Vintage Car

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1956

Production year

1956

Premiere

29 March 1957

Runtime

95 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Dědeček automobil

Czech title

Dědeček automobil

English title

Vintage Car

Summary

Subsequent to the psychological drama Daleká cesta (The Long Journey, 1949), which was banned from public screening by communist censorship, director Alfréd Radok was permitted to make a film that would only address a “harmless” topic. But even with this adaptation of an eponymous book by Adolf Branald, which describes the beginnings of motoring in the Czech lands, did Radok prove himself technically brilliant, as a creator able to recreate an Art Nouveau atmosphere in a precise, yet playful way. The “racing” comedy, depicting three international competitions in France, successfully employed both Czech and foreign actors (the role of French mechanic Marcel was portrayed by experienced French actor Raymond Bussières). The then 20 year-old Pavel Landovský debuted in the role of a wedding guest with a trumpet. Serving as Radok’s assistant, future directing star of the Czechoslovak New Wave Miloš Forman gained valuable experience.

Synopsis

A plane lands at the airport, and various objects from the beginning of the 20th century are unloaded from it, including an old car. A young mechanic and an air-hostess are looking through an album with yellowed photographs and the story unfolds before their eyes. The Czech history of motorsport began when Laurin and Klement founded their motorcycle factory. In 1904, the first motorcycle race was held in the Dourdan, in France, and the Czechs participated. Czech mechanic František and Nanette, daughter of the French mechanic Frontenac met and fell in love at this race. The Czech driver Vondřich came in second because of a break-down. In 1905, the race was held again, Vondřich secured himself with an extra supply of spare parts and won. Nanette and František, who were writing to each other the whole year, met each other again. After motorcycles, cars started being produced everywhere and, in the year 1909, the first car race was held in the French Gaillon. Czech driver, Count Kolowrat, won the race. His mechanic František married his beloved Nanette in the local church.

Note

The documents used in this film come from the French films: Paris 1900 and Paris at the Beginning of the Century.

Film online

Cast

Raymond Bussieres

mechanik Marcel Frontenac

Ginette Pigeon

Nanette, Frontenacova dcera

Luděk Munzar

mechanik František Projsa

Radovan Lukavský

továrník Václav Klement

Jiří Sehnal

továrník Václav Laurin

Josef Hlinomaz

hrabě Alexandr Kolovrat

Annette Poivre

majitelka hotelu

Antonín Šůra

závodník Václav Vondřich

Svatopluk Beneš

závodník Jean Pierre Demeester

O. F. Korte

anglický mechanik Mackie Duff

Miloš Kopecký

Albert de Dion

Josef Červinka

francouzský žurnalista a pořadatel

Jiří Hoyer

hostinský v Gaillonu

Miroslav Svoboda

starosta v Gaillonu

Olga Světelská

letuška

Miloš Forman

letecký mechanik/asistent kamery

Antonín Jedlička

mechanik Bouton

Josef Příhoda

mechanik Kaďousek

Jindřich Narenta

závodník Gottfried Mayer

Jiří Lír

francouzský mechanik Pierre Charron

Adolf Branald

kameraman

Jaroslav Kučera (3)

Michel Constantini

Miroslav Abrahám

železničář/fotograf

Václav Wasserman

vzduchoplavec Louis Goddard

Marie Branaldová

manželka starosty

Karel Pavlík

anglický mechanik

Milan Mach

mechanik/železničář

Miroslav Zounar

závodník Toman

Josef Kobr

závodník

Vladimír Menšík

italský automechanik

Pavel Landovský

svatebčan s trubkou

Karel Novák

Z. Benda

závodník

M. Pfeifer

závodník

K. Hansl

závodník

V. Horák

závodník

M. Hůla

závodník

J. Kosinka

závodník

K. Palas

závodník

F. Pexa

závodník

Š. Plenta

závodník

P. Rýznar

závodník

J. Rajchman

závodník

F. Vašátko

závodník

M. Fousek

závodník

J. Netušil

závodník

V. Čížkovský

závodník

M. Čada

závodník

V. Bobek

závodník

Ludmila Skleničková

francouzská dáma

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Vladimír Svitáček

Based on

Adolf Branald (Dědeček automobil – kniha)

Commentary by

Adolf Branald

Shooting Script

Alfréd Radok

Director of Photography

Jaromír Holpuch

Production Designer

Jaroslav Krška

Assistent Production Designer

Luděk Škuta

Art Director

Kamil Lhoták

Costume Designer

Kamil Lhoták

Assistant Film Editor

Štěpánka Stříbrná

Sound Designer

František Fabián

Special Effects

Trikový ateliér

Production Manager

Ladislav Hanuš

Unit Production Manager

Václav Rouha

Unit Production Manager

Marie Kaplanová

Consultant

Kamil Lhoták

Cooperation

Vilém Rosegnal (fotograf), Erich Tylínek (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Jan F. Fischer

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček), Karel Krautgartner, Miroslav Kefurt

Music Supervisor

Zdeněk Petr

Production info

Original Title

Dědeček automobil

Czech Title

Dědeček automobil

English Title

Vintage Car

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1956

Production Year

1956

Production specifications

projection approval 8 February 1957
withdrawal from distribution 6 April 1973
withdrawal from distribution 1 July 1993

Premiere

premiere 29 March 1957 /suitable for youths/ (kina Sevastopol /5 týdnů/, Radost /1 týden/, Bystrica /1 týden od 5. 4./, Aero /1 týden od 12. 4./ a Oko /1 týden od 29. 4./, Praha)
renewed premiere 1 March 1990 /suitable for youths/

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Ústřední půjčovna filmů (původní 1957 a obnovená 1990)

Creative Group

Tvůrčí skupina Hanuš – Träger, Ladislav Hanuš (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny), Josef Träger (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

95 min

Original length in metres

2 693 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech, French

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Festival: 5. mezinárodní filmový festival San Sebastián

1957
San Sebastián / Spain

Vítěz

Festival: 5. mezinárodní filmový festival San Sebastián

1957
San Sebastián / Spain