Hustling and tunneling

14.01.2014 - EB

We don't know why the film distributor decided to translate American Hustle as Špinavý trik, which retranslates as Dirty Trick, but maybe it's because a literal translation would make it sound as if the Americans had a monopoly on such skullduggery. If the movie were called Americký podfuk or Američtí podfukáři, all kinds of Czech mini-godfathers, regional politicians and retired MPs would start bellyaching about how they've pulled off plenty of scams like that, if only Hollywood gave them a chance to show the world how it's done. Czech filmmakers need to think bigger. The Story of a Godfather didn't go anywhere internationally, because every country has its gangsters. Český tunelář, with Wall Street-trained investment bankers, KGB agents and investigators who get suicided, might sell better, but, alas, the best subjects for a film about the beginnings of Czech capitalism aren't yet interested in having their stories told.

Glossary of difficult words

to hustle someone - to swindle or cheat someone; 

to tunnel - a Czech term, sometimes used in English, meaning to strip assets from a company; 

skullduggery - trickery; underhanded or unscrupulous behavior; 

Americký podfuk, Američtí podfukáři - literally, American Hustle and American Hustlers; 

to bellyache - to complain noisily or consistently; 

to pull something off - to successfully engage in an activity, often an illicit one; 

scam - a dishonest scheme; a fraud; 

to get suicided - to be murdered in such a way that it appears to be suicide or is classified as suicide.



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