Wonder-working Hat,The
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1952Production year
1951—1952Premiere
3 July 1953Runtime
74 minDirector
Alfréd RadokCategory
filmGenre
music, comedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Divotvorný kloboukCzech title
Divotvorný kloboukEnglish title
Wonder-working Hat,TheSynopsis
Two students, painter Antonín Strnad and musician Tomáš Křepelka, are banned from Prague because they made fun of the burgomaster. They were looking forward to an inheritance, but Tomáš only received an old tricorn hat from the notary, which, according to the deceased relative, brings success when one wears it while working. The two young men take a journey to a far away little town where a distant relative of Tomáš's, shopkeeper Koliáš, lives. They don't suspect that it was indeed him, a well-known miser and penny pincher, who became the main inheritor. Koliáš was also appointed a custodian of the trust money for his niece Bětuška, but he denies her inheritance and even tries to send the girl into a nunnery against her will. Tomáš is convinced about the "magic power" of the inherited head cover. He had it on his head when he was helping at harvesting and when he was cutting wood for Barnabáš, the pub owner, and each time he got food and lodging for free for the night. Tomáš fell in love with the beautiful Bětuška. Strnad got an idea how they could punish the dull Koliáš. He persuades him that there is a certain Spanish man who is dying and selling his magic hat which, when you put it on your head, means you don't have to pay any bills. Koliáš swallows the bait and becomes the source of laughter for all of his fellow citizens. The two students, together with Bětuška, leave for Prague.
Note
The film was branded as formalist and cosmopolitan during the licensing procedure. It was cut substantially before releasing.
Photos
Cast
Saša Rašilov
kupec Koliáš
Josef Kemr
malíř Antonín Strnad
Zdeněk Dítě
student Tomáš Křepelka
Alena Kreuzmannová
Bětuška, Koliášova neteř
Theodor Pištěk
hostinský Barnabáš
Rudolf Pellar
písničkář Pohořalský
Jiří Novotný
učedník František
František Kovářík
vysloužilec Václav, krámský pomocník
Jaromír Pleskot
sklepník Zvonek
Jarmila Bechyňová
šenkýřka
František Šlégr
špicl Knopp
Otto Rubík
handlíř zvaný Černokudrnáč
Vladimír Řepa
notář
Terezie Brzková
stařenka
Václav Trégl
hostinský
Eman Fiala
muzikant
Soňa Červená
zpěvačka
Svatopluk Bezděka
flašinetář
Miroslav Svoboda
kočébr Cikánek
Jiří Suk
holič
Stanislav Remunda
student
Josef Najman
trumpetista
Josef Hlinomaz
muzikant Příhoda
Jiřina Bílá
vesnické děvče
Anna Kadeřábková
vesnické děvče
František Holar
handlíř
Václav Švec
dědic
František Černý
purkmistr
Jiří Němeček
student
Karel Hovorka
student
František Miroslav Doubrava
krejčík
Oldřich Dědek
komediant
Věra Koktová
mladá žena
Milan Mach
student
Miloš Patočka
trhovec
Vladimír Bejval
žáček
Otto Budín
dráteník
Bohumil Aisman
handlíř
Anna Vaňková
zpěvačka, žena Pohořalského
Eva Trunečková
teta Filoména, dědička
Eva Foustková
žena
Věra Váchová
Jitka
Josefa Pechlátová
babka s nůší
Jiřina Součková
žena krejčího
Marie Rýdlová
žena kováře
Rudolf Cortés
kominík
Luděk Mattausch
muzikant
Milan Linhart
dítě na voze
Jaruška Linhartová
dítě na voze
Dubbing
František Filipovský
hlas soudce
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Miroslav Svoboda, Vladimír Zelenka (asistent scény)
Continuity
Based on
Václav Kliment Klicpera (Divotvorný klobouk – divadelní hra)
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Art Director
Květoslav Bubeník (kresby)
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
František Fabián, Josef Zavadil (záznam hudby)
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Cooperation
Karel Skoumal (fotograf), Antonín Stránský (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Milivoj Uzelac), Orchestr Karla Vlacha (Music Conducted by Karel Vlach)
Choreographer
Songs
Slyšte, slyšte tuhle píseň
Song Composer Jiří Sternwald
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Sternwald
Singer Zdeněk DítěSvatopluk Bezděka
Flašinetář
Song Composer Jiří Sternwald
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Sternwald
Singer Svatopluk BezděkaRudolf Cortéssbor
Kolo, kolo mlýnský
Singer dětský sbor
Vandrovnická
Song Composer Jiří Sternwald
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Sternwald
Singer Josef KemrZdeněk Dítě
Kramářská píseň /Přenáramnou novinu všichni uslyšíte/
Song Composer Jiří Sternwald
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Sternwald
Singer Soňa ČervenáRudolf PellarAnna Vaňková [dab]
Tys bratr náš /parafráze/
Writer of Lyrics Karel Havlíček Borovský
Singer Josef KemrZdeněk Dítě
Šepity šept
Song Composer Jiří Sternwald
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Sternwald
Singer Zdeněk Dítě
Pišťalička
Song Composer Jiří Sternwald
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Sternwald
Singer sborJosef KemrZdeněk Dítě
Až my spolu, má panenko
Song Composer Jiří Sternwald
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Sternwald
Singer Zdeněk DítěAlena Kreuzmannová
Kdo jinému jámu kopá
Song Composer Jiří Sternwald
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Sternwald
Singer Rudolf Pellarsbor
Production info
Original Title
Divotvorný klobouk
Czech Title
Divotvorný klobouk
English Title
Wonder-working Hat,The
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
music, comedy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1952
Production Year
1951—1952
Production specifications
start of filming 3 May 1951
end of filming 19 January 1952
the first film copy approved 3 May 1952
date of censorship 22 April 1953 (konec povolení k promítání 22. 4. 1958)
withdrawal from distribution 30 March 1978
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1992
Premiere
premiere 3 July 1953 /suitable for youths/ (kina Alfa /3 týdny/, Lucerna /2 týdny/, Kyjev /1 týden/, Oko /1 týden od 17. 7./, Moskva /1 týden od 24. 7./, Arbes /1 týden od 31. 7./, Bystrica /1 týden od 31. 7./, Dukla /1 týden od 7. 3./ a Odboj /1 týden od 7. 3./, Praha)
renewed premiere 1 September 1990 /suitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Rozdělovna filmů Československého státního filmu (původní 1953), Ústřední půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1990)
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Oldřicha Nového (vývoj scénáře), Oldřich Nový (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
74 min
Original length in metres
2 104 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
Awards
Vítěz
Event: Umělecké prémie za rok 1951
1952
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslav Krška
Vítěz
Event: Umělecké prémie za rok 1951
1952
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Josef Střecha
Vítěz
Event: Umělecké prémie za rok 1951
1952
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Josef Svoboda
Vítěz
Event: Umělecké prémie za rok 1951
1952
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Erna Veselá
