The Shop on Main Street
Obchod na korze
Czechoslovakia • 1965
Directors
#130Criterion Collection →Synopsis
In a small town in Nazi-occupied Slovakia during World War II, decent but timid carpenter Tono is named "Aryan comptroller" of a button store owned by an old Jewish widow, Rozalie. Since the post comes with a salary and standing in the town's corrupt hierarchy, Tono wrestles with greed and guilt as he and Rozalie gradually befriend each other. When the authorities order all Jews in town to be rounded up, Tono faces a moral dilemma unlike any he's known before.
Synopsis
In a small town in Nazi-occupied Slovakia during World War II, decent but timid carpenter Tono is named "Aryan comptroller" of a button store owned by an old Jewish widow, Rozalie. Since the post comes with a salary and standing in the town's corrupt hierarchy, Tono wrestles with greed and guilt as he and Rozalie gradually befriend each other. When the authorities order all Jews in town to be rounded up, Tono faces a moral dilemma unlike any he's known before.
Credits
Crew
DirectorJán Kadár and Elmar Klos, Ján Kadár, Elmar Klos
WriterLadislav Grosman, Elmar Klos, Ján Kadár
CinematographerVladimír Novotný
ComposerZdeněk Liška
EditorJaromír Janáček
Cast
Ida Kamińskaas Rozalia Lautmannová
Jozef Kroneras Antonin 'Tono' Brtko
František Zvaríkas Markus Kolkocký