Why Aren't You Laughing?
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1922Production year
1922Premiere
8 February 1923Runtime
71 minDirector
Eman FialaCategory
filmGenre
tragicomedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Proč se nesměješCzech title
Proč se nesměješEnglish title
Why Aren't You Laughing?Parallel title
Románek zapadlé uličky / Román zapomenutého / Románek zapomenutéhoEnglish parallel title
A Story about a Deserted Little Street / A Story of a ForgottenSynopsis
Young Evicka is pining for home and she leaves the city to go back to her mother in the country. She discovers at the district office, however, that her mother has died. The lonely Evicka then finds work in a toy factory. Drops of blood from Evicka's finger fall onto the little puppet and it comes alive for a moment. Evicka grows fond of the puppet and takes it home with her. The next day the factory porter sees Evicka arrive with the little puppet under her blouse and denounces her as a thief and she is dismissed. She meets the young Pavel for whom she has an affection, but soon their paths separate. The puppet meanwhile is bought by an astute little boy who gives it to his parents. No-one, however, plays with it and it soon ends up on the rubbish heap where it is found by a dustbin man. He, in turn, gives it to the poor grandson of an old basket-weaver but the little boy soon dies. Evicka moves back to the city and again comes across the puppet. A companion of Pavel's shows an interest in Evicka but Pavel eventually returns and takes Evicka away with him. The unhappy companion remains alone with the puppet. (According to a film description of the time.)
Note
The first attempt at the puppet animation with live actors (the work of Ferdinand Fiala). Under the name Románek zapadlé uličky / A Story about a Desert Little Street, it was presented on the 14th of September 1923 in its adapted version. According to same materials, in 1926 the film was submitted to censors under the title Příběh zapomenutého / Story of the Forgotten. Working shots are included in the film How films were made in our country (compiled by Bohumil Veselý, 1954). Only part of film has survived.
Photos
Cast
Jindřich Fiala
oživlá loutka
Karel Fiala
košíkář
Ferenc Futurista
domácí
Dolly Dvořanová-Pospíšilová
Evička
Martin Frič
Pavel
František Kovářík
popelář
Betty Kysilková
žena u domácího
Václav Srb
zloděj
Rudolf Myzet
statkář
Hermína Piskáčková
A. Nováková
Crew and creators
Director
Screenstory
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Production Designer
Animation
Production info
Original Title
Proč se nesměješ
Czech Title
Proč se nesměješ
English Title
Why Aren't You Laughing?
Parallel Title
Románek zapadlé uličky / Román zapomenutého / Románek zapomenutého
English Parallel Title
A Story about a Deserted Little Street / A Story of a Forgotten
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
tragicomedy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1922
Production Year
1922
Premiere
premiere 8 February 1923 /suitable for youths/ (kino Hvězda, Praha)
renewed premiere 14 September 1923 /suitable for youths/ (upravená verze)
renewed premiere 1926 /unsuitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
71 min
Original length in metres
2 000 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,33
Colour
black & white
Sound
silent
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
without dialogue
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Intertitles languages
Czech
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
