Obchod na Korze (The Shop On Main Street) (A Shop on the High Street) poster & wallpaper

Adam Matejka, Alojz Kramar, Eugen Senaj

A Slovak carpenter gets a job working for an elderly, deaf Jewish woman in a button shop during World War II. The two form a friendship, and he tries to protect her when the Nazis arrive for the depor...( read more  read more... )tation of all Jewish citizens.

Flixster Users

92% liked it

1,556 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

12 critics

Unrated, 2 hrs. 8 min.

Directed by: Elmar Klos, J?n Kad?r, Ján Kadár

Release Date: January 24, 1966

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: September 18, 2001

Stats: 96 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites
report incorrect info

Photos

Obchod na Korze (The Shop On Main Street) (A Shop on the High Street)
Upload a Photo |

View All Obchod na Korze (The Shop On Main Street) (A Shop on the High Street) Photos (1)

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (96)

  • hypathio7
    June 12, 2009
    hypathio7
    The funny and tragic performances, the camera work, the story, the dream sequences; all great reasons to see this film. Another foreign picture that doesn't really have anyone involved who became very famous outside of Czechoslovakia. No famous autuers, and yet I thought it was...( read more) brilliant. It leaves a mark!

    Jozef Kroner as Tony Brtko holds the movie together. He's drunk much of the time and finds a boisterous voice in this condition. When he's sober, he's a pushover, too scared, too kind to do what is expected of him as an Aryan. He hates his brother-in-law who lives a wealthy life as a Nazi officer. He is annoyed by his nagging wife. The Nazis are just beginning their plan to clear all the Jews out of this small Czech town. Tony's brother-in-law gives him the advice that a Jew-lover is the only thing worse than a Jew, and tells him to stay away from one known acquaintance named Mr. Kuchar who is a friend to Jews. Tony needs Mr. Kuchar's help too much to give up his friendship though. Tony gets assigned to take over a shop, which carries sewing supplies, from an elderly Jewish woman. Ida Kaminska plays the widow Mrs. Lautmann. She is set in her ways and hard of hearing, but serves her few customers well. She continually claims not to understand that Tony as an Aryan is supposed to take her shop away from her because she is a Jew. While this is sometimes genuine, she's such a cheerful old lady that I got the definite impression that she was playing dumb, that she was just playing with Tony at times. The "I don't understand, I don't understand." is more existential, more metaphysical. The Nazis have a wooden pyramid monument built in the square that many of the Czechs call the Tower of Babel. It also reminded me a bit of the obelisk in 2001: A Space Odyssey. This pyramid doesn't look very dangerous, but it conveys a sense of impending doom. Pictures of the young Mr. and Mrs. Lautmann from a happier time begin to haunt Tony. The dream sequences are bright, washed out, pure images of a symbolic main street where Tony becomes Mr. Lautmann and all the current political problems are gone. The Shop on Main Street realistically portrays daily life in this place and time and slowly builds some powerful suspense in the final scenes.
  • RThornhill
    November 8, 2009
    RThornhill
    recommended by rojastortu.
  • rojastortu
    November 7, 2009
    rojastortu
    This is one of the most simple stories involving the Holocaust, still one of the most powerful I've seen, because the characters have to prove loyalty and other values throughout the whole movie and have different textures. Ida Kaminska delievers an amazing performance that awake...( read more)ns from sympathy to confusion to the audience, and I think it's impossible not to fall in love with her. I wanted to hug her the whole movie. The ending is tremendously surprising and painful to watch, because I suffered with everything that was happening in the movie. Surely this is the best recommendation I've got by a flixster friend in months and I think I couldn't express my gratitude for suggesting this marvelous film.
  • ElCochran90
    October 18, 2009
    ElCochran90
    "Krtko!"

    OBCHOD NA KORZE (1965)


    Director: Ján Kadár & Elmar Klos
    Country: Czechoslovakia
    Genre: Drama / War
    Length: 128 minutes

    ...( read more)w¤t=ObchodnaKorze.jpg" target="_blank">Obchod na Korze,Czechoslovakia,Ján Kadár,Elmar Klos,Shop on Main Street

    The ones that have actually dared to go deep enough into the world of cinema have surely realized of the fact that the Seventh Art can be one of the most extraordinary wonders if one is willing to look for lost masterworks scattered worldwide. Unfortunately, classic art cinema is not disseminated in my country as much as I would wish, and Obchod na Korze was a film which I had an enormous luck of discovering on television one day after midnight. That's right: I discovered it being aired after midnight. That's one of the best nights I have spent alone staying up late. Was it worth it? Instead of exaggerating my feelings in an excessive way as I normally tend to do it while writing my favorite films' reviews, the following review will be partially characterized by its simplicity, tranquility and honesty of its structure and grammar, so I really hope that my reaction towards the film is interpreted correctly. Have you ever had that beautiful feeling of watching any favorite movie of yours which is so great that from the moment that the "The End" title appears on screen in any language you like you feel like your life should immediately go through a brief reflection process? Has your life ever been literally changed by a movie? All of this has happened to me, and Obchod na Korze is definitely the most powerful and honest movie I have seen in my entire life, dramatically speaking.

    Obchod na Korze is set on the Slovakia of World War II where the Arian protagonist Antonin Brtko, who lives in poverty, receives the opportunity by the authorities of becoming the owner of a Jewish old widow that works on a small sewing material shop. This confused and charming old lady hires Brtko under the belief that he was seeking for a job. Once they start to live together and let time go by, their unusual relationship starts to become a friendship, soon after the authorities decide to expel the Jewish people from the city. What decision will Brtko take under that critical situation? The movie received two Academy Award nominations including Best Foreign Language Film in 1966 and Best Actress in a Leading Role in 1967. I'm so glad that it received the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, not only because it obviously was the best film among the nominated ones, it had serious competition. Among the nominated films were Matrimonio all'italiana (1964) directed by Vittorio de Sica and Kaidan (1964) directed by genius Masaki Kobayashi. Onibaba (1964) directed by Kaneto Shindô was also released that year, which was certainly a splendid movie, but it wasn't nominated.

    Obchod na Korze is mainly characterized because of being one of the most humanly honest films ever created, instantly becoming the best movie in cinema history about the Holocaust. People that claim Schindler's List (1993) and The Pianist (2002) as the best movies about World War II should alter their viewings and they are several miles away from getting out of their tiny little bubble called "Hollywood" in which they are in. The narrative structure of the film is managed with a high realism degree, which adds a lot of quality and credibility to this work of art. Very few films have this talent, so that's why Obchod na Korze is among the top 5 most realistic films that I have seen so far. The screenplay is beautifully crafted and effectively written, not only for narrating the events that take place in a World War II Slovakia, but also for creating completely human and real characters who have a wide range of feelings, emotions and reactions towards the lessons they learn during course of the war.

    The protagonistic combination of social classes is brilliant just as it is controversial. An Arian, a race that considered itself as the superior and perfect race over any other, befriends the most adorable old lady in the city, who ironically is Jewish. The concept is extremely effective and highly unusual. The show is completely stolen by Ida Kaminska, who interprets Rozalie Lautmann, one of the tenderest and most human and innocent characters cinema ever gave birth to. The fact that she hadn't won an Academy Award is beyond absurd, without mentioning that the same film received both Oscar nominations in two different years. The capacity she had for totally becoming a character who, if analyzed deeply enough, wasn't so easy of portraying is absolutely brilliant. I agree with Elizabeth Taylor's performance in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) being fabulous and deserving the Oscar, but Ida Kaminska's performance was superior to the one by Julie Christie in Darling (1965). Unfortunately, realistically speaking, even if Ida Kaminska had been nominated in 1965 and Julie Christie hadn't won the award, the Oscar would have gone to Julie Andrews for The Sound of Music (1965), which would also have been an erroneous decision. The acting by Jozef Króner as the Arian Antonin Brtko is decent enough as well, making of his emotions, established priorities and the aspects that motivated him to take some decisions in particular something very clear.

    This is the only movie among my favorites that has two persons in its directing. Both Ján Kadár and Elmar Klos had a very well established vision of the portion of the world they wanted to portray, and it is remarkable in its set decoration and in the general atmosphere creation. The costume design was also a considerate aspect. The use of music was very adequate and it was occasionally beautiful, especially the music that is used in the final scene. The pace the events have is hypnotizing without being hasty at all, and the editing is pretty decent overall.

    Obchod na Korze deals with the struggle for getting rid of the boundaries and differences imposed by society between different social classes, and describes tragedy to a high degree without resorting to extremely dramatic and sentimental scenes and/or sequences; it simply required a magisterially achieved directing and performances so it could cause the desired effect in worldwide audiences of any generation, and not only the Czech audience. That is why it is a very powerful anti-war statement without using brutal sequences of violence and action. It simply shows its devastating effects seen through human eyes, just like the ones we own, the side which is normally ignored. The movie does not focus on battlefield heroes or in magnificent deeds of popular characters, but in common people admirable because of their own qualities and personal attitude towards life. These are the kind of people that are the true heroes in real life.

    Obchod na Korze is the most powerful and realistic drama film I know, and the best film I have seen from Czechoslovakia. As it is expected, the ending is brutal, but totally unexpected and unexplainably beautiful. It must be seen to be believed. A gem that, as my opinion goes, is about to be lost and forgotten, Obchod na Korze is one of the most brutally honest commentaries against war of classic cinema, followed by Hadashi no Gen (1983), Idi i Smotri (1985) and Hotaru no Haka (1988).

    100/100
  • azfad
    October 15, 2007
    azfad
    One of the most emotionally overwhelming movies i have ever seen and a hugely under-rated tour-de-force. Kroner is just brilliant and Kaminska is not far behind.

    This one, if you have not seen it, should be top of your 'to watch' list - trust me - it's that good. 10/10 with ease.
  • Venieza
    July 19, 2007
    Venieza
    All CLASSICS are GOOD
  • reytutiver
    November 24, 2006
    reytutiver
    One of the most surreal experiences in cinema. The comedic beginning quickly gives way to harrowing conclusion.
  • criterionmaster1
    November 12, 2006
    criterionmaster1
    This movie looks amazing!
  • DavidC78
    September 21, 2006
    DavidC78
    Interesante film. El final es para el recuerdo.
  • dylen81
    September 13, 2006
    dylen81
    Czech new wave at its darkest. The relationship between the two leads is heartbreakingly portrayed

View All Obchod na Korze (The Shop On Main Street) (A Shop on the High Street) Reviews

Critic Reviews

No recent reviews.

View more Obchod na Korze (The Shop On Main Street) (A Shop on the High Street) reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

This board looks lonely. Be the first to talk about "Obchod na Korze (The Shop On Main Street) (A Shop on the High Street)" !

Post A Comment | View All Comments

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

All Rotten Tomatoes content is used under license from Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes, Certified Fresh, and the Tomatometer are the trademarks of Incfusion Corporation, d/b/a Rotten Tomatoes, a subsidiary of IGN Entertainment, Inc.

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Schindler's List
    Schindler's List (100%)
  • Ostre Sledované Vlaky (Closely Watched Trains)
    Ostre Sledované Vlaky (Closely Watched Trains... (67%)

More Movies like Obchod na Korze (The Shop On Main Street) (A Shop on the High Street)

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Obchod na Korze (... : Watch Free on TV

Obchod na Korze (The Shop On Main Street) (A Shop on the High Street) Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Obchod na Korze (The Shop On Main Street) (A Shop on the High Street). Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add Obchod na Korze (The Shop On Main Street) (A Shop on the High Street) to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?