Film The Man Who Built the Cathedral is an adaptation of legends about the architect Petr Parléř, who was commissioned by Charles IV to build a Gothic temple in Prague, a work that went beyond possibilities of architecture at the time. One of the first Czechoslovak narrative films explores human ambition, doubt, and envy in an archetypal Faustian tale.
The story is an adaptation of a Prague legend about Petr Parléř, architect to Charles IV who was entrusted with the task of building a Gothic cathedral in Prague, a magnificent example of the architecture of the time. Petr arrives at Karlštejn castle to submit his construction project to the king. After its approval, he starts his courageous task. The closer the day draws near on which the support beams are to be taken down, the more jealous other builders become and they try to sabotage his work. News spreads among his workers that the cathedral is the work of the Devil and that it will collapse. The workers, out of fear, refuse to take down the wooden construction supporting the cathedral. Petr himself is scared and has his own doubts because he does indeed meet with the Devil who promises him help but forces him to burn down the scaffolding. Petr flees the city from the possible consequences. The building, however, remains standing and the people search for their architect to tell him the good news. Petr, fleeing from the crowds comes to the edge of a precipice. The Devil throws him down and receives his soul as reward.
A unique film in which Jakub Seifert plays his one and only film role. The film was successfully shown in France with the title La Cathédrale. Working shots of crowd scenes from the film appear in How the films were made in our country (compiled by Bohumil Veselý, 1954).
císař římský a král český Karel IV.
stavitel Petr
kameník
Alena, kameníkova dcera
první stavitel/ďábel
druhý stavitel
třetí stavitel/druhý kněz
zpovědník císaře a krále Karla IV.
páže císaře a krále Karla IV.
dítě
lid/kameníci/mniši/cechy
anonym (pověst ze XIV. století)
Emil Fafek (fotograf)
Stavitel chrámu
Stavitel chrámu
The Man Who Built the Cathedral
film
featuretheatrical distribution
drama, historical
Czechoslovakia
1919
1919
date of censorship 1920
date of censorship 5 October 1933 (konec povolení k promítání 5. 10. 1938)
projection approval 1963
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1991
premiere 5 March 1920 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Světozor /2 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 1 October 1963 /unsuitable for youths/ (filmové kluby)
Bratři Deglové (původní 1920), Ústřední půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1963)
medium length film
39 min
1 115 meters
35mm
1:1,33
tinting, black & white
silent
Czech
without dialogue
without subtitles
Czech
Czech