The Singing Powder-Box
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1959Production year
1959Premiere
22 January 1960Runtime
75 minDirector
Milan VošmikCategory
filmGenre
detective, childrenTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Zpívající pudřenkaCzech title
Zpívající pudřenkaEnglish title
The Singing Powder-BoxSynopsis
Engineer Sodoma and his colleague Věra are busy making the last tests of their invention - a miniature radio-telephone which is built into a powder-compact on one end and into a cigarette case on the other. A group of saboteurs want to steal the invention and to sell it abroad. Their intentions are marred by a group of children who play on detectives at the local country fair. While filming their play with a hand camera, they also capture the first hint of the planned theft. Věra's purse and Sodoma's cigarette case are stolen. Moreover, the thieves knock Sodoma out during the theft and lock him inside a freezing box. When Sodoma comes to his senses, he escapes and informs the police about the accident. The thieves haven't got hold of the powder compact yet, since Věra's brother Petr had taken it from her purse. The children want to return the powder-compact, but they contact the thieves by mistake and arrange a meeting with them. Luckily, there are warned before it is too late. In the consequent chase the police hunt down the offenders and convict them with the help of the film made by the children.
Note
The film was preceded by a children´s book by Svatopluk Hrnčíř which came out under the title The Case Was Closed on Friday.
Photos
Cast
Václav Venhoda
Robinson
František Maxián
Petr
Milan Livora
Jirka
Martin Vačkář
Bryknar
Karel Smyczek
Jupka
Josef Kruml
pobočník
Marcela Jandová
Zuzka Navrátilová
Vladimír Hrubý
inženýr Jiří Sodoma
Jana Štěpánková
Věra, Petrova sestra
František Filipovský
šéf bandy dr. Švarc
Miloš Kopecký
Krásný Venca
Josef Kemr
Lojza
Rudolf Hrušínský
Pipka
Martin Růžek
muž v šedém, příslušník StB
Lubomír Kostelka
závozník
Josef Hlinomaz
pracovník mrazíren
Lubomír Bryg
zákazník s rádiem
Jiří Sovák
řidič náklaďáku na stavbě
Jan Přeučil
příslušník VB u mikrofonu
Jaroslav Satoranský
příslušník VB
František Miška
radista
Vladimír Labský
muž v slamáku
Gabriela Bártlová-Buddeusová
žena v plavkách
Fanda Mrázek
majitel střelnice
Jaroslav Štercl
řidič nabouraného náklaďáku
František Vnouček
průvodce cizinců
Miloš Stejskal
příslušník VB v projekci
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Screenstory
Svatopluk Hrnčíř
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Dobroslav Šrámek, Bohumír Brunclík (zvukové efekty)
Special Effects
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Cooperation
Bohuslav Kück (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Production info
Original Title
Zpívající pudřenka
Czech Title
Zpívající pudřenka
English Title
The Singing Powder-Box
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
detective, children
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1959
Production Year
1959
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 12 November 1958
technical Screenplay approved 19 February 1959
start of filming 25 March 1959
end of filming 9 July 1959
projection approval 23 October 1959
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1982
withdrawal from distribution 31 August 1992
Premiere
preview 15 January 1960 (kino Sevastopol /1 týden/, Praha)
premiere 22 January 1960 /suitable for youths/ (kina Pasáž /2 týdny/, Dukla /1 týden/, Jiskra /1 týden/, Mír /1 týden/, Svornost /1 týden/, Eden /½ týdne/, Radost /½ týdne/ a Mladých /1 týden od 29. 1./, Praha)
renewed premiere 1 March 1990 /suitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Ústřední půjčovna filmů (původní 1960 a obnovená 1990)
Creative Group
Tvůrčí skupina Hanuš – Pavlíček, Ladislav Hanuš (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny), František Pavlíček (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
75 min
Original length in metres
2 133 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
