Loves of a Blonde

         Directed by Academy Award Winner Milos Forman in 1965, Loves of a Blonde is a film about the past, present, and future of love. It is comprised of three separate acts that can each stand on their own. That being said, I've watched this movie at least three times, all of which I was definitely rewinding and double watching certain parts. The acts are supposed to be in order in past, present, and future; however, there's definitely some plot changes that suggest otherwise. I think that's the point Forman was going for. It's a very subtle satire with a naive outlook on love. It's very interesting to see the differences in how Americans view love versus how Europeans do.  In this film, it's almost like the blonde is striving to have that American type of "fairy tale love story" but everyone around her is still on a very logical wavelength.

         The first act is supposed to be the past of love or more of the way that the blonde SHOULD look at love. The second act goes into the present of love, where she is an adolescent at a ball and falls for the young traveling pianist. The last act is the future. She travels to Prague from Zruc in search for her “lover”. When she reaches his parents’ home, they are not only unhappy but also very rude. They ridicule both of the young lovers for not knowing much about life. Also, the parents bicker constantly, giving the blonde insight of her inevitable future with love. On top of the parents, the pianist she “loves” basically kicks her out. The ending is insane and very realistic. The juxtaposition between the blonde’s surreal lovey-dovey outlook and the bleak realistic idea of love is showcased perfectly throughout this entire film.

         The film is bookended with two girls singing a pop song about love. One line that was repeated often was, “Oh this great love of mine has turned me into a hooligan.” This is definitely the path that this film takes, but it’s not a romantic comedy where everything works out in the end. It’s more of the blonde’s hopes and dreams being crushed, which goes into the refreshing realistic view I mentioned when talking about The White Dove. The bookending also sets up the film to seem lighthearted and whimsical; however, I just didn’t get that out of the film. I like that I didn’t get it as lighthearted. I mean I totally see how this is more comical and definitely satirical, but I’m very glad it didn’t end up as a traditional love story.

         One thing that should be pointed out is how everyone is so blunt. There’s one scene at the ball where these old, reservist, married guys are shamelessly trying to just bang out these three young chicks. The girls end up walking out, leaving these creepers to have an in depth conversation about who’s cheated on his wife, and whether these girls are coming back. They are only concerned with sex. It’s actually quite shocking to hear the way it’s just completely shameless. One of my favorite scenes is where one of the reservists drops his wedding ring. The camera follows the ring as it rolls around the dance floor through a lot of girl’s dancing feet and skirts. The entire time, the reservist is following it on the floor. The scene is way longer than expected to put emphasis on marriage and how the idea is basically a wash.

         I am definitely going to keep watching this film. There are so many little details that tell a lot about Forman’s vision, and they’re very easy to miss. Unlike The White Dove, this film is much more dialogue driven; however, I really enjoyed it. It’s quirky and fun yet realistic.