The Past Master (original title: Баш майсторът [Bash Maistorat]) is a 1971 Bulgarian comedy movie.
Robespierre "Robi" Galabov, a Greek studies professor, and his wife aren't happy with their cramped apartment, so they go to a state agency to get approval and a plan for an upgrade. When they realize it'll cost them a fortune and take forever, they turn to Rangel Lelin ("The Past Master"), a black market construction worker (private enterprise was banned in communist Bulgaria). Hilarity Ensues.
Tropes:
- Brick Joke: Rangel constantly goes on about how he'll "put the hat" to Roby for exploiting him. No one xan understand what he means except his brother. He puts a hat in the chimney which blocks it and causes the apartment to get doused with smoke.
- Crack is Cheaper: A government-mandated renovation would cost a fortune and take a decade, so paying a black market worker and his crew is the only option.
- Hot for Student: Roby is a Classical Greek lecturer at the Sofia university. One of his neighbors is a student in his class and he's very visibly lusting after her.
- Moving the Goalposts: The Past-Master constantly renegotiates prices and refuses to work when Galabov doesn't pay up.
