Turbine
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1941Production year
1941Premiere
17 October 1941Runtime
98 minDirector
Otakar VávraCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
TurbinaCzech title
TurbinaEnglish title
TurbineProtectorate parallel title
TurbineSummary
Based on a novel by Karl Matěj Čapek-Chod, Otakar Vávra shot this stylish social drama in 1941 with Lída Baarová in the lead female role. The fall of the family of the imperial councillor Ullik is conceived as the story of a kind of social ill, which generates the desire for profit and power. The symbol of decline is a new turbine, in which Ullik has invested all his hopes of saving his failing business. The councillor's eldest daughter Tynda is a talented opera singer, but she is unable to withstand the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and can't even manage her tempestuous love life. Within the framework of a costume drama from the turn of the century, Vávra managed to circumvent the thematic restrictions that artists faced under the Protectorate. The quality of the film also owes a lot to the excellent cast, which is dominated by the director’s favoured collaborator, František Smolík, as the unfortunate Ullik.
Synopsis
Imperial councillor Ullik decides to modernise his old mills by installing new turbines. His peculiar brother-in-law Artuš wants to prevent this because he is worried that the construction work disturbs the statics of the tower he lives in. Ullik's oldest daughter Tynda is a talented singer. She accepts the courting of the manly Václav, son of a night watchman. Her younger sister Marie, a doctor, wins the heart and hand of astronomist Zouplna against her father's wishes and leaves home. A wealthy Czech-American called Mour promises Ullik investment in the company but his real interest is Tynda. She promises to be his wife if her debut concert at the National Theatre is not a success. The night before her performance Václav gets into Tynda's room and ravishes her. The next day a turbine is turned on but the installation is miscalculated and causes great tremors. Tynda, distraught, is an utter failure on stage. That evening the damaged tower collapses and Artuš dies in the rubble. The fire that then breaks out destroys the mills. Tynda gladly seeks refuge with Václav.
Photos
Cast
František Smolík
císařský rada Ullik, majitel mlýnů
Lída Baarová
zpěvačka Tynda, Ullikova dcera
Vlasta Matulová
lékařka Marie, Ullikova druhá dcera
Rudolf Hrušínský
Bohumil zvaný Bonďa, Ullikův syn
Meda Valentová
teta Rézi
Eduard Kohout
Artuš Fabian, Ullikův švagr
Marie Glázrová
dělnice Žofka Pečulíková, Fabianova milenka
Jaroslav Vojta
noční hlídač Nezmara
Vítězslav Vejražka
Václav, syn Nezmary
Karel Höger
dr. Arnošt Zouplna, asistent v observatoři
Jindřich Plachta
příštipkář Zouplna, Arnoštův otec
Vladimír Majer
Ing. John Mour, českoamerický podnikatel
Marie Brožová
profesorka zpěvu Májová
Karel Dostal
dr. König, berlínský hudební kritik
Božena Svobodová
primadona Boguslawská
Fred Bulín
inženýr stavbyvedoucí
Vojta Novák
prokurista firmy Ullik
Anna Gabrielová
služka u Ulliků
Růžena Gottliebová
pekařská dělnice
Stanislava Strobachová
pekařská dělnice
Elsa Vetešníková
pekařská dělnice
Emanuel Hříbal
listonoš
Josef Bělský
předseda tenisového klubu
Milada Horutová
dívka ze společnosti
F. X. Mlejnek
host v kavárně
Antonín Jirsa
host v kavárně, hráč karet
Jan Černý
akcionář
Jaroslav Hladík
akcionář
Vladimír Smíchovský
berní zřízenec
Karel Máj
uchazeč o místo v divadle
František Filipovský
výběrčí na dobročinné účely
Josef Hořánek
ředitel Národního divadla
Viktor Nejedlý
zřízenec v Národním divadle
Karel Němec
vrátný v Národním divadle
Karel Roden
Mourův komorník
Marie Oliaková
divačka v Národním divadle/divačka na koncertě
Jožka Charvát
dirigent v Národním divadle
Orchestr Národního divadla
orchestr v Národním divadle
Dubbing
Zdeněk Podlipný
hlas inspicienta v Národním divadle
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Based on
Karel Matěj Čapek-Chod (Turbina – román)
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Production Designer
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Consultant
J. M. Gottlieb (umělecký poradce), Karel Horký (jazykový poradce)
Cooperation
Karel Hájek (fotograf), František Illek (fotograf), Alexandr Paul (fotograf), Willy Ströminger (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Richard Wagner (Lohengrin – árie Elsy), Bedřich Smetana (Prodaná nevěsta)
Music Performed by
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Jiří Srnka)
Singer
Production info
Original Title
Turbina
Czech Title
Turbina
English Title
Turbine
Protectorate Parallel Title
Turbine
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1941
Production Year
1941
Production specifications
start of filming 1 July 1941
end of filming 08/1941
date of censorship 23 September 1941 (kulturně-výchovný)
date of censorship 1943 (predikáty „umělecky hodnotný film“, „uznáníhodný film“ a „film pro Den hrdinů“)
withdrawal from distribution 18 May 1945
withdrawal from distribution 1 March 1957
projection approval 09/1968
withdrawal from distribution 30 November 1975
Premiere
premiere 17 October 1941 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Adrie /3 týdny/ a Kapitol /3 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 24 October 1968 /unsuitable for youths/
Production
With support
Copyright Holders
Studio
Laboratories
Distribution
Slavia-film (původní 1941), Ústřední půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1968)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
98 min
Original length in metres
2 910 meters
Distribution carrier
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: Ceny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností
1941
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Slaviafilm, akciová společnost
Vítěz
Event: Národní ceny za umění filmové
1941
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Otakar Vávra
