Man Is Not a Bird
Opening remarks show Roko, the hypnotist, speaking on stage about love, myths, forbidden love, delusion and magic. A female singer is then shown on stage in a local bar where the mostly male audience…
Man Is Not a Bird
Opening remarks show Roko, the hypnotist, speaking on stage about love, myths, forbidden love, delusion and magic. A female singer is then shown on stage in a local bar where the mostly male audience drink, whistle and catcall. Barbulovic (Milena Dravic) is shown starting a bar brawl. Skilled engineer Jan Rudinski (Janez Vrhovec) comes to a mining town to install heavy copper mining equipment, turbo compressor engines which modernizes the industry, ultimately putting out of work laborers such as Barbul. While in a barber shop, Jan asks his pretty blonde hairdresser Rajka if she knows where he can find a room. She does, in her parents' home where she lives. She soon starts flirting with him while fending off the advances of a handsome young truck driver (Boris Dvornik). In an unrelated subplot, copper mine worker and womanizing married Barbul gets into one mess after another. He is arrested for starting the bar brawl in which the singer, Fatima, is stabbed. He is released after a few days, and complains to his manager about his three days of docked pay, to no avail. When Barbul returns home from jail, his wife (Eva Ras) is crying, having discovered three of her dresses missing and accuses him of giving them to his mistress. He yells and threatens her, demanding his meal, as if she were his domestic servant. Later at the outdoor marketplace, when Barbul's wife sees the other woman wearing her dress, she attacks her rival, calling her a whore. The two women are taken to the police station by a policeman. They send for Barbul to come to the station. When questioned, he lies and says the dress belongs to his mistress. He then states he can do as he wishes, even to beat his wife. Meanwhile, the truck driver sees Rajka walking down the sidewalk and catcalls her, offering a ride. She accepts and he tells her she's the most beautiful woman in the town. In an auditorium, Roko is seen on stage hypnotizing several young men and women, and he amuses the audience with their hypnotized antics. Jan and Rajka are in the audience. When they arrive home, she announces they are alone, flirts with him but also calls him an "old man." Ultimately, he responds, and they sleep together. During their time alone, they are happy together. While together in bed, she asks when he is leaving. When he offers to take her with him, and she seems excited. She asks if he has a house, but it appears not. She had asked several times if he were married or divorced, but he never answered. When Rajka's parents return, they catch Jan and Rajka being affectionate, and berate the couple. Her mother slaps her around, accuses her of taking money and berates him, threatening to complain to the communist committee. The day after the hypnotist show, Babul's wife comments to her female friend that her husband behaves like the hypnotist to his audience volunteers - he has "the power" and issues orders which she obeys. She tells her friend she has decided "no more hypnosis" for her. Jan is asked to complete his work several days early so the plant can gain a lucrative export deal. When he drives his crew to finish the job as requested, a communist government representative from Belgrade comes to present him with a medal honoring his 20-year career with a cash bonus for his exemplary service. There is an opera music orchestra concert and company banquet afterwards. During the concert, interspersed are scenes of Rajka and the truck driver. He drives takes to a remote area that night. He is then seen on top of her having sex, in the front seat of the truck cab. Jan is puzzled when Rajka does not show up at at the event in his honor. She, it turns out, has succumbed to the charms of her truck driver. We see the truck driver coming frequently to the hair salon in order to fondle and flirt with her as she shaves him. Jan asks her afterward if she has another lover. When she is evasive, he asks how old his rival is; she answers 20 or 22. When he asks if she loves her lover more than he, she says "it's nothing." She puts his arms around him but resists. She continues, kissing him, but he does not respond, and forcibly removes her hands from him. This does not appease his anger, and she flees. As he sits looking morose later around an empty banquet table with place-settings, musicians gather, and begin to play for him. He thinks them for their concert yesterday. But then he throws a wine bottle at a mirror, breaking it. This scene cuts back and forth between this and union circus workers outdoors, entertaining a crowd. Jan and the musicians are seen also reflected in the broken mirror. The truck driver and Rajka are seen watching in the audience. Snake charmers, dancers, knife throwers, and aerialists are among the entertainers. A voiceover dialogue is then played of the hypnotist explaining his craft. This is shown over a factory and then a field with a single person walking away to a lake collecting to the Into the distance.
Man Is Not a Bird
Comedy,Drama,Romance
Film Details
Opening remarks show Roko, the hypnotist, speaking on stage about love, myths, forbidden love, delusion and magic. A female singer is then shown on stage in a local bar where the mostly male audience drink, whistle and catcall. Barbulovic (Milena Dravic) is shown starting a bar brawl.
Skilled engineer Jan Rudinski (Janez Vrhovec) comes to a mining town to install heavy copper mining equipment, turbo compressor engines which modernizes the industry, ultimately putting out of work laborers such as Barbul. While in a barber shop, Jan asks his pretty blonde hairdresser Rajka if she knows where he can find a room. She does, in her parents' home where she lives.
She soon starts flirting with him while fending off the advances of a handsome young truck driver (Boris Dvornik). In an unrelated subplot, copper mine worker and womanizing married Barbul gets into one mess after another. He is arrested for starting the bar brawl in which the singer, Fatima, is stabbed.
He is released after a few days, and complains to his manager about his three days of docked pay, to no avail. When Barbul returns home from jail, his wife (Eva Ras) is crying, having discovered three of her dresses missing and accuses him of giving them to his mistress. He yells and threatens her, demanding his meal, as if she were his domestic servant.
Later at the outdoor marketplace, when Barbul's wife sees the other woman wearing her dress, she attacks her rival, calling her a whore. The two women are taken to the police station by a policeman. They send for Barbul to come to the station.
When questioned, he lies and says the dress belongs to his mistress. He then states he can do as he wishes, even to beat his wife. Meanwhile, the truck driver sees Rajka walking down the sidewalk and catcalls her, offering a ride.
She accepts and he tells her she's the most beautiful woman in the town. In an auditorium, Roko is seen on stage hypnotizing several young men and women, and he amuses the audience with their hypnotized antics. Jan and Rajka are in the audience.
When they arrive home, she announces they are alone, flirts with him but also calls him an "old man." Ultimately, he responds, and they sleep together. During their time alone, they are happy together. While together in bed, she asks when he is leaving.
When he offers to take her with him, and she seems excited. She asks if he has a house, but it appears not. She had asked several times if he were married or divorced, but he never answered.
When Rajka's parents return, they catch Jan and Rajka being affectionate, and berate the couple. Her mother slaps her around, accuses her of taking money and berates him, threatening to complain to the communist committee. The day after the hypnotist show, Babul's wife comments to her female friend that her husband behaves like the hypnotist to his audience volunteers - he has "the power" and issues orders which she obeys.
She tells her friend she has decided "no more hypnosis" for her. Jan is asked to complete his work several days early so the plant can gain a lucrative export deal. When he drives his crew to finish the job as requested, a communist government representative from Belgrade comes to present him with a medal honoring his 20-year career with a cash bonus for his exemplary service.
There is an opera music orchestra concert and company banquet afterwards. During the concert, interspersed are scenes of Rajka and the truck driver. He drives takes to a remote area that night.
He is then seen on top of her having sex, in the front seat of the truck cab. Jan is puzzled when Rajka does not show up at at the event in his honor. She, it turns out, has succumbed to the charms of her truck driver.
We see the truck driver coming frequently to the hair salon in order to fondle and flirt with her as she shaves him. Jan asks her afterward if she has another lover. When she is evasive, he asks how old his rival is; she answers 20 or 22.
When he asks if she loves her lover more than he, she says "it's nothing." She puts his arms around him but resists. She continues, kissing him, but he does not respond, and forcibly removes her hands from him. This does not appease his anger, and she flees.
As he sits looking morose later around an empty banquet table with place-settings, musicians gather, and begin to play for him. He thinks them for their concert yesterday. But then he throws a wine bottle at a mirror, breaking it.
This scene cuts back and forth between this and union circus workers outdoors, entertaining a crowd. Jan and the musicians are seen also reflected in the broken mirror. The truck driver and Rajka are seen watching in the audience.
Snake charmers, dancers, knife throwers, and aerialists are among the entertainers. A voiceover dialogue is then played of the hypnotist explaining his craft. This is shown over a factory and then a field with a single person walking away to a lake collecting to the Into the distance..