Tesna koža

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Tesna koža
Directed by	Mića Milošević
Produced by	Dragoljub Vojnov
Written by	Siniša Pavić Ljiljana Pavić
Starring	Nikola Simić Ružica Sokić Milan Gutović Irfan Mensur
Music by	Vojislav Kostić Riblja čorba
Cinematography	Aleksandar Petković
Editing by	Branka Čeperac
Release date(s)	1982
Running time	92 min
Country	Yugoslavia
Language	Serbo-Croatian
IMDb profile

Tesna koža is a 1982 Serbian comedy film that achieved enormous popularity throughout SFR Yugoslavia. The film's success spawned three sequels by the end of the decade.

Directed by Mića Milošević and writen by Siniša Pavić along with Ljiljana Pavić, the film is centered around Dimitrije Mita Pantić, a bewildered clerk in his mid fifties working in a crusty state-owned company under corrupt boss Srećko Šoić. Constantly frustrated and stressed out, Pantić's home situation isn't much better either. Living in a cramped apartment with his wife Sida and their three grown children Branko, Mira, and Aca, each with their own problems, Pantić also has to endure his cranky mother and a state-assigned subtenant Suzana under the same roof.

[edit] Plot

At 56 years of age, Mita Pantić is still only a junior clerk in his company. Another typical workday for him is starting at 6 a.m. as frustration awaits at every turn from the moment he gets up. Trying to get ready to go to work, he can barely get a turn to use the bathroom in the crowded apartment. Other members of the household aren't without their frustrations either, meaning that nagging and shouting are a staple of their home life at any time of day.

Pantić's spouse Sida is a crabby middle aged housewife whose complaints cover a wide range: from being unhappy about having to penny pinch when grocery shopping to what she sees as personal lack of any nice memories to look back on before old age because her years were spent tending after the house and the family. The oldest child, son Branko, an eternal university student majoring in astronomy, has a gripe about not having enough money for books and kits, which in his opinion prevents him from finally graduating. The middle child, daughter Mira, has a law degree but can't find a job despite trying for years - she's also unhappy about lack of funds in the family because she thinks the ability to dress more attractively or to outright bribe would help her finally land a job. Finally, the youngest child Aca, who's 16, has problems with discipline in high school and wants his father to buy him new textbooks and also a motorbike. And if all of that isn't enough, Pantić's household also features his cranky mother and a subtenant Suzana who's assigned there by the state due to housing shortage and given a room that takes up 9.4 m² of their apartment.

All the morning commotion at home leads to Pantić often being late for work where more frustration awaits. On this particular occasion its his crooked boss Srećko Šoić barging into his office, ripping up reports and demanding Pantić has them re-typed because they're not legible enough to read. That leads Pantić back to the keyboarding department where a new young typist Melita Sandić, who typed up the messy reports in the first place, seems more interested in chatting and flirting over the phone than doing her job. Pantić loses his patience and has her report to the director for incompetence.

Meanwhile, Pantić's youngest son Aca is having problems with his demanding and nitpicky English professor nicknamed Japanac who obsessively makes his students dissect the linguistic nuances of James Leigh Hunt's poem "Jenny Kissed Me". Following a few smart-alecky retorts from Aca, Japanac wants to speak to his father.

Back at Mita's work, it's time to collect monthly paychecks, but he is horrified to find out his pay has been docked due to his tardiness as part of the company's new initiative to maximize productivity. Hopping mad, he storms back to his office, but is soon approached by an unknown man who introduces himself as Oliver Nedeljković and proceeds to offer Pantić a bribe in return for his approval when it comes to decision on new hiring. Though short on money, Pantić refuses the payoff and reports the corruption attempt to director Šoić.

Japanac soon comes to Pantić household in order to speak to Aca's father, but finds Pantić feverishly listening to radio soccer broadcasts because he placed a bet on that week's league fixtures. Little by little, Pantić's predictions are proven right and he has 12 correct guesses with only the outcome of Sloboda vs. Vardar match deciding if he wins the grand prize. Japanac meanwhile can't get a word in edgewise and as he's getting ready to leave, bumps into the subtenant Suzana who invites him into her room where they hit it off immediately. Back in his part of the apartment, Pantić collapses on the floor upon finding out the game ended in a draw, which means he missed the grand prize.

Japanac and Pantić eventually do meet to talk in Japanac's apartment, but this time the professor is more interested in discussing Pantić's subtenant than his son. Japanac expresses his desire to marry Suzana, which Pantić sees as a way to finally be rid of her.

Pantić cashes in his 12 correct guesses ticket for which he gets YUD7 million. Coming into work he gets mad to see that Melita has advanced to position of Šoić's personal typist, but definitely goes ballistic when he finds out Nedeljković, the man who attempted to bribe him got the job.

Back home with 7 million in cash in his bag, he wakes up the next morning to usual morning routine of family nagging and complaining about money. Unable to listen to them arguing he reaches into his bag and starts throwing bills in the air. Then on the way to the bathroom he runs into Japanac who informs him that he married Suzana and moved into her room.

[edit] Cast

• Nikola Simić ... Dimitrije "Mita" Pantić
• Milan Gutović ... Srećko Šojić
• Ružica Sokić ... Persida "Sida" Pantić
• Irfan Mensur ... Japanac, high school English professor
• Jelica Sretenović ... Suzana, the subtenant
• Gojko Baletić ... Branko Pantić
• Danica Maksimović ... Mira Pantić
• Aleksandar Todorović ... Aleksandar "Aca" Pantić
• Rahela Ferari ... Mita's mother
• Nada Vojinović ... Melita Sandić, Šoić's personal typist
• Vladan Živković ... Oliver Nedeljković
• Lepa Brena ... Herself
• Mirjana Joković ... Girl with the walkman in Aca's English class (uncredited)