabáš Kos (voice)

Michal Belák

as Conductor Ruman (voice)

Oľga Adamčíková

as Růžičková (voice)