Anton Špelec, Sharp-Shooter

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1932

Production year

1932

Premiere

16 December 1932

Runtime

90 min

Director

Martin Frič

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Anton Špelec, ostrostřelec

Czech title

Anton Špelec, ostrostřelec

English title

Anton Špelec, Sharp-Shooter

Summary

Director Martin Frič's first independent collaboration with Vlasta Burian was a comedy in which the popular comedian portrayed a musical instrument maker who is to be imprisoned for insulting the Imperial Majesty. Anton Špelec did not receive the honours he had been desiring from the Sharpshooters' Association, got blatantly drunk and did not keep his mouth shut. Instead of himself, he decides to send his employee to prison, but that employee sends a sick vagrant behind bars instead... This farce, which brings us back to the Austro-Hungarian period, was based on a 1932 play by Emil Arthur Longen, whose other work had already inspired Burian's popular comedy Imperial and Royal Field Marshal (1930). After the success of Anton Špelec, Martin Frič became one of Burian's favourite directors for several years: together they made His Highness' Adjutant, Hero for a Night, Three Boiled Eggs and Munchhausen.

Synopsis

True, Anton Špelec is by trade a producer of musical instruments, but in his heart and soul he is a sharp-shooter. In a little provincial town arrangements are being made for a large parade during which the worthy sharp-shooters will be decorated with medals. Anton believes that this time the council will come to him but he is disappointed, for they are one medal short and he must wait for another year. Then in the pub he drinks so much that he insults the emperor for which he is sentenced to jail. It is necessary, however, to fulfil the order, so Anton decides to send his employee Josef Kukačka in his stead while he works secretly at home alone. But even Kukačka doesn't want to go to jail and he sends there in his place a vagabond who would like to wait out the winter in a jail cell. As luck would have it, the vagabond dies while serving the sentence. So it comes about that Anton is officially dead and in the town a solemn funeral is planned. Špelec can no longer hold out and he turns up among the grieving guests as his own brother Rudolf who has allegedly been living many years abroad. He closely resembles Anton, but he acts quite differently. His wife and relatives hold this new Špelec in higher regard. And he also becomes a sharp-shooter ...

Cast

Vlasta Burian

truhlářský mistr Anton Špelec

Růžena Šlemrová

Tereza zvaná Rézi, Antonova žena

Jaroslav Marvan

Kačaba, Špelcův přítel

Theodor Pištěk

dělník u Špelce Alois

Jindřich Plachta

dělník u Špelce Josef Kukačka

Jiří Dréman

velitel ostrostřelců Čtvrtečka

Ella Nollová

teta Josefína

Karel Postranecký

známý Rudolfa Špelce z Polska

Alexander Třebovský

předseda senátu

Karel Schleichert

soudní votant

Viktor Nejedlý

soudní úředník

Emanuel Hříbal

soudní zřízenec

Anči Pírková

Kukačkova milá

Robert Ford

zástupce velitele ostrostřelců

Václav Menger

ostrostřelec

Jan W. Speerger

ostrostřelec

Josef Kytka

ostrostřelec

Antonín Frič

ostrostřelec

Luigi Hofman

muž v cylindru

Josef Klapuch

strážník

Jindřich Edl

okradený pán

F. X. Mlejnek

hostinský

Jan Richter

host na pohřbu

František Říha

host na pohřbu

Eduard Šlégl

host na pohřbu

Bohdan Lachman

host na pohřbu/ostrostřelec Josef Kaufman

Josef Oliak

host v hospodě

Karolína Vávrová

sousedka v domě

Crew and creators

Director

Martin Frič

Based on

Emil Artur Longen (Už mě vezou – divadelní hra)

Screenplay

Josef Neuberg

Director of Photography

Otto Heller

Production Designer

Vilém Rittershain

Set Designer

Arnold Reimann

Film Editor

Martin Frič

Sound Designer

Josef Zora

Production Manager

Ladislav Kolda

Cooperation

Jaroslav Balzar (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Jára Beneš

Music Performed by

Melody Boys (Music Conducted by R. A. Dvorský)

Songs

Anton Špelec, ostrostřelec (slowfox)

Song Composer Jára Beneš
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Mottl
Singer Vlasta Burian

Už to máme hotový (pochod)

Song Composer Jára Beneš
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Mottl
Singer Vlasta Burian

Production info

Original Title

Anton Špelec, ostrostřelec

Czech Title

Anton Špelec, ostrostřelec

English Title

Anton Špelec, Sharp-Shooter

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1932

Production Year

1932

Production specifications

date of censorship 12/1932
date of censorship 07/1938 (konec povolení k promítání 1943)
withdrawal from distribution 05/1940
date of censorship 05/1940 (neschváleno do distribuce)
withdrawal from distribution 1 April 1991

Premiere

premiere 16 December 1932 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Adria /5 týdnů/ a Hvězda /6 týdnů/, Praha)
renewed premiere 1 August 1950 /suitable for youths/

Production

Meissner

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Meissner (původní 1932), Rozdělovna filmů Československého státního filmu (obnovená 1950)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

90 min

Original length in metres

2 575 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,19

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

Tobis – Klang

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech, German

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Anketa Týdeníku Televize, TV Plus a České televize – Hrdina filmového úsměvu tisíciletí (nejoblíbenější postava české filmové veselohry)

2000
Praha / Czech Republic
Vlasta Burian