Tales from the Golden Age

Tales From The Golden Age

I just returned from a few days in sleepy Peterborough. I unpacked and felt the need for a long walk. I also had to get my weekly ‘fix’ at the TIFF Box Lightbox. I am constantly amazed at the continued fine caliber of films playing at the 5 cinemas. Every film I have seen has been exceptional. I love to see the crowds milling about and enjoying all the facilities.

Tales From The Golden Age are based on legends from Romania during the Ceausescu years. The stories are funny but no doubt portray how difficult life was under that regime.

The film begins with the robust sound of a full male chorus. How glorious!

In the first story we learn that some very high officials are coming for an inspection to a small village. Lesser officials are giving orders as to how everything must proceed. We see how poor everyone is. The paint on the government building is peeling. The roads are full of pot holes and the ground seems parched. The homes are small and in poor condition. The lesser officials arrive for the initial inspection. The people of the village greet them in costumes waving flags. A fruit and vegetable stand has been set up on the road. It is so totally incongruous with the rest of the village.

The officials tell them that the cows must be removed because some Indian officials are coming. They need to find sheep. They are ordered to get pigeons but nobody has any. The little local fair (1 ride) has to be dismantled. All the changes are made only to hear that the official trip is cancelled. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

In another story a driver of a truck carrying chickens is given unreasonable orders. He is not to stop. He must not feed the chickens and he must arrive at his destination by evening. He becomes friends with the lady who runs a small inn. He gives her eggs to sell and they both make a little profit. When the driver returns to his truck he discovers that one of his tires has been stolen.

In one scene the dignitaries are offered a ride on the electric swings that goes in a circle. All the officials get on the ride and it seems to go on forever. The mayor is getting ill and nobody can stop the ride because everybody was on the contraption. Nobody was left behind to work the mechanism. It was hilarious to see a shepherd going by and complaining that the officials were all having a party while he had to work and he walks right past them without knowing they require help.

One young man has discovered a scam to earn him money. He pretends he is from the Ministry and has been ordered to collect samples of water for testing. The gullible people fill an empty glass bottle with water. The young man later pours out the water and sells the empty bottle to make money.

All the scenes clearly show the poverty. The fraud and the scandals are a result of the people trying to cope with the conditions in this dreadful system.

The film is very creative. The actors are fantastic. The film is also entertaining but I certainly learned a great deal about the conditions in Romania at that time.