Payment in Kind

The story

In an unusual, apolitical approach, director Jaromil Jires has fashioned a standard drama that features an older lawyer with failing health who goes to practice in the countryside. His series of odd court cases reveals more about the human condition than about law. In one of these litigations a wayward nephew has cheated his elderly aunt out of her savings. In court, the nephew insists the money was a gift, but his aunt explains she only gave him the money as a loan. Although the lawyer technically wins the case, everything of value seems lost in the meantime. His services are paid for in rabbits because the aunt has no currency, and in the end, the nephew cons his aunt into parting with her savings anyway. Other cases expose similar types of petty corruption.

Cast & crew

Miloš KopeckýJUDr. Lukášek

Marie Brožovábabička Márová

Jaroslav SatoranskýJoun

Martin Růžeksoudce JUDr. Petřík

Zlata Adamovskásekretářka Zuzana

Alena VránováLukášková

Pavel ZedníčekPastyřík

Karel AugustaVrána

Soběslav Sejksoudce JUDr. Špaček

Miroslav PlzákMUDr. Petr Drasnar

Vlastimil HašekChmelař

Jana AndresíkováChmelařová