Pat & Mat

“Pat” and “Mat” just cannot get enough: Whatever they tackle, the two endearing handymen in a red and a yellow pullover frequently have an idea as to how they could do it differently or even better. They put their ideas into action according to the motto “The proof of the pudding is in the eating” – and often face self-made problems. If the new cabinet is too big for the bathroom, the room is rebuilt on the spot. Automatizing the vacuum cleaner is definitely worth a try, even if it develops disruptive tendencies in the process. “Pat” and “Mat” never give up, and in contrast to other simpletons, they always make wonderful discoveries. A parquet floor does not necessarily have to be laid out on the floor, and an old tree is also perfect for playing the mill game, a dishwasher not only for washing the dishes… Since Lubomír Beneš and Vladimír Jiránek launched “Pat” and “Mat” in 1976, the two inventors and handymen have gone down in television history, initially in what was Czechoslovakia at that time, and later all over the world. In his current film commemorating the show’s fortieth anniversary, Marek Beneš, Lubomír’s son, decided to retain the short episodes as the narrative form, and connected them with a charming framework plot. In this format the characters’ quirks and their naïve, inquisitive way of dealing with the world are shown in a particularly beautiful manner. Moreover, even after the fifth episode, the viewer eagerly anticipates what the two will get into next. Without dialogue but with a great deal of slapstick, “Pat & Mat” is literally a non-verbal delight for young and old alike.

Original Concept: Lubomír Beneš, Vladimír Jiránek and Jiří Kubíček