| Director | Lauren Watson, Rudolf Jaroš, Věra Chytilová |
|---|---|
| Genre | comedy drama, comedy film, drama film, experimental film, parable, satirical film or television program, slapstick film |
| Runtime | 76 min |
| Country | Czechoslovakia |
| Box office | $13,692 |
The film opens with a title sequence alternating between shots of a spinning flywheel and wartime footage of airplanes strafing and bombing the ground.
The story begins with Marie I and Marie II sitting in bathing suits. Their movements are accompanied by creaking sounds, and their dialogue is delivered robotically. They conclude that since the world is "spoiled," they will also become spoiled. Later, Marie II attempts suicide by filling their apartment with gas but fails because she leaves a window open. Marie I scolds her for wasting gas.
In subsequent scenes, the Maries manipulate men for food and entertainment. They flirt with a man to secure a free meal, cry when he leaves, and then burst into laughter. Marie II visits a butterfly collector who professes his love for her, but she remains indifferent and only asks for food. The two also rob a friendly female bathroom attendant.
Back in their apartment, the Maries cut up phallic-shaped foods while the butterfly collector continues to declare his love for Marie II over the phone. They later attempt to send an older man off on a train, but he disembarks, leaving them to board the moving train without him.
Afterward, the Maries examine the names and phone numbers scribbled on their apartment walls. When a man arrives for Marie II, Marie I teases her and refuses to let him in. At a pool, the two confess that they no longer like each other.
Later, the Maries soak in a bathtub filled with milk and an egg, discussing existential themes such as life, death, and existence. Subsequently, in the countryside, they are ignored by a farmer and a group of cyclists, leading Marie II to question whether they still exist. They reaffirm their existence after encountering a mess they had previously made with stolen corn.
Back in their apartment, they cut each other apart with scissors. Then, the Maries sneak into a building's basement, take a mechanical dumbwaiter to an upper floor, and discover an elaborate feast. They devour the food, destroy the room, and swing from a chandelier, which eventually collapses, plunging them into water. They call for help from a nearby boat, but the sailors repeatedly dunk them into the water until they lose their grip. The Maries declare that they no longer wish to be spoiled.
In the final scene, the Maries return to the dining room, clean up the mess, and set the table with broken dishes and glasses. They whisper about becoming good and hardworking to achieve happiness. As they lie on the table, claiming to be happy, the chandelier falls on them. The film concludes with wartime footage and a dedication: "to those who get upset only over a stomped-upon bed of lettuce."