Words, Words, Words... (Reci, Reci, Reci...) is a 1991 animated short film from Czechoslovakia (the part that is now The Czech Republic), directed by Michaela Pavlatova.
This seven-minute short concentrates on the customers at a restaurant. Despite the title of this short, we don't actually hear anything the customers are saying. Instead, while the diners at the restaurant mumble non-verbally, their conversations are represented by symbolic animations that express in amusing ways what the people are saying.
Tropes:
- The Bore: One man's dialogue is represented by a speech balloon filled with random numbers. The woman sitting with him tunes out, looking instead at a handsome man at the next table.
- Hollywood Tone-Deaf: The two young people falling in love is represented by them singing notes, as puzzle pieces come out of their mouths and interlock to form a love-puzzle symbolic of their connection. When there's only one missing piece in the puzzle, the man says something that doesn't go over well. This is represented by a dissonant off-key note, and a puzzle piece that doesn't fit. An argument ensues.
- Dirty Old Man: Two older men are talking about their past sexual histories, as represented by a pretty gross amalgamation of breasts. When the woman sitting with them puts a stop to their gross talk, it's represented by a red line scratching out that unpleasant image.
- Gossipy Hens: Two old ladies gossiping at each other are represented by a volley of colored shapes going from one woman's mouth to the other's ear, and back.
- Literal Metaphor: A few, for gags.
- At one table a woman is chattering while a man ignores her; this is represented by a stream coming out of the woman's mouth, going in the man's ear, and coming out the other side: "in one ear and out the other."
- The "elephant in the room" that a group of people apparently don't want to talk about is represented by an actual elephant, in the room.
- Oblivious to Love: The young woman never does pick up on the fact that the waiter is in love with her. After the young man leaves, she's left alone at her table, the unfinished love puzzle above her head. The waiter sings an on-tune note and completes the love puzzle. The young woman, excited, grabs the love puzzle—and chases off after the young man. The waiter is left alone.
- Running Gag: There's a dog that scampers around the restaurant stealing drinks off of tables. By the end of the cartoon the dog is passed out on the floor.
- Silence Is Golden: No dialogue.
