Today for the Last Time

Today For the Last Time belongs without a doubt to the top of the post-war directorial work of the experienced Martin Frič. The central theme of this troubling psychological drama is the devastating influence of alcohol on individuals and their social ties. The story focuses on several regular visitors of the pub U Kroců, who continue to lie both to the others and to themselves that they can control their drinking. However, the reality shows each one of them that it is the other way round. In an extraordinary cast, particularly Zdeněk Štěpánek excels in the role of engineer Danda, whose alcohol addiction gradually disintegrates both his career and his family life. The film benefited from a relaxed political atmosphere after 1956, allowing Czechoslovak filmmakers to take a critical stand on some aspects of life in socialism. (Noir Film Festival)