The Z-8 Case

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1948

Production year

1948

Premiere

25 February 1949

Runtime

85 min

Category

film

Genre

drama, spy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Případ Z-8

Czech title

Případ Z-8

English title

The Z-8 Case

Synopsis

In fear of industrial espionage, the management of the ironworks declares its research department Z-8 as top secret. The boastful and always dissatisfied worker Smazal wants to work in this department. One day he discovers notes in the factory library written by the Belgian scientist Stern who worked in the ironworks during the War. Smazal makes use of Stern's notes and when, through the mediation of his girlfriend Magda, he eventually manages to get into Z-8, he passes off the notes as his own improvement plan. The proposal is rejected for being out of date. The embittered Smazal is easily wheedled into teaming up with two women who are believed to be Stern's wife and daughter. Driven by a vision of a wonderful life in the West, he first offers Irena Stern her father's documents. These are no longer of any value, however. Irena asks for information about Z-8 and even persuades Smazal to steal papers for her. Only then does Smazal realize that he is committing a crime. When department Z-8 is actually broken into during the night by two saboteurs, he battles with the intruders in the interests of the ironworks. He is shot during the struggle but the agents are captured. The factory is able to continue its production and Smazal goes back to his loyal Magda.

Cast

Josef Bek

dělník Lojza Smazal

Milica Kolofíková

sekretářka Magda

Jiřina Petrovická

špionka Irena

Karel Pavlík

zřízenec Robert Kocl

Bohumil Machník

mistr Veverka

Jiřina Šejbalová

špionka Weberová alias Šternová

Miroslav Homola

špion Mádl

Vojta Plachý-Tůma

vedoucí Exporty Richter

Miloš Hájek

špion Josef Frýd

Emil Bolek

knihovník, Magdin otec

Josef Chvalina

dělník Novák

Vítězslav Vejražka

inženýr Roubík

František Kovářík

starý dělník

J. O. Martin

hlídač

Bolek Prchal

slévač

Zvonimir Rogoz

cizí návštěvník

František Holar

opilý dělník

Antonín Šůra

mladý dělník

Jaroslav Zrotal

Viták, předseda ROH

Libuše Bokrová

Smazalova bytná

Jiří Smutný

inženýr v závodní radě

Vladimír Krška

mladý dělník

Vítězslav Boček

úředník ministerstva spravedlnosti

Vlasta Vlasáková

úřednice v Exportě

Anna Kadeřábková

kuchařka v závodní kuchyni

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Jan Kovář

Assistant Director

Karel Oliva

Screenstory

Josef Picek

Director of Photography

Jaroslav Tuzar

Camera Operator

Bohumil Turek, Alois Jiráček

Production Designer

Bohuslav Kulič

Set Designer

Vladimír Mácha

Costume Designer

Věra Tatterová

Make-Up Artist

Gustav Hrdlička

Film Editor

Antonín Zelenka

Sound Designer

Miloslav Hůrka

Production Manager

Ladislav Terš

Unit Production Manager

Jiří Patočka

Music

Music Composed by

Jan Kapr

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Otakar Pařík)

Production info

Original Title

Případ Z-8

Czech Title

Případ Z-8

English Title

The Z-8 Case

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama, spy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1948

Production Year

1948

Production specifications

start of filming 19 April 1948
date of censorship 9 February 1949 (konec povolení k promítání 9. 2. 1954)
withdrawal from distribution 29 March 1961

Premiere

premiere 25 February 1949 /suitable for youths/ (kina Lucerna /3 týdny/, Dukla /1 týden od 11. 3./ a Revoluce /1 týden od 11. 3./, Praha)

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Studio

Hostivař

Creative Group

IV. výrobní skupina Steklý – Hanuš, Ladislav Hanuš (produkční šéf IV. výrobní skupiny), Karel Steklý (umělecký šéf IV. výrobní skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

85 min

Original length in metres

2 407 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech