May Fairy Tale

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1940

Production year

1940

Premiere

25 October 1940

Runtime

88 min

Category

film

Genre

melodrama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Pohádka máje

Czech title

Pohádka máje

English title

May Fairy Tale

Protectorate parallel title

Maimärchen

Synopsis

The year 1880. Ríša, a student of law, neglects his studies in favour of parties and pranks. His angry father refuses to continue helping him out of his debts. Ríša, however, is not entirely beyond hope. He decides to go and stay for a while with his uncle, a priest, who lives in Moravia, in order to prepare for his exams. He meets Helenka, the timid daughter of the local gamekeeper, at a village ball and is enchanted by her. She is completely unlike any other woman he has met. Their acquaintance is transformed into a great passion. The days pass and their idyllic relationship begins to tire Ríša. Out of some kind of malicious joy, he begins to tell Helenka about his former debauched life the about the broken hearts of beautiful women. Although these are figments of his imagination, Helenka is hurt and refuses to see Ríša anymore. His uncle, the priest, is incensed at his behaviour and orders his nephew out of the house. Ríša tries desperately to find Helenka so he can make it up to her. Just before his train is about to leave for Prague, Helenka forgives him.

Note

This theme had already been treated in a Czech film under the same title (1926; directed by Karel Anton).

Cast

Jaroslav Vojta

revírník, Helenčin otec

Leopolda Dostalová

Helenina teta Marta

Svatopluk Beneš

student práv Ríša Gregor

Theodor Pištěk

hostinský Gregor, Ríšův otec

Marie Blažková

Ríšova matka

Jaroslav Průcha

farář, Ríšův strýc

Vlasta Fabianová

Ríšova bytná paní Křížová

Miloš Nedbal

manžel paní Křížové

Božena Šustrová

Helenčina přítelkyně Cilka

Hermína Vojtová

Cilčina matka

Slávka Procházková

služka na faře Kačka

Stanislava Strobachová

číšnice u Pinkasů zvaná Kudrnáček

Václav Švec

vrchní číšník Melichárek

Miloš Šubrt

hajný Voříšek

František Kovářík

stařík bylinkář

Filip Balek-Brodský

pan řídící

Emanuel Hříbal

host na faře/soused

Martin Raus

student Pechát

Jiří Fiala

dirigent

Antonín Jirsa

hostinský

Jiří Hron

číšník v hospodě

Josef Oliak

domovník

František Marek

host na plese

Margit Fleischhansová

tanečnice

Crew and creators

Assistant Director

Rudolf Stahl

Based on

Vilém Mrštík (Pohádka máje – román)

Director of Photography

Ferdinand Pečenka

Production Designer

Jan Zázvorka

Set Designer

Prokop Pěkný

Film Editor

Jan Kohout

Titles Designed by

Arno Pařík

Production Manager

Alois Fiala, Jan Sinnreich

Cooperation

Karel Hájek (fotograf), Willy Ströminger (fotograf), F. X. Mlejnek

Music

Music Composed by

Jiří Srnka

Music Performed by

Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Jiří Srnka)

Songs

Voděnka studená jako led

Singer sbor

Naše verné milovanie

Singer mužský hlas

Voda uplyne, láska pomine

Singer dívčí sbor

Kdyby byla Morava jako Slezsko

Anička, dušička, nekašli

Dolina, dolina

Vlaštovička lítá

Hory, doly, černý les

Ej lásko lásko

Ta naše lavečka

Slunečko vychází

Production info

Original Title

Pohádka máje

Czech Title

Pohádka máje

English Title

May Fairy Tale

Protectorate Parallel Title

Maimärchen

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

melodrama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1940

Production Year

1940

Production specifications

start of filming 05/1940
end of filming 07/1940
date of censorship 24 October 1940 (kulturně-výchovný)
date of censorship 1943 (predikáty „umělecky zvlášť hodnotný film“, „lidově hodnotný film“ a „film pro Den hrdinů“)
date of censorship 16 February 1945 (predikáty „umělecky zvlášť hodnotný film“, „lidově hodnotný film“ a „film pro Den hrdinů“ /16mm verze/)
withdrawal from distribution 18 May 1945
date of censorship 07/1945 (konec povolení k promítání 31. 12. 1948)
projection approval 15 November 1957
withdrawal from distribution 1974
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1991

Premiere

premiere 25 October 1940 /suitable for youths/ (kina Adrie /2 týdny/ a Lucerna /3 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 02/1945 /suitable for youths/ (16mm verze)
renewed premiere 25 August 1945 /suitable for youths/
renewed premiere 01/1951
renewed premiere 1 May 1958 /suitable for youths/
renewed premiere 1982

Production

Elekta

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Laboratories

AB

Distribution

Elekta (původní 1940), ČMÚ (obnovená 1945 /16mm verze/), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1945), Rozdělovna filmů Československého státního filmu (obnovená 1951), Ústřední půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1958 a 1982)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

88 min

Original length in metres

2 600 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

Tobis – Klang

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech, German

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Národní ceny za umění filmové

1941
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Nataša Gollová

Vítěz

Event: Národní ceny za umění filmové

1941
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Otakar Vávra

Vítěz

Event: Stuhy časopisu Český filmový zpravodaj

1941
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Otakar Vávra