The Crossroads

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1959

Production year

1958—1959

Premiere

18 September 1959

Runtime

82 min

Category

film

Genre

drama, psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Křižovatky

Czech title

Křižovatky

English title

The Crossroads

Synopsis

Dalibor Daněk has never had luck on his side. His parents got divorced, he grew up in a children's home and was imprisoned twice. Now he leaves for Ostrava in order to find work. In Ostrava he meets a friend from the children's home, Zdenka, who lives with her aunt. Dalibor tries to make an impression on the superficial girl and finds himself in debt. So he can pay back his debt he becomes involved in a smuggling ring and is arrested. In prison he meets Lieutenant Mašek who gains his trust. After Dalibor is released Mašek tries in vain to persuade his parents to take back their son and protect him from further problems. Dalibor returns to Ostrava. There he discovers that Zdenka has moved to Prague. The boy is left alone and it seems that he is heading down a slippery slope. Mašek finds him a job as a delivery man working for the characterful driver Gabovič. Dalibor sends Zdenka postcards from his trips and looks forward to seeing her when he goes to Prague on a job. The driver, however, has to go into hospital and Dalibor leaves on his own without his employer's consent. He finds Zdenka and discovers that she is now married. He is angered of her betrayal and returns home. Gabovič is furious with him and, moreover, suspects him of stealing. In the end he realizes that he has wronged Dalibor, he admits his mistake and the two become good friends.

Cast

Pavel Molčík

Voice by Stanislav Fišer
Dalibor Daněk

Dušan Blaškovič

řidič Laco Gabovič

Aja Farkačová

Voice by Alena Kreuzmannová
Zdenka, Daliborova přítelkyně

Stanislav Remunda

poručík SNB Mašek

Eva Kubešová

Mařenka, Maškova žena

Oldřich Vykypěl

ředitel ČSAD Karel

Václav Lohniský

Daněk, Daliborův otec

Marie Burešová

Daliborova matka

Zora Božinová

druhá žena otce Daňka

Pavel Spálený

náčelník věznice

Kosťa Holubář

Kozderka

Jan Bobek

Kowalski

Milan Friedl

příslušník VB

Božena Půlpánová

sociální pracovnice

Karla Genttnerová

Zdenina teta

Ilja Racek

zájemce o pneumatiky

Josef Kobr

příslušník VB v autoškole

Lubor Tokoš

brigádník Zeman

Marta Richterová (2)

zdravotní sestra

Irena Juřičková

Zdenina přítelkyně

Władysław Niedoba

Kazimierz Siedlaczek

E. Zelenková

Dubbing

Luděk Munzar

hlas dopravního policisty

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Rudolf Jaroš

Assistant Director

Pavel Horák, Marie Hejzlarová

Screenstory

Pavel Blumenfeld

Shooting Script

Pavel Blumenfeld

Director of Photography

Václav Huňka

Camera Operator

Ladislav Vinklárek

Production Designer

Vladimír Labský

Assistent Production Designer

Aleš Voleman

Costume Designer

Erna Veselá

Assistant Film Editor

Štěpánka Stříbrná

Sound Designer

Emanuel Formánek, Bohumír Brunclík (zvukové efekty)

Special Effects

Trikový ateliér FSB

Production Manager

Jaroslav Jílovec, Rudolf Wolf

Unit Production Manager

Václav Dobeš

Unit Production Manager

Jiří Hořejší

Cooperation

Hanuš Silvera, František Burda, Josef Barták

Music

Music Composed by

Jiří Šust

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Dalibor Brázda)

Production info

Original Title

Křižovatky

Czech Title

Křižovatky

English Title

The Crossroads

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama, psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1959

Production Year

1958—1959

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 4 June 1958
technical Screenplay approved 10 September 1958
start of filming 21 September 1958
end of filming 24 January 1959
projection approval 5 June 1959
withdrawal from distribution 1 April 1966

Premiere

preview 2 June 1959 (kino Sevastopol, Praha /jednorázové uvedení v rámci Přehlídky nových českých filmů/)
preview 11 September 1959 (kino Sevastopol /1 týden/, Praha)
premiere 18 September 1959 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Jalta /2 týdny/, Praha /2 týdny/, Mír /1 týden/ a Dukla /1 týden od 25. 9./, Praha)

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

Tvůrčí skupina Šebor – Bor, Vladimír Bor (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Jiří Šebor (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

82 min

Original length in metres

2 345 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: Filmová anketa čtenářů týdeníku Mladý svět o nejlepší československé filmy natočené v roce 1959

1960
Praha / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 10. filmový festival pracujících

1959
22 měst / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 10. filmový festival pracujících

1959
22 měst / Czechoslovakia
Dušan Blaškovič

Vítěz

Festival: 10. filmový festival pracujících

1959
22 měst / Czechoslovakia
Václav Huňka

Vítěz

Festival: 10. filmový festival pracujících

1959
22 měst / Czechoslovakia
Pavel Molčík