Three Wishes

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1958

Production year

1958

Premiere

21 June 1963

Runtime

94 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy, satire

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Tři přání

Czech title

Tři přání

English title

Three Wishes

Summary

A fairy-tale satire from the present day, Three Wishes was the fourth film directed by the duo Ján Kadár – Elmar Klos. The screenplay was written by playwright Vratislav Blažek. The film, pointing out the shortcomings preventing the smooth running of socialist society, ended up being banned and put in the "vault" after a harsh condemnation at the First Festival of Czech and Slovak Films in Banská Bystrica in 1959, and the two filmmakers were able to return to directing only in the 1960’s, when they made, among others, the Oscar-winning The Shop on Main Street.

Synopsis

Lawyer Petr Holeček often has disputes with his wife Věra. They both have low salaries and forever struggle with a lack of money. After all, Věra loves to dress up! One day, Petr gives a seat to a tiny old man who, in return for this kindness, offers him a little silver bell which will fulfil three wishes. The first two wishes, which the suspicious Petr makes just to test the bell, are fulfilled. Petr's third wish is a peaceful life with Věra. And so the magic bell arranges a new apartment, modern furniture, car and a promotion at work. Ill-tempered Petr has a quarrel with the secretary and his manager sends him on health-leave. Petr and Věra rest by the lake Máchovo and, in the evenings, watch fashion shows on TV with their friends. Petr's friend Karel joins a competition with an improved design which could markedly lower the price of the dress model on show. He also says something about the necessity to save in the right places. The next day they want to kick him out of the establishment. Petr wants to help Karel so he calls the old man once more. The old man promises to help but on one condition: Peter must speak up for his friend in public and run the risk of losing everything he got by magic. The old man vanishes, however, the small silver bell remains on the table. With rapt attention, the family follows how Peter will make up his mind...

Note

The film underwent political critique at its time and its distribution was stopped. It was not distributed in cinemas until 1963, after the original decision was revised. Only after the above-mentioned ban on film did Jiří Blažek rework the film theme into the theatrical play The Third Wish (Třetí přání).

Cast

Rade Marković

Voice by Zdeněk Dítě
účetní JUDr. Petr Holeček

Tatjana Beljakova

Voice by Alena Kreuzmannová
Věra Holečková, Petrova žena

Bohuš Záhorský

pohádkový dědeček

Vlastimil Brodský

Karel Pokorný, Petrův kamarád

Růžena Lysenková

Božena, Karlova manželka

Heda Marková

Petrova matka

Ota Motyčka

Petrův otec

Libor Palisa

Petřík, syn Holečkových

Josef Beyvl

ředitel podniku

Lubomír Lipský

referent bytového úřadu

Josef Vošalík

soused Hurdálek

Jaroslava Skorkovská

sekretářka Jarošová

Jan Maška

konferenciér při loterii

Josef Kobr

konferenciér na módní přehlídce

Milan Neděla

soutěžící

Jaroslav Rozsíval

Voice by Soběslav Sejk
příslušník SNB

Karel Pavlík

vedoucí střelnice

Bedřich Bozděch

starší muž u televizoru

Marta Májová

starší žena u televizoru

Vítězslav Černý

cestující v trolejbusu

Gabriela Bártlová-Buddeusová

žena stojící v trolejbusu

Václav Švec

otec dětí na bytovém úřadě

Oldřich Hoblík

člen komise

Bohumil Bezouška

člen komise

Eva Svobodová

členka komise Růžena

Zdeněk Čamrda

klavírista u módní přehlídky

Ivan Kheil

muž na poradě

Jiří Valenta

muž na poradě

Milan Mach

cestující v trolejbusu

Jiřina Hautová

cestující v trolejbusu

Otto Sattler

houslista v baru

Antonín Kubový

Voice by Mirko Musil
člen bytové komise

Antonín Novotný

závozník popelářského vozu

Vladimír Klemens

zaměstnanec čistírny

Slávka Hamouzová

žena ve frontě na Večerní Prahu

Ladislav Gzela

člen komise

Helena Kružíková

sekretářka ředitele

Jaroslav Zrotal

muž na poradě

Karel Černoch

Voice by Josef Hlinomaz
vrátný ve spalovně

Anita Janová

domovnice s koštětem

Jiří Krampol

muž na manifestaci

Jiří Sehnal

muž na manifestaci

Yvonna Zelenková

Dubbing

Felix le Breux

hlas předsedy okresního klubu Svazarmu

Eva Svobodová

hlas sousedky s koštětem

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Štěpán Skalský

Director of Photography

Rudolf Stahl ml.

Production Designer

Oldřich Bosák

Assistent Production Designer

Bohumil Pokorný

Costume Designer

Lída Novotná

Assistant Film Editor

Libuše Vaněčková

Sound Designer

František Černý, Josef Seidl (střih zvuku), Bohumír Brunclík (zvukové efekty)

Production Manager

Josef Ouzký

Unit Production Manager

Václav Cajthaml

Unit Production Manager

Jan Kadlec

Cooperation

Otta Pšenička (vrchní osvětlovač)

Music

Music Composed by

Jiří Sternwald

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín), Pražský dixieland

Songs

Tico-tico

Song Composer Zequinha de Abreu

Production info

Original Title

Tři přání

Czech Title

Tři přání

English Title

Three Wishes

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy, satire

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1958

Production Year

1958

Production specifications

projection approval 28 December 1958 (neschváleno do distribuce)
projection approval 6 March 1963
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1971

Premiere

preview 14 June 1963 (kino Sevastopol /1 týden/, Praha)
premiere 21 June 1963 /suitable for youths/ (kina Lucerna /5 týdnů/, Flora /1 týden/, Arbes /1 týden od 28. 6./, Radost /1 týden od 5. 7./, Mír /1 týden od 12. 7./, Praha /1 týden od 12. 7./ a Bystrica /1 týden od 19. 7./, Praha)

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

Tvůrčí skupina Feix – Daniel, František Daniel (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Karel Feix (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

94 min

Original length in metres

2 677 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