Moljac (Povratak otpisanih)
Moljac (Povratak otpisanih)
Moljac ("The Moth" in English) is the sixth episode of the drama television series Povratak otpisanih, originally aired on Yugoslav Radiotelevision network (JRT) on February 5th, 1978. The plot deals with Belgrade resistance preparations for the upcoming battle for the city and Prle recruiting group of street urchins into his network.
Plot
In the cold opening Prle and Tihi's resistance cell is having a meeting in Marija's apartment; they are briefed about the arrival of Stana, an important Party official, to Belgrade and their task to make her safe. During the meeting, Prle talks about his personal network of helpers led by Moljac ("The Moth"), whom Joca sarcastically connects with Prle's black market activists.
Moljac and his comrades are revealed to be pre-teen boys, but they don't lack bravery; they penetrate the railroad station where they steal tin cans with food from German military transport.
They are spotted by German guards but they successfully manage to escape.
Stana travels to Belgrade by train, where she shares compartment with German military doctor, who is immediately attracted to her.
Upon arrival, he offers to ride her home in his official vehicle, to which Stana reluctantly agrees in order not to blow her cover.
She asks the officer to let drop off her near Marija's apartment, promising to meet him at the theatre next day.
When she arrives into Marija's apartment, Stana gives an order - Prle, Tihi and the rest of resistance network must set up underground hospital which would handle casualties that are expected in the fighting.
Marija stays late at night in Special Police headquarters because her boss Krsta Mišić has to type series of important documents.
When him and his deputy go to late dinner with his deputy Isa and dismiss Marija, she uses opportunity to sneak into Mišić's office and photograph top secret documents from his safe.
There is a tense moment when she gets accidentally locked inside Mišić's office by agent Gojko, but she manages to find spare key and locks herself out before Mišić and Isa.
Prle approaches Moljac asking him to help him with setting up hospital.
but the boy defiantly refuses.
He goes home where he was bringing stolen food to his mother and four siblings.
His mother tells him about his father, print worker Milomir, who had been killed for being involved in Communist activities.
That forces Moljac to gather his friends and goes into action and help Prle.
Prle, dressed in the uniform of Serbian State Guard officer, approaches Cane Kurbla, car mechanic and his old associate, and recruits him for the operation. An abandoned building is chosen for hospital location. German patrols are dealt with by Cane dressed as Organisation Todt officer who convinces them that resistance activists are actually his workers. Moljac and his boys, as well as common citizens, volunteer and bring beds and medical equipment to hospital.
Gestapo Colonel Müller informs gathered German officers that with approaching Red Army and Partisan forces, an order is given for German services to be gradually evacuated. On the same day Marija hears the similar news from the secretary of a minister in collaborationist Serbian government.
On the same day, Prle, Mrki and Tihi are given the task of securing underground meeting of Party and resistance activists that are to set up future post-liberation city administration.
The meeting takes place in Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts building, close to headquarters of Special Police and Gestapo. Stana goes to the meeting but she is approached on the street by German military doctor who demands to know why she stood him up on a date. Situation is defused by Prle in Serbian State Guard uniform who poses as her husband.
Prle takes a sleep in one of hospital beds, when he is approached by Moljac, who demands to take more action.
Prle reluctantly agrees to let him guard the hospital.
On the same night, Isa and his fellow agent are driving in the company of a night club singer and her friend.
Two couples seek adequate rooms for sex and they decide to try their luck in one of the abandoned buildings.
One of them is underground hospital, but Moljac prevents them by hitting them with slingshots.
They chase him and shoot at him, with one of Isa's bulletts killing the boy.
Cast
Pavle Vuisić as Joca
Dragan Nikolić as Prle
Voja Brajović as Tihi
Zlata Petković as Marija
Aleksandar Berček as Mrki
Nenad Nenadović as Moljac
Stevo Žigon as Major Krüger
Rudolf Ulrich as Colonel Müller
Vasa Pantelić as Krsta Mišić
Svetlana Bojković as Stana
Sonja Jauković as Moljac's mother
Ivo Jakšić as German Doctor
Stole Aranđelović as Isa
Zoran Miljković as Ilija
Mirjana Peić as Singer
Melita Bihali as Bela
Ivan Bekjarev as Cane "Kurbla"
Tanasije Uzunović as Lieutenant Günther Fuchs
Tomanija Đuričko as Mali's grandmother
Cane Firaunović as Captain König
Nebojša Bakočević as Trta
Ljev Rjadčenko as Badža
Dragana Artonovski as German Woman
Slavica Đorđević as Müller's Secretary
Goran Pleša as Mile "Sonda"
Srđan Dedić as Caki
Predrag Todorović as Mita "Plajvaz"
Predrag Milinković as Gojko
Željko Milošević as Loci
Trivia
Svetlana Bojković, who plays character of Stana, has appeared in Štamparija, episode of previous TV series Otpisani, as resistance activist Olivera. Whether she plays two different characters or a single one with two nom de guerres is left to interpretation.