This epic 1951 costume comedy from director Martin Frič exists in a two-part form as Císařův pekař – Pekařův císař (The Emperor's Baker – The Baker's Emperor) as well as in a shortened single-film version. The latter was intended for export – certain parts where the ideological influence was too explicit were shed. The motion picture's attractive story set in baroque Prague is built on the double role played by the popular Jan Werich. He delivers the character of the ageing Emperor Rudolph II as well as that of the honest and single-minded baker Matěj. Central to the plot is the mythical clay servant, the Golem, whom the emperor, obsessed with the science of alchemy, is obsessed with bringing to life. In his desire to exercise power, he wants to make it subject to his commands. The film concept gets somewhat grounded in then contemporary political approaches, but this is a witty, spectacular motion picture loosely stemming from an early and never realised Golem film project of Werich and Jiří Voskovec. In fact, many characters are performed by actors of the former Osvobozené divadlo (The Liberated Theatre, which “V+W” were part of). In the female cast, Nataša Gollová stands out as Matěj’s love interest Kateřina, while Marie Vášová puts in a fine performance as Rudolph’s mistress – the Countess Katharina Strada. A minor role, that of a maid-in-waiting, is played by Věra Chytilová, then just 22 years-old but with a future as a highly successful director ahead of her. In those days, she was earning a crust as a fashion model among other things.
Emperor Rudolph II is annoyed. He has a toothache and his alchemists also keep failing to produce gold, and to create the elixir of youth. Besides, nobody is able to find the legendary Golem, whom the Emperor is craving for. He is not bothered with governing, and has no idea that his advisers want to do away with him. One night, on an expedition in search for the root of mandragora, an important ingredient in the elixir of youth, Rudolph himself finds the clay giant Golem. On his return, alchemist Scotta presents him with the alleged elixir. Rudolph falls asleep after drinking the potion and, when he wakes up, he sees his rejuvenated face in the mirror. He doesn't know that baker Matěj is standing inside the mirror frame. He reached the Emperor's quarters while escaping from the prison, where he was taken for giving away the imperial bread-rolls to the poor. Matěj is a spitting image of the Emperor, except that he is some twenty-five years younger. The exalted Emperor, convinced that he has really regained his youth, sets out in search of a love adventure. Matěj has no choice but to play the role of the Emperor. He is a courageous young man, so he manages to cope with the treacherous advisers. He also brings the Golem, whom the advisers were trying to use for their own ends, under his control. The advisers murder each other in the struggle for power over the Golem, and the Golem itself crushes the last one. Rudolph realizes his mistake when he returns from his voyage, and offers Matěj his throne. Matěj refuses, and, with the Golem's help, bakes loaves of bread to the people's great joy.
The film was originally made by director Jiří Krejčík. After disagreements with Jan Werich and after political intervention, he was recalled and the project was taken over by Martin Frič. With the director, the cast also changed in part. Originally, Ljuba Hermanová (Countess Stradová), Irena Kačírková (Kateřina alias Sirael), Karel Höger (Master Edward Kelley), Saša Rašilov (chief alchemist Jeroným Alessandro Scotta) and Miroslav Horníček (doctor's assistant) were to appear in the film. The music was to be composed by Václav Trojan.
The Emperor´s Baker – The Baker´s Emperor is a two-parts film (former footage of two parts was 2451 and 1949 metres). In the late fifties reduced version (3064,7 metres) was released by director Martin Frič.
císař Rudolf II./pekařský tovaryš Matěj Kotrba
hraběnka Anna Marie Stradová
Kateřina alias umělá žena Sirael
komoří Filip Lang z Langenfelsu
magistr Edward Kelley
maršál císařských vojsk Bernard Russworm
dvorní astrolog
vrchní alchymista Jeroným Alessandro Scotta vlastním jménem Jan Skoták
císařův osobní sluha
uherský vyslanec krále Matyáše
dvorní lékař
astronom Tycho de Brahe
velitel císařské stráže
pekařský mistr, majitel pekárny U pochoutky císařovy
alchymista vyrábějící zlato ze švestek
purkmistr, mluvčí měšťanské delegace
dvorní malíř Hans von Aachen
člen měšťanské delegace
alchymista rozbíjející atom olova
halapartník na chodbě
císařský písař
ceremoniář, císařský stolník
alchymista pracující na výrobě zlata
služebná
císařský dveřník
pekařský tovaryš
pekařský tovaryš
pekařský učedník Frantík
muž ve frontě před pekárnou
císařský lazebník
císařský lazebník
žena ve frontě před pekárnou
žena ve frontě před pekárnou
žena ve frontě před pekárnou
chasník
alchymista chtějící zhmotnit tmu
alchymista destilující tinkturu nápoje neviditelnosti
alchymista sestavující perpetum mobile
zahradnice pěstující růže
děvečka
kejklíř-žonglér
císařský sekretář nosící psací pultík
císařský písař
lékařův pomocník
císařský sluha nosící nádoby
komorník u Langa
havíř v kapuci
dudák
jirchář
krejčí
kovář
cukrářka
kameník
tesař
zedník
platnéř
rybář
kominík
kamnář
klempíř
dlaždič
švec
muž s papouškem
dvorní dáma
dvorní dáma
dvorní dáma
dvorní dáma
dvorní dáma
dvorní dáma
Rudolf Jaroš, Zdeněk Maršálek (asistent scény)
Marie Moravcová
anonym (Golem – staropražská židovská legenda), Jiří Voskovec (Golem – divadelní hra), Jan Werich (Golem – divadelní hra)
Jiří Trnka, Jaroslav Horejc (návrh sochy Golema)
Gustav Hrdlička, Vladimír Černý, Richard Weber, Marie Koulová
Ladislav Terš, Rudolf Hájek (vedoucí výrobního štábu)
Klára Barešová
Alois Treybal (malíř pozadí), Ferdinand Martinásek (malíř pozadí)
Josef Pražák (vrchní osvětlovač), Václav Hojda (fotograf), Antonín Stránský (fotograf), Václav Oberreiter, V. Novotná, Fr. Počta, E. Strnadová
FISYO (Music Conducted by Milivoj Uzelac)
Luboš Ogoun, Jiřina Kottová, Saša Machov (přípravné práce)
Song Composer Zdeněk Petr
Writer of Lyrics Jan Werich
Singer Jan Werichsbor
Singer Jan Werich
Císařův pekař – Pekařův císař
Císařův pekař – Pekařův císař
The Emperor's Baker – The Baker's Emperor
Golem
film
featuretheatrical distribution
historical, comedy
Czechoslovakia
1951
1951
start of filming 4 January 1951
the first film copy approved 21 December 1951
date of censorship 22 December 1951 (konec povolení k promítání 22. 12. 1956)
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1995
premiere 28 December 1951 /suitable for youths/ (kina Lucerna /13 týdnů/, Moskva /3 týdny od 4. 1. 1952/, Blaník /5 týdnů od 18. 1. 1952/, Aero /1 týden od 1. 2. 1952/, Oko /1 týden od 1. 2. 1952/, Revoluce /1 týden od 8. 2. 1952/, Dukla /1 týden od 15. 2. 1952/, Odboj /1 týden od 22. 2. 1952/ a Arbes /1 týden od 29. 2. 1952/, Praha /druhá část/)
premiere 28 December 1951 /suitable for youths/ (kina Blaník /8 týdnů/, Lucerna /13 týdnů/, Aero /1 týden od 25. 1. 1952/, Oko /1 týden od 1. 2. 1952/, Revoluce /1 týden od 8. 2. 1952/, Dukla /1 týden 15. 2. 1952/, Odboj /1 týden od 22. 2. 1952/ a Arbes /1 týden od 28. 2. 1952/, Praha /první část/)
VI. tvůrčí kolektiv Jana Wericha, Jan Werich (vedoucí VI. tvůrčího kolektivu)
feature film
144 min
4 400 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,37
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Event: Televizní anketa diváků o nejpopulárnější českou filmovou komedii století – anketa České televize a Týdeníku Televize Volíme veselohru století
1998
Praha / Czech Republic
Event: Umělecké prémie za rok 1951
1952
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Gustav Hrdlička
Event: Umělecké prémie za rok 1951
1952
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jan Kohout
Event: Umělecké prémie za rok 1951
1952
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jan Zázvorka
Event: Umělecké prémie za rok 1951
1952
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jiří Brdečka
Event: Umělecké prémie za rok 1951
1952
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jiří Trnka
Event: Umělecké prémie za rok 1951
1952
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Martin Frič
Festival: 6. mezinárodní filmový festival Edinburgh
1952
Edinburgh / Great Britain
Event: Státní ceny za rok 1951
1952
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jan Werich
Event: Umělecké prémie za rok 1951
1952
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jan Stallich