爱之夜

This film deftly combines black comedy with sharp political satire. Set in a fictional Eastern European town called Waldheim, a place "where nothing is what it seems," the action is centered around a visiting king, in whom many people are very interested for a variety of reasons. Assassination and lust figure prominently on their minds. This is another racy and idiosyncratic political film by Yugoslavian writer and director Dusan Makavejev (Montenegro). Set in an unnamed Central European country during the 1920s, it deals with revolution, law and order, and the awkward ways in which ordinary folks try to deal with change. Camila Soeberg plays the heroine who introduces the sexual revolution to her community as men from all levels of society throw themselves at her. Alfred Molina is head of the secret police, and Simon Callow is featured as the bumbling chief of police. In his screen adaptation of an Emile Zola story, Makavejev proves himself to be the only deeply political filmmaker with a rowdy sense of humor. In 1920, in Central Europe, the tyrannical king (Enver Petrovci) of an Empire is visiting the small town of Waldheim. While a group of revolutionaries plot to kill the despotic king, his oppressive secret service, leaded by Avanti (Alfred Molina), and the police force, leaded by Police Chief Hunt (Simon Callow), organize his reception. Svetlana Vargas (Camilla Soeberg), a member of a bourgeois family and abused by her employee Emile (Rade Serbedzija), is in charge to organize the attempt against the king. "Manifesto" is an erotic and anarchic black humor comedy with a magnificent cinematography. The story has bizarre scenes, some of them non-sense and many good moments. People in town seem to breathe sex, and sexuality is everywhere. I liked the explanation of Police Chief Hunt that "we solve our cases even before they are cases". Camilla Soeberg is extremely sexy and beautiful, and with a wonderful body. This movie is the debut of Gabrielle Anwar, in the role of a sixteen years old orphan that sells ice-creams and accept golden coins for other services.