Loves of a Blonde

Director: Miloš Forman
Year Released: 1965
Rating: 3.0

Accurately captures awkwardness in 'connecting' to others - the scene at the ball (not a fireman's ball, though) where a group of older men try to muster up the courage to talk to a group of younger girls (and properly conceal their wedding rings) and the final scene with the young man's parents are both exquisite examples of just how talented Forman is at creating mood. Its offbeat nature gets a little too lackadaisical at times, but getting great performances out of non-actors must have been a challenge in itself (hearing Forman explain how he did it on the Criterion disc is invaluable for up-and-coming visionaries); the subtext, which forms from the story and characters (like in The Fireman's Ball) is never heavy-handed.