1982 film
The Marathon Family (Serbian: Маратонци трче почасни круг / Maratonci trče počasni krug, lit. Marathon Runners Do a Lap of Honour, or often simply Maratonci, lit. The Marathon Runners) is a 1982 Yugoslav black comedy film written by Dušan Kovačević and directed by Serbian director Slobodan Šijan. It has become a cult film in Serbia and other countries from the former Yugoslavia region[1][2] and is regarded as one of the classics of Yugoslav Serbian cinematography.[citation needed]
The film depicts a family of undertakers with a dark secret. Instead of creating new coffins for their customers, they use a graverobbing operation to acquire old ones from the cemetery. They are increasingly indebted to a local hoodlum for his services. Following the death of the head-of-the family, conflict starts between the family and their former business partner. The youngest member of the family kills his cheating girlfriend in a jealous rage, and then claims the family's leadership for himself. His term in office starts with a brutal showdown with the hoodlum and a police chase.
Plot
The story takes place in an unnamed small Serbian town in 1935, and focuses on the Topalović family consisting of six generations of undertakers:
- gravely ill Pantelija,
- Maksimilijan who uses a wheelchair, is mute and nearly deaf,
- rheumatic Aksentije,
- sober-minded Milutin,
- impulsive and narcissistic Laki, and
- young and naive Mirko.
Constantly bickering amongst each other, the latest family arguments arise from the youngest son, Mirko, not wanting to continue the family business of coffin-making. Deeply in love with a local girl Kristina, the daughter of a local hoodlum Bili Piton, he's looking to avoid the career path of his father, grandfather, great grandfather, etc.
Though operating out of a prominently located shop in the town, Topalovićs' business is mostly based on illegal activities. Instead of making brand new coffins, they simply recycle already used ones with the help of Bili Piton, whose men dig them out from the local cemetery during the night. Once they get their hands on the coffins that had been dug up, Topalovićs simply refurbish them and sell them as new, thereby making a large profit with very little overhead. Based on mutual financial interest, the business relationship between Topalovićs and Bili is deteriorating by the day as they owe him a large sum of money for the past services rendered and show no intention of paying him.
In parallel, Topalovićs are in the finishing stages of building a modern crematory on which they are placing high hopes as the future source of income.
One day, the oldest Topalović, Pantelija, dies and leaves family inheritance to himself because he does not trust his successors. The Topalovićs leave business with Bili Piton and he threatens to report them to the police for killing a man in a car accident. Bili's daughter, Mirko's love Kristina wishes to become an actress in (mostly pornographic) movies made by Mirko's best friend Đenka. However, she cheats on Mirko with Đenka, so outraged Mirko kills her when he finds out.
He returns to his family and makes himself their leader by force, while Đenka is accidentally burned alive by the deaf Maksimilijan, while repairing the crematorium. The movie ends with a showdown between the Topalovićs and Bili Piton, in which Bili Piton is killed, and then a chase between the Topalovićs and the police, with a scene abruptly cut just as raging Mirko attempts to run over a police officer fallen from a bicycle.
Awards
The Marathon Family won two awards in 1982, including the Jury Prize at the Montréal World Film Festival and the "Best Actress" award at the Pula Film Festival, which went to Seka Sablić for her portrayal of Kristina.[3]
