Jana Kosinová's Past

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1940

Production year

1940

Premiere

27 September 1940

Runtime

105 min

Director

J. A. Holman

Category

film

Genre

melodrama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Minulost Jany Kosinové

Czech title

Minulost Jany Kosinové

English title

Jana Kosinová's Past

Protectorate parallel title

Hanna Kosinas Vergangenheit

Working title

Romance

Synopsis

Student Jiří Sutnar is injured but no-one knows how the accident happened. The convalescent young man decides to confide in his mother and he tells her how he came by his injury. Sometime before, Jiří had fallen in love with the actress Jana Kosinová whom he had known only from a photograph. When he saw her in the theatre he decided to write a play for her in order to attract attention to himself. The actress was indeed fascinated by his first play since it reminded her of her past. She is now famous but has some unpleasant experiences behind her. She began acting in the theatre with the help of a man whom she loved whilst unaware of the strange life he was leading. She has now long realised what sort of a man he is but he continues to persecute and blackmail her. The unhappy woman succumbs to Jiří's pure admiration for her and is able to find moments of happiness in his company. Vilém, however, attends the premi re of Jiří's play and asks Jana to leave the boy and go with him to America. A quarrel ensues during which Vilém injures the woman. Jiří thinks that she is dead and turns the weapon on himself. In the end, both are saved and they try to find strength in the short spell of happiness they had experienced together.

Note

The first performance of the film was held on the 7th of July 1940 on the festival Filmové žně in Zlín.

Cast

Vlasta Matulová

herečka Jana Kosinová

František Roland

truhlář Antonín Sutnar

Anna Letenská

Sutnarova žena

Svatopluk Beneš

student filozofie Jiří, syn Sutnarových

Nora Cífková

Klára, Sutnarova kolegyně ze studií

Zorka Janů

Klářina kamarádka Vlasta

Jan Pivec

student medicíny Karel Pechan

Karel Hradilák

hochštapler Vilém Golombek

Miloš Nedbal

starý mládenec

Vladimír Řepa

ředitel gramofonové společnosti Tuňák

Bedřich Veverka

herec Ambrož

Vojta Novák

dramaturg

Marie Blažková

hospodyně u Kosinové

Ferenc Futurista

kapitán parníku Vltava

Milka Balek-Brodská

biletářka Žofie

Eman Fiala

dirigent

Gabriel Hart

režisér

Vladimír Hlavatý

divadelní kritik

František Kovářík

divadelní kritik

Jindřich Láznička

divadelní zřízenec Morávek

Vladimír Pospíšil-Born

agent pro zahraniční scény Simon

Antonín Holzinger

vrátný v divadle

Jindřich Fiala

inspicient

Marie Ježková

garderobiérka

Marie Geblerová

bufetářka

Antonín Frič

netrpělivý telefonista

Jarmila Nováková-Kavková

Ambrožova dívka

František Beranský

asistent v nahrávacím studiu

Josef Waltner

vrchní v baru

R. A. Strejka

reportér

Zora Lašková

dáma ve společnosti

Marie Přikrylová

dáma ve společnosti

Břetislav Hrstka

návštěvník divadla

Václav Mlčkovský

návštěvník divadla

Viktor Nejedlý

návštěvník divadla

Vilém Pruner

návštěvník divadla

Josef Oliak

spící divák

Antonín Jirsa

muž u sanitky

Marie Švimberská

Crew and creators

Director

J. A. Holman

Assistant Director

Rudolf Stahl

Screenstory

Vladimír Neff

Based on

Vladimír Neff (Romance – filmová povídka)

Screenplay

J. A. Holman

Director of Photography

Václav Hanuš

Production Designer

Alois Mecera

Set Designer

František Nestler

Film Editor

Jan Kohout

Production Manager

Jan Sinnreich

Consultant

Karel Horký (jazykový poradce)

Cooperation

Antonín Frič (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Jiří Srnka

Music Performed by

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

Songs

Modravé dálky /Modravé dálky volání/ (romance a waltz)

Song Composer Jiří Srnka
Writer of Lyrics K. M. Walló
Singer Vlasta Matulová [dab]Míla Spazierová-Hezká

Bloudím měsíční nocí (nocturno a tango)

Song Composer Jiří Srnka

Production info

Original Title

Minulost Jany Kosinové

Czech Title

Minulost Jany Kosinové

English Title

Jana Kosinová's Past

Protectorate Parallel Title

Hanna Kosinas Vergangenheit

Working Title

Romance

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

melodrama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1940

Production Year

1940

Production specifications

start of filming 3 May 1940
end of filming 06/1940
date of censorship 10 July 1940 (kulturně-výchovný)
date of censorship 1943 (predikáty „umělecky hodnotný film“ a „film pro Den hrdinů“)
date of censorship 31 May 1944 (predikáty „umělecky hodnotný film“ a „film pro Den hrdinů“ /16mm verze/)
withdrawal from distribution 18 May 1945
date of censorship 21 June 1945 (konec povolení k promítání 21. 6. 1946)
date of censorship 11 June 1946 (konec povolení k promítání 31. 12. 1946)
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1948

Premiere

festival premiere 7 July 1940 (1. Filmové žně 1940 Zlín)
premiere 27 September 1940 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Adrie /3 týdny/ a Lucerna /2 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 06/1944 /unsuitable for youths/ (16mm verze)
renewed premiere 27 July 1945 /unsuitable for youths/

Production

Elekta

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Laboratories

AB

Distribution

Elekta (původní 1940), ČMÚ (obnovená 1944 /16mm verze/), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1945)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

105 min

Original length in metres

2 988 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

1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Vladimír Neff

Vítěz

Exhibition: 1. Filmové žně 1940 Zlín

1940
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Elekta a.s.

Vítěz

Event: Ceny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností

1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Elekta a.s.

Vítěz

Event: Námětová akce Filmového studia

1939
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Vladimír Neff