Zítra vstanu

Earlier yesterday, I'd told Kevin I was "going" to "Jim Reed's movie on fb tonight. He told me he thought I'd like it. Must be a European time travel romance!"
I had no idea I was right!
Then, as I was watching it, Christina texted to check in on me.
So, I told my first niece that I was watching "a favorite foreign film. It's a European time travel romance!"
I sent her the link, too...
than finished watching the movie.
(smile!)

And, just now, I've watched it again!
No doubt I'll watch it for a third time tomorrow - seriously!
So, what is this movie I love so?
It's a Czech piece of science fiction from 1977, set in a futuristic 1996.
It features twin brothers, Karel and Jan, one a playboy cad, the other a sweet nerd.
"Tomorrow I'll Wake Up And Scald Myself With Tea" is the title and all of the action takes place - repeatedly - on June 1st.


I first saw this film ten years ago at a PFS film festival.
I've been wanting to see it again ever since.
Periodically, I would mention to Jim, while at a PFS screening at the 'Bean, how much I had enjoyed it and wanted to see it again.
I have to believe that was in the back of his mind.
I have to believe that the reason he chose this particular movie for his inaugural "Online Viewing Party" last night was because he knew I would enjoy it so.
Well, that, and he had others who had seen it on that long-ago occasion and wanted to see it again, too.
Plus, there were more who had heard of it and wanted to see it.
And so we did and I did and it was wonderful!
And I realized as I watched it yet again this evening that it reminded me of something else.
It reminded me of "Groundhog Day".
But of course it did!

Jan kept trying to fix things that Karel had screwed up, and the only way to do that was to keep repeating that summer day until things got straightened out.
Lucky for Jan, he only had to repeat the day twice.
Hey, I mentioned he was a sweet nerd, right?
Well, he was, and quite a smart, engineering-type, nerd at that.
So he knew how to tinker with the controls to get the date he needed.

Once he caught on to the scam his brother had been in on, he had just a little snafu on the first repeat.
Karel, a gambler with poor luck, had tied in with some ne'er-do-wells to give an atom bomb to Hitler.
Jan, posing as Karel, finds out the scam planned by Aberd (former Nazi general), Bauer (his engineer), and Kraus (thug).
Aberd tells Jan and the two American tourists to stay aboard, as it is 1944 war-time Germany.

Then the fascist trio go off on their mission to change history!
Only, they grabbed the wrong satchel (with Shirley's night garments, not the bomb)...
and they'd misjudged the time adjustments required (arriving in 1941, not 1944)...
and the tourist couple, Jan, and the copilot Helena are captured...
resulting in Aberd's death, while the couple (Shirley and Patrick) and Helena remain captured.

However, Jan, Bauer, and Kraus manage to escape, regain the rocket, and return to 1996...
to morning of June 1st, specifically.
Time for a do-over!
But, what to do with the Jan, Bauer, and Kraus of this "new" day?
Well - no, no, those curious can click the link and find out.
Heaven forbid I should ruin the fun!
The music, the ease with which Jan copies the bad traits of his brother, the comedic touches - all quite delightful!

As for why I want to see it again tomorrow, well, I've been thinkin' 'bout that.
I have to believe the severe change to my nights is the reason.
With the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic now up close and personal, I'd love a do-over.
I wouldn't need to go too far back, just two weeks.
In the movie, they traveled back 55 years on that first trip, then 52 years on the next.
I'm not that greedy.
Ideally, I'd want to go back to August of 2000, when Mama was still alive, as well as Daddy, Uncle Jimmy, Uncle Bob, Sam Johnson, Jean Marie, Mother Pat, stepdad Frank, stepbrother George, fsilm Bev ...
but I'd settle for just two weeks ago.
Impossible things.
Tomorrow, I'll watch this film again and dream of impossible things...
perhaps even send some love to loved ones via the mail...
and hope for the best.