May 1945. On the outskirts of Prague, ordinary people meet Soviet soldiers-liberators with tears of joy in their eyes. In the early days of the lull, someone sadly recalls a pre-war life; someone unexpectedly meets his love; someone is returning from enemy dungeons looking hopefully into the future; and someone, having moved from a tank into a Czech tram, warmly recalls his craft as a car driver... These days, all those who survived the Great War fire swear an oath to keep peace on Earth forever, honoring the memory of those who gave their lives for simple human happiness.
The title of this highly-regarded Czech drama translates as Wolf Trap. Set in the 1920s, the story revolves around an ambitious young provincial politician (Miroslav Dolozai) who enters into a marriage of convenience with a smotheringly possessive -- and much older -- woman (Jirina Sejbavola). Hoping to temporarily escape his overbearing wife's clutches, the husband strikes up a friendship with her young ward (Jana Brejchova). The relationship blossoms into a deep abiding love, but the jellyfish husband can't bring himself to declare his ardor to the girl. Even after the death of the wife, the husband hasn't the intestinal fortitude to admit his passion, and the results are bleak indeed for the unfortunate ward. Director Jiri Weiss does a masterful job staging his story of frustration and denial against a backdrop of post-WWI bourgeois banality.
Many of the young workers at an aircraft factory near Prague are members of an aviation club. On the one hand, there is the responsible Franta, who is highly regarded by his colleagues due to his understanding nature. Opposite him is the talented aircraft designer Ruda, who is also an excellent pilot, but also hotheaded, undisciplined and condescending towards his colleagues. He starts flirting with the glass grinder Lída, although he knows that she is Franta's girl friend. A conflict is not long in coming. When Franta's glider crashes due to a suspected mistake by Ruda, Ruda is banned for a certain period of time. This is fatal, because both young men were actually supposed to represent Czechoslovakia at the upcoming international gliding championships in Poland.