Ein Launischer Sommer (1968): Besetzung, Handlung & Streaming

Released in 1968, Ein Launischer Sommer is a komödie and liebesfilm film directed by Jiří Menzel, running about 74 minutes.

What it’s about. Middle-aged Antonin and his friends, the major, now retired, and the canon, are in the river, swimming and philosophizing. Then it starts to rain. It just seems to be that sort of summer. Antonin runs the swimming bath with his portly wife Katherine... A man appears with his horse-drawn caravan. He lays a striped pole across the river and walks over. With a handstand and a magic trick, Ernie the Conjuror invites everyone to that evening's performance... Ernie is a tightrope walker of only modest skill, but with a slim and beautiful assistant, Anna. Antonin speaks to her. The two spend the night in the change room by the river, Antonin massaging her feet all night long. Katherine decides to move into the caravan with Ernie. But now the major and even the canon sense Anna's attractiveness...

Who’s in it. Ein Launischer Sommer stars Rudolf Hrušínský as Antonín Důra, Jiří Menzel as Arnoštek, Vlastimil Brodský as Major Hugo and Jana Preissová as Anna, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.7/10, Ein Launischer Sommer has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In USA you can stream it on Criterion Channel. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Ein Launischer Sommer page.

If you liked it. Fans of Ein Launischer Sommer tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Das Leben ist schön and Fight Club.