Fairground Entertainers

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1953

Production year

1952—1953

Premiere

16 April 1954

Runtime

80 min

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Komedianti

Czech title

Komedianti

English title

Fairground Entertainers

Working title

Bratr Žak

Synopsis

During the period before the First World War an old circus artiste with his grown-up children Žak, Fricek and Olga are travelling through Bohemia in a caravan drawn by a little horse. The mime show incorporated into their artistic programme is a great success with audiences. The lecherous cattle-dealer Havránek arrives at the fair and his eye is drawn to the pretty Olga, however, Fricek immediately steps in and takes the girl away. Havránek gets his revenge and, during the show, shoots a cherry stone in Fricek's eye. Luckily the artistes are saved from serious injury. Fricek throws himself on Havránek. The comedians, however, are very low down on the social ladder and thus the "respectable citizens" drive them out. The family teams up with the Medrano circus but the owner's daughters are jealous of Olga and the family has to move on once more. After some time the circus' proprietress asks them by letter to return. Žak continues travelling with the circus alone on its trip abroad. Without his presence, however, the family comes to a tragic end. The old man drinks himself to death and the impoverished Olga and Fricek have to sell the horse and caravan. Olga meets Havránek again who still wants her, this time resorting to violence. Fricek stuns him with a stone and is charged with assault and robbery. Žak returns to Bohemia and meets his brother and sister in the courtroom. In his testimony he expresses the hope that the time will come when travelling artistes are judged just like everyone else.

Cast

Jaroslav Vojta

starý komediant, otec Žaka, Fricka a Olgy

Ladislav Pešek

komediant Žak

Jaroslav Mareš

komediant Fricek, Žakův bratr

Alena Martinovská

komediantka Olga, Žakova sestra

Marie Vášová

majitelka cirkusu Medrano

Rudolf Hrušínský

obchodník s dobytkem Havránek

Libuše Zemková

krasojezdkyně Margit, dcera majitelky cirkusu Medrano

Svatopluk Beneš

bohatý pan Bohoušek

Marie Nováková

Bohouškova slečna Žužu

Theodor Pištěk

hostinský Pazdera

Věra Kalendová

rychtářka a hostinská Amálka

František Filipovský

rychtář a hostinský

Eva Jiroušková

Anka, Havránkova dívka

Václav Trégl

hospodský

Karel Hovorka

host v hospodě

Jiří Vršťala

host v hospodě

Karel Richter

host v hospodě

Antonín Soukup

muž u poštovní přepážky

Gabriela Bártlová-Buddeusová

návštěvnice cirkusu Luisa

Karel Haase

artista

Jaroslav Kryl

artista

Miroslav Merbs

artista

Jindřich Merbs

artista

Soňa Merbsová

artistka

Vlasta Špačková

Rosamunda, dcera majitelky Medrana

Dáša Kellnerová

Luciana, dcera majitelky Medrana

Vlasta Landová

artistka

Karel Nygrýn

chlapec na pouti

Otto Čermák

hostinský

Jiřina Bílá

žena v obecenstvu

Jaroslav Seník

poštovní úředník

Arnošt Mirský

poštovní úředník

Karel Pavlík

divák v hospodě

Josef Příhoda

divák v hospodě

Josef Najman

divák v hospodě

Jaroslav Synák

tajný policista

Josef Bartůněk

host v hospodě

J. O. Martin

hostinský

Josef Steigl

muž v obecenstvu

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Milan Vácha

Assistant Director

Jordan Balurov, Libuše Junková

Based on

Ivan Olbracht (Bratr Žak – povídka)

Director of Photography

Rudolf Stahl ml.

Camera Operator

Felix Leibl, Jan Němeček

Production Designer

Miroslav Hrachovec

Art Director

František Tichý

Make-Up Artist

Karel Marek, Jan Štětina

Film Editor

Miroslav Hájek

Sound Designer

František Fabián

Production Manager

Rudolf Hájek

Unit Production Manager

Jaroslav Prokop

Cooperation

Jindřich Panáček (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Jan Kapr

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Milivoj Uzelac)

Songs

Příteli můj, milý bratře

Singer Jaroslav Vojtasbor

Production info

Original Title

Komedianti

Czech Title

Komedianti

English Title

Fairground Entertainers

Working Title

Bratr Žak

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1953

Production Year

1952—1953

Production specifications

start of filming 20 August 1952
the first film copy approved 30 December 1953
projection approval 25 March 1954
withdrawal from distribution 30 September 1973

Premiere

premiere 16 April 1954 /suitable for youths/ (kina Sevastopol /5 týdnů/, Armádní /3 týdny/, Lucerna /3 týdny/, Kyjev /1 týden od 23. 4./, Arbes /1 týden od 30. 4./, Bystrica /1 týden od 30. 4./, Aero /1 týden od 7. 5./, Oko /1 týden od 7. 5./, Dukla /1 týden od 14. 5./ a Odboj /1 týden od 14. 5./, Praha)

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Vladimíra Vlčka (vývoj scénáře), Vladimír Vlček (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

80 min

Original length in metres

2 286 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech