Black Peter (1964) review

Ah, yes, the struggles of youth: teenager Petr (Ladislav Jakim) gets a job as a "security guard" (of sorts) in a store but is quite bad at detecting/confronting shoplifters and when he's not working he's spending time with his "girlfriend" Pavla (Pavla Martínková), going to the park and to a dance, where everyone's had way too many pilsners.  As Forman's debut feature, it already shows off his interest in oddballs and misfits - perpetually flummoxed bricklayer Čenda (Vladimír Pucholt) provides added comedic relief - and Petr's Pop (Jan Vostrčil) tries to provide valid life advice ("Whoever's close to food is far from the grave") but he might as well be talking to a brick wall.  The narrative is a little too thin to justify the running time - the last third really lags - although it's pleasantly awkward.