IMDB Top 250: #246 – Black Cat, White Cat

250 films, 250 reviews. This is a pretty crazy idea, but who doesn’t love a challenge? Here at Cultured Vultures we’ll be counting down the IMDb Top 250 with a review for each from one of our dedicated film writers. Everything from Goodfellas to Casablanca will be covered over the next year or so for you film lovers to enjoy. You can’t say we don’t spoil you, you lovely lot. – Ashley, Project Lead

***

As established in the little disclaimer that comes with each Top 250 review, the list we used to compile the working order is from November of last year. The IMDB Top 250 is forever changing and often reflects the outlook of the moment (Interstellar, for example, had just come out when we started this, so it sits very high on our list, it will likely be far lower by the time our review arrives). The makeup of the list can also lead to some interesting coincidences, such as two of Bosnian filmmaker Emir Kusturica’s films appearing within two places of each other.

His 1995 anti-war film Underground is arguably his most well-known and that one sits at #244, but for the time being let’s focus on Black Cat, White Cat. Like a lot of Kusturica’s other work, the film is set on the Danube river and follows a ground of hardy, cheerful gypsies. I’m not sure that it was necessarily intended as a social commentary, but there’s definitely some semblance of that. It follows Matko, a poor, out-of-work father trying to provide for his son by way of an elaborate train heist. He partners up with Dadan, a manipulative, cocaine-fueled monster who rather ever stops dancing, shouting or screwing people over. Suffice to say, Dadan swindles Matko and uses his increasing debt to persuade him to marry off his son to Dadan’s sister.

Though the plot isn’t overly complicated, the wealth of characters on offer take time to establish and once all their plot lines converge in the inevitable, disastrous wedding scene, all hell breaks loose. Matko’s son is more interested in the gorgeous, rebellious barmaid from downriver, whilst Dadan’s sister isn’t interesting in marrying anyone that she doesn’t fall in love with at first sight. Meanwhile, Matko’s father Zarije and his old friend Grga have an involvement of their own. Also at one point a woman finishes a song and dance routine by pulling a nail out of a wooden plank using her ass-cheeks. I’m still working my head around that one.

Despite the destitution of the setting and the desperation of the characters, the whole film plays to a tongue-in-cheek tone with a lot of slapstick and gallows humor. An early scene involving Matko trying to retrieve some money from a corpse that’s been hung from a crossing barrier is a highlight. The humour never feels juvenile or easy as the characters are loveable enough to keep you invested from start to finish, happily, since the wedding itself is such a worthy payoff. I won’t reveal too much, but some choice moments include a lesson in the art of how not to hide a dead body, a Mexican standoff, several grenades going off and someone literally getting shithoused, perhaps the only time in human history that term has been so perfectly applicable.

Before the credits roll, a flashcard reading ‘Happy End’ appears and it’s difficult to disagree. This is the kind of unmitigated chaos that leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy by the conclusion, like The Big Lebowski or A Comedy of Errors. Before making Black Cat, White Cat, Kusturica had weathered a a lot of harsh criticism for the views expressed in Underground, so much in fact that he had planned to walk away from film-making forever. Luckily that didn’t happen and this film almost seems like medicine, a counteraction of the ill-will he was met with after Underground. Well deserving of a place on the Top 250. It’s also one of at least two films on the list that end with the same, iconic line, but you’ll have to watch it to find out which one I’m referring to.

Note: the IMDb Top 250 Cultured Vultures are using is based on the standings from the 16th of November. Inconsistencies may apply.