The Case Fell Apart

In the rural Plack farmstead, a hundredth birthday celebration for grandma is being broadcast on television. Shortly thereafter, a modest procession accompanies the elderly woman to the cemetery. Meanwhile, Placek is engaged in a constant rivalry with his neighbor Kadela, who flaunts his wealth and modern appliances thanks to dollars from America. The competition for prestige and fortune becomes a daily reality for both families, and Placek—the head of the impoverished household—finds his life consumed by an unending effort to at least appear as prosperous as his neighbor. The situation spirals out of control.