The Circle

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1959

Production year

1959

Premiere

27 November 1959

Runtime

78 min

Category

film

Genre

drama, psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Kruh

Czech title

Kruh

English title

The Circle

Synopsis

Even after twenty years of marriage Marie is trying to keep her family and her adolescent children together. Her husband, on whom the family is dependent, does not have any time for the children, he ignores his wife and regularly meets up with his mistress. Honzík, the eldest son and the daughter Helena are on their mother's side, but the father buys little Vašík's favour with presents. Honzík leaves for his army service. During a goodbye family dinner an incident occurs - the telephone rings and the obstinate lover wants to speak to the father. He pretends it is a wrong number. He then treats Honzík so badly that their grandmother takes Vašík home with her and the older children try to persuade their mother to leave their father. Marie moves in with her mother-in-law and Helena soon follows. Marie finds work and gets her first wage. She is proud that she can look after the children herself. She refuses the money which her husband wants to send for Vašík's keep. The father buys his son a bicycle with the money and the latter has an accident. The bicycle is destroyed and Vašík is afraid to go home. He seeks out the army barracks where Honzík is posted while both his parents look for him desparately. Finally both boys set off for home. Marie welcomes them in their new home at her mother-in-law's. Their contrite father also arrives at the house. He rings the bell and hopes they will open the door for him.

Cast

Vlasta Matulová

matka Marie

Jan Tříska

syn Honzík

Michael Dáňa

syn Vašík

Anna Melíšková

babička, otcova matka

Ema Skálová

Fanynka, otcova přítelkyně

Blanka Bohdanová

prodavačka v automatu Boženka

Dagmar Táborská

Andulka, Honzíkova přítelkyně

Nataša Gollová

Andulčina matka

Rudolf Deyl ml.

taxikář František, Boženčin muž

Libor Palisa

Jirka, Vašíkův kamarád

Václav Fišer

strojmistr v tiskárně

Elena Hálková

dělnice v tiskárně

Eva Svobodová

trafikantka

Margit Harníčková

žena v umývárně

Viola Zinková

dělnice v tiskárně

Vladimír Klemens

číšník v zájezdním hostinci

Jaroslav Cmíral

vedoucí v automatu Koruna

Jaroslav Zrotal

zákazník v automatu

Václav Tomšovský

přítel Heleny

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Bohumil Kouba

Assistant Director

René Mattes, Alena Svozilová (2)

Shooting Script

Ladislav Rychman

Director of Photography

Alois Jiráček

Second Unit Photography

František Valert

Camera Operator

Vladimír Pěkný

Production Designer

Karel Černý

Assistent Production Designer

Bohumil Nový

Set Designer

Vladimír Mácha

Costume Designer

Libuše Hozová

Costumes

František Zapletal (vedoucí kostymér), Miloslava Skořepová

Film Editor

Miroslav Hájek

Assistant Film Editor

Magda Hájková

Sound Designer

Josef Vlček, Bohumír Brunclík (zvukové efekty)

Production Manager

Rudolf Hájek

Unit Production Manager

Vlastimil Maršálek

Unit Production Manager

Karel Fiala

Cooperation

Karel Brož (vrchní osvětlovač), Karel Ješátko (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Václav Lídl

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)

Songs

Na obloze jiskří večernice /Pochod/

Singer  mužský sbor

Production info

Original Title

Kruh

Czech Title

Kruh

English Title

The Circle

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama, psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1959

Production Year

1959

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 17 December 1958
technical Screenplay approved 10 March 1959
start of filming 11 March 1959
end of filming 26 June 1959
projection approval 6 September 1959
withdrawal from distribution 1 April 1966

Premiere

preview 20 November 1959 (kino Sevastopol /1 týden/, Praha)
premiere 27 November 1959 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Jalta /3 týdny/, Arbes /1 týden/, Kyjev /1 týden/, Mír /1 týden/, Odboj /1 týden/, Vzlet /1 týden/, Radost /½ týdne/, Oko /1 týden od 4. 12./ a Flora /1 týden od 11. 12./, Praha)

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

Tvůrčí skupina Šmída – Kunc, František Břetislav Kunc (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Bohumil Šmída (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

78 min

Original length in metres

2 212 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