How Poets Are Losing Their Illusions () is a 1985 Czechoslovak comedy film directed by Duà ¡an Klein and written by Klein, together with Ladislav PecháÃÂek. The second in the "Poets hexalogy", the title is preceded by How the World Is Losing Poets (1982) and followed by How Poets Are Enjoying Their Lives (1988), Konec básnÃÂkà ¯ v ÃÂechách (1993), Jak básnÃÂci neztrácejànadÃÂji (2004), and Jak básnÃÂci ÃÂekajàna zázrak (2016). The film stars Pavel Kà ÂÃÂà ¾ and David Matásek, and focuses on the young poet à  tÃÂpán à  afránek as he studies to become a doctor in Prague.
Friends and former small-town classmates à  tÃÂpán and Kendy are both studying in PragueâÂÂà  tÃÂpán is taking medicine at Charles University, while Kendy studies directing at FAMU. Kendy's studies are going well, but à  tÃÂpán struggles, both with course load and with finances. Kendy advises his friend to make connections with a rich family by meeting their eighteen-year-old daughter, Saà ¡a, who, though not quite attractive, longs for a boyfriend. à  tÃÂpán's attempt at courtship ends in disaster, however. He subsequently meets a beautiful medical student nicknamed "the cave", who is also romantically pursued by the unpleasant Dr. Fast. à  tÃÂpán attempts to impress her by acing his studies, but in the end, his quest ends in disappointment.