Thirty-three Silver Quails
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1964Production year
1964Premiere
10 September 1965Runtime
84 minDirector
Antonín KachlíkCategory
filmGenre
psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Třiatřicet stříbrných křepelekCzech title
Třiatřicet stříbrných křepelekEnglish title
Thirty-three Silver QuailsWorking title
Jak odcházejí / OdcházejíSummary
In 1964, old directing hand Antonín Kachlík created a relationship drama about a woman who looks back on her life after reaching the “Jesus year” (Jesus is said to have been crucified at the age of 33). The narrative is based on a novel by Jan Trefulka, while the film’s protagonist, Jana Hanáková, is played by Alena Vránová. At 33, she is married and has two children, but family life does not satisfy her. Her alienation is not compensated either by her lover Karel or her relationships with colleagues at work. All around her, Jarka sees only shallowness and deceit. Trefulka and Kachlík, who collaborated on the screenplay, do not try to find a way out for the unhappy Jana. They construct the plot as a statement on a desolate condition which the young woman is herself partly responsible for. The critical approach of Třiatřicet stříbrných křepelek (Thirty-three Silver Quails) meant it came to be regarded as a motion picture heralding even more successful and forthright films of 1960s Czechoslovak cinematography.
Synopsis
Jarka Hanáková is a married woman and mother of two little children. Today is the day of her thirty-third birthday and this fact makes her contemplate her life. In the morning, her husband tells her indifferently that he has to go for a business trip. It is obvious that all love between them has faded away. Jarka takes the children to the kindergarten. On the way, she stops by the printing plant where her lover Karel works, to excuse herself from the set afternoon date. Her colleagues from the House of Culture, where she is employed, congratulate her, but the short birthday celebration results in a ridiculous quarrel of the co-workers. Jarka goes for a business visit to a nearby village. Her meeting at the Municipal National Committee is unpleasant and the inspection does not satisfy Jarka - many things are formally returned on paper, but, in fact, nothing happens. On her return to the town, Jarka spots her husband at the railway station in an intimate discussion with a young woman. As an associate judge, Jarka takes part at the session of the labour relations' court. She can plainly see that the judged man is just a scapegoat paying dearly for the disorders of his enterprise. Neither the evening visit to a wine cellar nor the intimate date with Karel fulfil her expectations. Jarka returns home to her children and her husband. Due to the moodiness of the two adults, a quarrel breaks out between them. Jarka locks herself in the bathroom and bursts into tears.
Photos
Cast
Alena Vránová
Jarka Hanáková, pracovnice Domu osvěty
Václav Voska
sazeč Karel Raška, Jarčin milenec
Josef Langmiler
Hanák, Jarčin manžel
Jiří Holý
soudce
Ladislav Křiváček
výtvarník Jirka
Josef Beyvl
tajemník MNV Mikšíček
Rudolf Chromek
ředitel Domu osvěty
Mahulena Kulendíková
Hanákova milenka
Tamara Řezáčová
Eva, dcera Hanákových
Rudolf Řepík
Petr, syn Hanákových
Karel Pavlík
obžalovaný Císař
Světla Amortová
Císařova žena
Josef Větrovec
pracovník Jihomoravských tiskáren
Josef Kozák
starý zahradník
Stanislav Fišer
Arnošt, Jarčin kolega
František Holar
Jarčin kolega
František Daniel
přísedící u soudu
Alena Růžičková
sousedka
Ladislav Večeřa
milenec
Viktor Očásek
vrátný v tiskárně
Jarmila Navrátilová
Machová, Jarčina kolegyně
Milana Melcerová
brýlatá Jarčina kolegyně
Ela Šilarová
žena v obchodě
Vlastimil Čaněk
řidič
Otakar Brousek
prokurátor
Miloslav Janovský
kněz
Václav Wasserman
hráč šachů
Jiří Stivín
mladík u hracího automatu
Helena Blehárová
zpěvačka
Orchestr Gustava Broma
orchestr
Gustav Brom
zpěvák a dirigent
Vítězslav Černý
muž s hadicí
Jan Trefulka
brýlatý muž v hospodě
Miroslav Hedánek
solidní otec
Jiřina Barášová
kamarádka Hanákovy milenky
Ladislav Gzela
opilec
František Kubíček
opilec
M. Brabcová
žena v restauraci
Věra Barešová
zapisovatelka u soudu
H. Blahotová
brýlatá dívka
Dubbing
Mirko Musil
hlas hádajícího se manžela
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Based on
Jan Trefulka (Třiatřicet stříbrných křepelek – novela)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Jiří Drégr, Josef Dvořák, Oldřich Halaza, Vojtěch Palek
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Ladislav Hausdorf, Bohumír Brunclík (zvukové efekty)
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Vladislav Špidra, Jiří Zika
Unit Production Manager
Consultant
pplk. František Hrabovský , JUDr. Jaroslav Blažek
Cooperation
Věra Houšková (klapka), Vladimír Souček (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Georges Bizet (Carmen /árie Toreadore smělý/ – opera)
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín), Orchestr Gustava Broma (Music Conducted by Gustav Brom)
Singer
Production info
Original Title
Třiatřicet stříbrných křepelek
Czech Title
Třiatřicet stříbrných křepelek
English Title
Thirty-three Silver Quails
Working Title
Jak odcházejí / Odcházejí
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1964
Production Year
1964
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 10 January 1964
technical Screenplay approved 19 March 1964
start of filming 6 July 1964
end of filming 6 November 1964
projection approval 22 June 1965
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1973
Premiere
premiere 10 September 1965 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 1 October 1965 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Světozor /2 týdny/, Praha)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Tvůrčí skupina Šmída – Fikar, Ladislav Fikar (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Bohumil Šmída (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
84 min
Original length in metres
2 406 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,66, 1:2,35
Colour
black & white
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
