Killing the Devil

Ester Krumbachová's 1970 Czechoslovak film follows a woman living alone. She takes an interest in a man called Mr Devil; he moves into the house and keeps asking for food. The humour comes from that appetite. The Devil is never satisfied, the woman spends her whole day in the kitchen and the relationship becomes one of service; the narrative builds this as an analogy for marriage. Krumbachová worked as a writer and designer in the Czech New Wave, and this is her only film as director. The sets and costumes are elaborate and overblown; the narrative attempts no realism and runs short. Who it's for: those who like the Czech New Wave and formalist comedy. Who it's not for: viewers expecting plot; the film rests almost entirely on a single idea.