History Film / CloselyWatchedTrains

Sadly for Miloš and Máša, [[MomentKiller they seem to be unable to consumate their relationship]] at first, and when they actually get the chance to spend a night together, [[JizzedInMyPants Miloš fires off prematurely]]. Depressed, he considers himself not to be a real man and tries to commit suicide, [[InterruptedSuicide but is brought to hospital]] before he bleeds to death. There, a certain Dr. Brabec explains to him that his "performance problems" are fairly common at his age, giving him [[ThinkUnsexyThoughts some hints on avoiding this]] and proposing he seek the aid of a mature woman to overcome his anxiety.

* GratuitousLatin: Miloš keeps referring to his problem as [[JizzInMyPants Ejaculatio praecox]].

* LostInTranslation: The station master's laments and swear words are mostly untranslateable, making him seem less ridiculous character.

''Closely Watched Trains'' (in Czech ''Ostře sledované vlaky''), is a 1966 Czech film by Jiří Menzel, based on a short novel of the same name by famous Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal. It has won several international awards, including an Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1967. It merges a typical ComingOfAgeStory with large amounts of humor and a somewhat uncommon war story.

* MeaningfulName: “Hubička” means ''‘a little kiss’'' in Czech.

* MeaningfulName: “Hubička” means ''a little kiss'' in Czech.

''Closely Watched Trains'' (in Czech ''Ostře sledované vlaky''), is a 1966 Czech film by Jiří Menzel, based on a short novel of the same name by famous Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal. It has won several international awards, including an Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1967. It merges a typical ComingOfAgeStory with large amounts of humor and a somewhat uncommon war story.

The setting is the latter stages of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, as the Allies are closing in on Germany from the west and the Soviets from the east, but Czechoslovakia remains under Nazi occupation. Milos Hrma is a young Czech with one big ambition in life: To become a train dispatcher so that he can lead a leisurely lifestyle with little work. So he starts working at the local train station, where he meets train dispatcher [[TheCasanova Hubicka]], who divides his time between lazing around and hitting on the telegraphist, and the station master, who seems more interested in his geese and in condemning Hubička's exploits than the train service. Meanwhile, Milos' girlfriend Masa wishes to take their relationship further. Finally, the [[ThoseWackyNazis occupation forces]] pressure the people at the station to keep a close eye on all passing trains to prevent partisans taking out supply trains.

Sadly for Milos and Masa, [[MomentKiller they seem to be unable to consumate their relationship]] at first, and when they actually get the chance to spend a night together, [[JizzedInMyPants Milos fires off prematurely]]. Depressed, he considers himself not to be a real man and tries to commit suicide, [[InterruptedSuicide but is brought to hospital]] before he bleeds to death. There, a certain Dr. Brabec explains to him that his "performance problems" are fairly common at his age, giving him [[ThinkUnsexyThoughts some hints on avoiding this]] and proposing he seek the aid of a mature woman to overcome his anxiety.

Meanwhile, as all of that silliness is going on, it turns out that Hubicka the cheerful dispatcher is working with LaResistance.

* BathSuicide: Attempted by poor Milos, but he is interrupted before he bleeds out.

* LesCollaborateurs: Councilor Zednicek, the administrator in charge of the railway, is a Nazi collaborator. The workers at the train station are not impressed when he lamely explains away the constant German retreats on both fronts as tactical maneuvers.
* ComingOfAgeStory: For Milos. Implies CharacterDevelopment. Towards the end he says that he's cut the cord with his past.
* CreatorCameo: Jiří Menzel plays the doctor who tells Milos to ThinkUnsexyThoughts to combat his premature ejaculation problem.

* GratuitousLatin: Milos keeps referring to his problem as [[JizzInMyPants Ejaculatio praecox]].
* HospitalHottie: A train carrying nurses is stranded in the station when no engine is available. The nurses draw everyone's attention. At one point poor Milos enters the train to find a full-scale orgy underway.

* InterruptedSuicide: Milos attempts suicide after the embarrassing night with Masa. A worker discovers him by accident, and he is taken to hospital.
* {{Irony}}: A rare example of Socratic irony when Councilor Zednicek, the Nazi collaborator, comes to the train station. He gives them a lot of lame excuses about how the unending retreats of the Germans are tactical withdrawals to set up counterattacks, and how the workers at the station have to closely watch the trains, but the workers just ask "why?" a lot until an irritated Zednicek says it's what the Fuhrer wants.
* JizzedInMyPants: This ruins Milos's night with Masa.
* KavorkaMan: Hubicka is middle-aged, balding, and bespectacled, and has amazing success with women.

* MarriedToTheJob: Milos, even if it's downplayed.

* MrsRobinson: Played with. Milos is looking for one, but is unsuccessful until Viktoria turns up.
* NaiveNewcomer: The film starts with Milos getting ready for his first day at the station.
* OfficialCouple: Milos and Masa.
* PreClimaxClimax: Milos and Viktoria's night together, the night before the planned sabotage of the ammunition train.
* LaResistance: The partisans, although we don't see much of them. Hubicka works with them, and would have dropped the bomb on the train, if the railway bureaucrats had not arrived at precisely the wrong moment to conduct a hearing about his sex with the telegraphist.

* SexAsRiteOfPassage: It's certainly important for Milos.
* SexySecretary: The telegraphist. Her tryst with Hubicka involves a lingering shot of her [[{{Fanservice}} naked bottom]].
* ThinkUnsexyThoughts: What Dr. Brabec proposes Milos to deal with his premature ejaculation problems.

* TrainStationGoodbye: Milos and Masa--an unusual example in that she's actually a worker on the railway, and she's definitely coming back.
* WhosWatchingTheStore: Addressed. Milos takes Hubička's place while he indulges in his affair with the telegrapher.

Concurrently, Hubička and the telegraphist carry their affair further, which leads to an official investigation. When Milos returns to the station, asking all of his colleagues about whether they might be able to aid in his search for an experienced woman, things become even more complicated: The people from the station get involved in a plot to bomb an ammunition train that will pass through their station. A major stage of this plot is the arrival of artiste and guerilla figher Viktoria Freie, who delivers the bomb to be used in the plot. She stays at the station overnight, helping [[SexAsRiteOfPassage Milos lose his virginity]]. The next day, all things come together: The railroad officals arrive for the final hearing of the case about Hubička and the telegrapher's affair. When Milos steals away from the hearing, the bomb in hand, he meets Masa and tells her that he has to do something and will be right back. He successfully drops the bomb on the train, but is shot by a guard on the train. Meanwhile, the hearing has finished, and when the officials leave the station, they arrive just in time to see the ammunition train exploding some way off.

* LaResistance: The partisans, although we don't see much of them. Hubicka works with them, and would have dropped the bomb on the train, if the railway bureaucrats had not arrived at precisely the wrong moment to conduct a hearing about his sex with the telegraphist.
* LesCollaborateurs: Councilor Zednicek, the administrator in charge of the railway, is a Nazi collaborator. The workers at the train station are not impressed when he lamely explains away the constant German retreats on both fronts as tactical maneuvers.

* AManIsNotAVirgin: Milos is so humiliated when his night with Masa goes bad that he tries to kill himself, and afterwards he desperately hunts for an older woman to have sex with him.

''Closely Watched Trains'' (in Czech ''Ostře sledované vlaky''), is a 1966 Czech film by Jiří Menzel, based on a short novel of the same name by famous Czech writer Creator/BohumilHrabal. It has won several international awards, including an Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1967. It merges a typical ComingOfAgeStory with large amounts of humor and a somewhat uncommon war story.

Concurrently, Hubička and the telegraphist carry their affair further, which leads to an official investigation. When Milos returns to the station, asking all of his colleagues about whether they might be able to aid in his search for an experienced woman, things become even more complicated: The people from the station get involved in a plot to bomb an ammunition train that will pass through their station. A major stage of this plot is the arrival of artiste and guerilla figher Viktoria Freie, who delivers the bomb to be used in the plot. She stays at the station overnight, helping [[SexAsARiteOfPassage Milos lose his virginity]]. The next day, all things come together: The railroad officals arrive for the final hearing of the case about Hubička and the telegrapher's affair. When Milos steals away from the hearing, the bomb in hand, he meets Masa and tells her that he has to do something and will be right back. He successfully drops the bomb on the train, but is shot by a guard on the train. Meanwhile, the hearing has finished, and when the officials leave the station, they arrive just in time to see the ammunition train exploding some way off.

* SexAsARiteOfPassage: It's certainly important for Milos.

''Closely Watched Trains'' (in Czech ''Ostře sledované vlaky''), is a 1966 Czech film by Jiří Menzel, based on a short novel of the same name by famous Czech writor Creator/BohumilHrabal. It has won several international awards, including an Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1967. It merges a typical ComingOfAgeStory with large amounts of humor and a somewhat uncommon war story.

* BathtubSuicide: Attempted by poor Milos, but he is interrupted before he bleeds out.

Czechoslovakia, in the last stages of the second world war. Milos Hrma has one big ambition in life: To become a train dispatcher so that he can lead a leisurely lifestyle with little work. So he starts working at the local train station, where he meets train dispatcher [[TheCasanova Hubicka]], who divides his time between lazing around and hitting on the telegraphist, and the station master, who seems more interested in his geese and in condemning Hubička's exploits than the train service. Meanwhile, Milos' girlfriend Masa wishes to take their relationship further. Finally, the [[ThoseWackyNazis occupation forces]] pressure the people at the station to keep a close eye on all passing trains to prevent partisans taking out supply trains.

Sadly for Milos and Masa, [[MomentKiller they seem to be unable to consumate their relationship]] at first, and when they actually get the chance to spend a night together, [[TheLoinsSleepTonight Milos is unable to perform]]. Depressed, he considers himself not to be a real man and tries to commit suicide, [[InterruptedSuicide but is brought to hospital]] before he bleeds to death. There, a certain Dr. Brabec explains to him that his "performance problems" are fairly common at his age, giving him [[ThinkUnsexyThoughts some hints on avoiding this]] and proposing he seek the aid of a mature woman to overcome his anxiety.

Concurrently, Hubička and the telegraphist carry their affair further, which leads to an official investigation. When Milos returns to the station, asking all of his colleagues about whether they might be able to aid in his search for an experienced woman, things become even more complicated: The people from the station get involved in a plot to bomb an ammunition train that will pass through their station. A major stage of this plot is the arrival of artiste and guerilla figher Viktoria Freie, who delivers the bomb to be used in the plot. She stays at the station overnight, helping [[SexAsARiteOfPassage Milos lose his virginity]]. The next day, all things come together: The railroad officals arrive for the final hearing of the case about Hubička and the telegrapher's affair. When Milos steals away from the hearing, the bomb in hand, he meets Masa and tells her that he has to do something and will be right back. He successfully drops the bomb on the train, but is shot by a guard on the train. Meanwhile, the hearing has finished, and when the officials leave the station, they arrive just in time to see the ammunition train exploding some way off.

!!Closely Watched Trpopes:

* TheFilmOfTheBook: Fared very well, due to fact that author of the original novel cooperated on screenplay. Up to point that original short novel is virtually unknown with exception of country of origin. Only major change was cutting of part of ending that included more raw violence and would have been too much for cinema.

* ComingOfAgeStory: For Milos. Implies CharacterDevelopment.

* LaResistance: The partisans, although we don't see much of them.
* TheLoinsSleepTonight: After going through MomentKiller after MomentKiller, Milos and Masa get [[TheirFirstTime some time together]], but Milos is [[JizzInMyPants somewhat oversensitive]], so things don't go anywhere.
* LostInTranslation: The station master's laments and swear words are mostly untransmittable, making him seem less ridiculous character.

* PreClimaxClimax: Milos and Viktoria's night together
* UsefulNotes/SecondWorldWar: The setting. In particular, the people from the train station are required to [[TitleDrop closely watch the trains]] to prevent partisan attacks.

* SexySecretary: The telegraphist.

* ThoseWackyNazis: It plays in occupied Czechoslovakia, so this is a given. Councilor Zednicek is a [[LesCollaborateurs nazi collaborator]].

* SecondWorldWar: The setting. In particular, the people from the train station are required to [[TitleDrop closely watch the trains]] to prevent partisan attacks.

Closely Watched Trains, or Ostře sledované vlaky, is a 1966 Czech film by Jiří Menzel, based on a short novel of the same name by famous Czech writor Bohumil Hrabal. It has won several international awards, including an Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1967. It merges a typical ComingOfAgeStory with large amounts of humor and a somewhat uncommon war story.

* TheCasanova: Hubička is remarkably succesful with women. This draws the ire of his boss.

* InterruptedSuicide: Milos attempts suicide after the embarassing night with Masa. A worker discovers him by accident, and he is taken to hospital.

* WhosWatchingTheStore: Addressed. Milos takes Hubička's place while he indulges in his affair with the telegrapher.

Czechoslovakia, in the last stages of the second world war. Milos Hrma has one big ambition in life: To become a train dispatcher so that he can lead a leisurely lifestyle with little work. So he starts working at the local train station, where he meets train dispatcher [[TheCasanova Hubička]], who divides his time between lazing around and hitting on the telegraphist, and the station master, who seems more interested in his geese and in condemning Hubička's exploits than the train service. Meanwhile, Milos' girlfriend Masa wishes to take their relationship further. Finally, the [[ThoseWackyNazis occupation forces]] pressure the people at the station to keep a close eye on all passing trains to prevent partisans taking out supply trains.

Closely Watched Trains, or Ostře sledované vlaky, is a 1966 Czech film by Jiří Menzel. It has won several international awards, including an Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1967. It merges a typical ComingOfAgeStory with large amounts of humor and a somewhat uncommon war story.

* HypocriticalHumber: Every so often. The station master flirting with the telegraphist when he called Hubička amoral for doing so is an example. Also, the stories one of the trains drivers and the station master tell each other.

* GrumpyOldMan: The station master.

* ComingOfAgeStory: For Milos
* PreClimaxClimax: Milos and Viktoria's night together
* SexAsARiteOfPassage: It's certainly important for Milos.