When the Strings Wailed
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1930Production year
1930Premiere
19 September 1930Runtime
95 minDirector
Friedrich FehérCategory
filmGenre
melodramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Když struny lkajíCzech title
Když struny lkajíEnglish title
When the Strings WailedWorking title
Slovanská melodieSynopsis
Slávka is unhappy in her marriage. Thus she decides to leave her husband, the landowner Michovský, and run away with her small son Jeníček. She lives very modestly and looks in vain for work. When she becomes a night-club singer, she gives her son to the care of a cottager in the country. She visits him from time to time. During one visit Slávka loses in church a 100 crown note with which she has to pay for her son's care. The banknote is found by the hungry vagrant Marek and when he is then incriminated, the little Jeníček stands up for him. The cottager woman beats the young boy and therefore he sets out to town for his mother. The vagrant Marek finds the tired and exhausted Jeníček and he takes him up. Together they look out for Jeníček's mother. One eveneing Marek plays violin in the night-club and Professor Horský recognizes in him the famous virtuoso. During a police raid Slávka is mistakenly arrested as a prostitute. After her release, Slávka, in despair from the hopelessness of her life, poisons herself in her dressing room. Jeníček weeps over dead mother and Marek's notes lament over her for the last time.
Note
The first Czech long feature sound film was originally intended to be based on the theme of Quido E. Kujala Slovanské melodie by company Beda Heller. For financial reasons, the project was taken over by Osvald Kosek with company AB.
The copy was put together by Miroslav J. Krňanský and Jan Čermák in 1954 from the surviving parts of the negative. Missing scenes were replaced with explanatory inter-titles.
Photos
Cast
Václav Vydra st.
statkář Michovský
Magda Sonja
Slávka, statkářova žena
Jan Feher-Weiss
Jeníček, syn Michovských
Jaroslav Kocian
tulák Marek alias houslový virtuos Hanuš
Olga Augustová
dáma v baru
Hugo Haas
kavalír v baru
Maria Tauberová
návštěvnice baru
Milka Balek-Brodská
domkářka Nováková
Josef Loskot
host u Michovského
Čeněk Šlégl
Michovského přítel Toman
Josef Rovenský
Michovského přítel Skála
Otto Rubík
strážmistr Prokop
Rudolf Nížkovský
hostinský
Josef Šváb-Malostranský
host v hostinci
Filip Balek-Brodský
host v hostinci
Karel Schleichert
host v hostinci
Mimi Erbenová
vesničanka
Michal Mareš
tulák
Vratislav Hlava
tulák v noclehárně
Jaroslav Marvan
ředitel baru
Karel Kolár
vrátný v baru
Ludvík Hradský
host v baru
Robert Ford
host v baru
Werner Jantsch
host v baru
Karel Jičínský
bankéř Riedl
Zdenka Mášová
dívka tančící na stole
Ivo Richard Stuchlý
tanečník v baru
Mimi Stuchlá
tanečnice v baru
Crew and creators
Director
Based on
Lev Nikolajevič Tolstoj (Ďábel /Djavol/ – povídka)
Screenplay
Johannes Brandt, Josef Kodíček, Quido E. Kujal, Michal Mareš
Director of Photography
Production Designer
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Cooperation
Jaroslav Krampera (vrchní osvětlovač), Richard Frolík (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Otokar Nováček (Perpetum mobile), Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (Houslový koncert e moll /op. 64 část prvé věty/)
Writer of Lyrics
Songs
Koukej, ty mě houpáš (foxtrot)
Song Composer František Alois Tichý
Writer of Lyrics Ruda JuristKarel Tobis
Singer Magda Sonja
Madlenka (polka)
Song Composer František Alois Tichý
Writer of Lyrics Josef Chlumecký
Singer Magda Sonja
Proč jsi k nám nepřišel
Singer Magda Sonja
Písnička má... (waltz)
Song Composer František Alois Tichý
Writer of Lyrics Ruda JuristKarel Tobis
Singer Magda Sonja
Narodil se Kristus pán
Song Composer anonym /15. století/
Writer of Lyrics Jan Franus
Singer Jan Fehér-Weissdětský sbor
Chovejte mě, má matičko
Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer sbor
Cesta zarubaná
Singer mužský sbor
Nepij, Jano, nepij vodu
Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer mužský sbor
Když jsem já ty koně pásal
Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer mužský hlas
Kolíne, Kolíne
Song Composer František Kmoch
Nestůjte mládenci pod okny
Song Composer lidová píseň
Holka modrooká
Song Composer lidová píseň
Ach není, tu není
Song Composer lidová píseň
Išla Marína od Hodonína
Song Composer lidová píseň
Červená modrá fiala
Song Composer lidová píseň
Zelení hájové
Song Composer lidová píseň
Teče voda, teče
Song Composer lidová píseň
Pod tím naším okénečkem
Song Composer lidová píseň
Já jsem z Kutné Hory
Song Composer lidová píseň
Production info
Original Title
Když struny lkají
Czech Title
Když struny lkají
English Title
When the Strings Wailed
Working Title
Slovanská melodie
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
melodrama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1930
Production Year
1930
Production specifications
date of censorship 09/1930
date of censorship 02/1936 (konec povolení k promítání 1941)
withdrawal from distribution 1 June 1940
Premiere
premiere 19 September 1930 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Alfa /5 týdnů/, Praha)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Laboratories
Distribution
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
95 min
Original length in metres
2 700 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,19
Colour
black & white
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
Tobis – Klang
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Intertitles languages
Czech
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
