The Mark of Cain

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1928

Production year

1928

Premiere

29 March 1929

Runtime

76 min

Category

film

Genre

melodrama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Kainovo znamení

Czech title

Kainovo znamení

English title

The Mark of Cain

Parallel title

Ve spárech hříšné ženy

English parallel title

In the Clutches of Sinful Women

Working title

Ve spárech hříšné ženy

Synopsis

While sitting in the pub, Jan Rybecký tells his life story...At one point he works on a construction site where he becomes acquainted with the charming Irena. Having presumed her to be single he does not expect to find that her husband is in fact his superior. Irena confesses this to Jan one day when her husband, engineer Frank, comes to inspect the construction site. Soon afterwards Jan is dismissed. Next he works as a labourer on the river and lives with the family of his roughneck fellow labourer Tuček. One day, Tuček brutally beats his wife, Jan steps in to defend her and accidentally kills Tuček. He is sentenced to five years in prison. After serving his time he cannot find work anywhere. Lidunka, the daughter of the landlord takes him in and helps him to apply for a job on the local construction site, which is once again run by engineer Frank. Frank sends Jan to the stone quarry. Jan resists Irena's renewed attempts at seduction and Irena finally confesses to her husband that it had been her misdemeanour in the past and not Jan's. Frank files for divorce, apologises to Jan and promotes him to the Construction Projects Office.

Cast

Václav Norman

stavební asistent Ing. Jan Rybecký

Anita Janová

Lidunka, dcera hostinských

Egon Thorn

stavitel Ing. B. Frank

Bronislava Livia

Iréna, Frankova žena

Josef Rovenský

dělník Tuček

Mary Jansová

Marie, Tučkova žena

František Mařík

vrchní četnický strážmistr

Crew and creators

Based on

Zdeněk Rón (Vrah – povídka)

Director of Photography

Josef Brabec

Production Designer

Alois Mecera

Cooperation

Willy Ströminger (fotograf)

Production info

Original Title

Kainovo znamení

Czech Title

Kainovo znamení

English Title

The Mark of Cain

Parallel Title

Ve spárech hříšné ženy

English Parallel Title

In the Clutches of Sinful Women

Working Title

Ve spárech hříšné ženy

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

melodrama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1928

Production Year

1928

Production specifications

date of censorship 22 December 1928
date of censorship 01/1934 (konec povolení k promítání 1939)

Premiere

premiere 29 March 1929 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Lucerna /1 týden/ a Flora /1 týden/, Praha)

Production

Interfilm

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Interfilm

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

76 min

Original length in metres

2 150 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