Peníze nebo život

Unlike the film Powder and Petrol, Voskovec, Werich, Honzl managed to create a more close-up and complete film, which is a balanced (if not enlightening) spectacle in the style of old grotesques rather than a summary of the best sketches of the Liberated Theatre. Of course, there are several Ježek hits and excellent puns in which the V+W pair is really at home. Quite surprising, however, is their sovereignty in the "mute" passages, which only copy the overseas grotesque, but still have flair in the Czech version. I consider one of the negatives to be the overly schematic script, which does not lack poetic love of low genres, but does noticeably lack something funny and refreshing... However, such performances of the family menagerie are still hilarious after all these years. A stronger ***. (26/06/2005)

Better in every way than the hastily cobbled together Powder and Petrol. Voskovec and Werich this time put together a much more cinematic and sophisticated script, Jindřich Honzl also clearly felt more confident behind the camera, the silent slapstick comedy sequences are great and the verbal humor of Mr V and Mr W is just as good. Success is guaranteed, among other things, by the fact that neither of them practically disappears from the frame, and so something (very funny) is always happening. "You have a nice place, but I don't want to die here." (24/01/2015)