Synopsis Melting Glass is the story of an intense emotional relationship between an American glass-blower
in Prague and his Czech fiance. When pressured by his American parent company to 'improve' on the
process of Bohemian crystal, already a nearly-perfect process, his answer is to increase production.
As a result of his efforts, he is called back to America for a promotion, to the detriment of the relationship
with his fiance, who wishes to stay near her family in Prague. She finally agrees to go with him to America
on one condition: that they get the approval of her family, an approval not forthcoming.
At the same time, the big job he
thought got him the promotion lands back on his doorstep in the form of bad crystal, weak at the welds. He vents his
frustration on a Czech co-worker, who informs him the promotion was a ruse; he is being sent back because they don't want
him, or any other American, to ruin the integrity of Bohemian crystal, which has been a landmark of quality in their
culture for centuries.
Realizing he was a pawn in a
much larger game, he makes the decision to stay in Prague and do whatever it takes to keep the relationship
with his fiance thriving in the face of a tyranny of cross-cultural forces surrounding them. In the end, one
is left with hope that true love does stand a chance sometimes, even in the face of American imperialism abroad.
At the same time, the big job he
thought got him the promotion lands back on his doorstep in the form of bad crystal, weak at the welds. He vents his
frustration on a Czech co-worker, who informs him the promotion was a ruse; he is being sent back because they don't want
him, or any other American, to ruin the integrity of Bohemian crystal, which has been a landmark of quality in their
culture for centuries.
Realizing he was a pawn in a
much larger game, he makes the decision to stay in Prague and do whatever it takes to keep the relationship
with his fiance thriving in the face of a tyranny of cross-cultural forces surrounding them. In the end, one
is left with hope that true love does stand a chance sometimes, even in the face of American imperialism abroad.
