The Marathon Family

The Marathon Family (, lit. Marathon Runners Do a Lap of Honour, or often simply Maratonci, lit. The Marathon Runners) is a 1982 Yugoslav black comedy film written by Dušan Kovačević and directed by Serbian director Slobodan Šijan. It has become a cult film in Serbia and other countries from the former Yugoslavia region and is regarded as one of the classics of Yugoslav Serbian cinematography. The film depicts a family of undertakers with a dark secret. Instead of creating new coffins for their customers, they use a graverobbing operation to acquire old ones from the cemetery. They are increasingly indebted to a local hoodlum for his services. Following the death of the head-of-the family, conflict starts between the family and their former business partner. The youngest member of the family kills his cheating girlfriend in a jealous rage, and then claims the family's leadership for himself. His term in office starts with a brutal showdown with the hoodlum and a police chase. Plot The story takes place in an unnamed small Serbian town in 1935, and focuses on the Topalović family consisting of six generations of undertakers: gravely ill Pantelija, Maksimilijan who uses a wheelchair, is mute and nearly deaf, rheumatic Aksentije, sober-minded Milutin, impulsive and narcissistic Laki, and young and naive Mirko. Constantly bickering amongst each other, the latest family arguments arise from the youngest son, Mirko, not wanting to continue the family business of coffin-making. Deeply in love with a local girl Kristina, the daughter of a local hoodlum Bili Piton, he's looking to avoid the career path of his father, grandfather, great grandfather, etc.