A Jester's Tale
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1964Production year
1963—1964Premiere
18 December 1964Runtime
82 minDirector
Karel ZemanCategory
filmGenre
historical, comedy, special effectsTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Bláznova kronikaCzech title
Bláznova kronikaEnglish title
A Jester's TaleWorking title
Dva mušketýřiSummary
The exceptional qualities of Karel Zeman’s motion pictures were not only achieved thanks to the support of artistic and technical concepts provided by the director’s film crew, the contributing screenwriters were also essential to his output. It was Pavel Juráček who, along with Zeman, penned the screenplay for the anti-war tragicomedy Bláznova kronika (A Jester’s Tale) made in 1964. Juráček left an indelible mark on Czechoslovak filmmaking of the 1960s. In the making of A Jester’s Tale, a film that marries a historical theme with timeless absurdity, Juráček firmly linked Zeman’s work with the Czechoslovak New Wave. The trio of main protagonists – young villager Petr (Petr Kostka), recruiting officer Matěj (Miloslav Holub) and their female friend Lenka (Emília Vášáryová) – try hard to keep their lives, freedoms and cheerfulness amid the horrors of the Thirty Years’ War. This highly acclaimed film is another demonstration of the ability of Karel Zeman and his team to both charmingly and ingeniously combine live action with animation.
Synopsis
It is the year 1625, the time of the Thirty Years War. Bohemia is divided into two camps. On the one side stands the Hapsburg Emperor Ferdinand II, on the other, the Danish King Christian IV. The press-gang of armies of both rulers search for men for their troops. Among those captured is the young villager Petr; the soldiers hustle him into uniform and Matěj, the King's officer of the press-gang, ties him to his horse. In an unguarded moment Petr runs away but falls into hands of the other army, the one of the emperor. Along with him, Matěj is also captured. For Matěj, however, military service always means the same. He just turns his coat inside out, and, all of a sudden, turns himself into a soldier in the emperor's service. One day, the two musketeers lose their way and find an abandoned wagon with a trunk containing precious objects and suits. Petr is not interested in gold and sets off to go his way alone. He meets a destitute girl named Lenka. Soon, Matěj catches up with them, pursued by a squad of soldiers. Petr promptly puts on a beautiful suit, Matěj again turns his coat inside out and Lenka becomes a clown. But this time, Matěj selected the wrong side, and the trio falls into hands of the imperial army. On the manor of the emperor's supporters, they are handled variously, depending on which side is winning at the moment. Petr has a special position, for they want to marry him to the young Countess Veronika. Lenka who loves Petr, however, does not give up her boyfriend. Eventually, all three manage to escape and experience many adventures before they reach happiness.
Photos
Cast
Petr Kostka
Petr
Miloslav Holub
verbíř Matyáš z Babic zvaný Matěj
Emília Vášáryová
Lenka
Valentina Thielová
komtesa Veronika
Karel Effa
hejtman Varga z Koňousova
Eva Šenková
hraběnka, matka Veroniky
Eduard Kohout
hrabě, otec Veroniky
Vladimír Menšík
dvorní malíř
Čestmír Řanda
vachtmajstr
Jiří Holý
španělský důstojník
Josef Haukvic
císařský mušketýr
František Kovářík
Voice by František Smolík
šašek
Ota Žebrák
ansfeldovský důstojník
Václav Švec
hradní stráž
Olga Schoberová
pradlena
Martin Raus
císařský důstojník
Milan Neděla
kovář
Míla Myslíková
služebná
Ladislav Gzela
hradní stráž
Alois Dvorský
strážný na hlásce
Vítězslav Černý
mušketýr
Zdeněk Braunschläger
mušketýr
Stanislav Ebens
mušketýr
Otakar Moučka
mušketýr
Marie Hübschová
dvorní dáma
Zdeňka Balounová
dvorní dáma
Olga Světelská
dvorní dáma
Miriam Kantorková
dvorní dáma
O. Nosková
dvorní dáma
Lubomír Bryg
kuchtík
Jaroslav Klenot
rváč
Jiří Lanský
rváč
Ludvík Wolf
rváč
Karel Engel
rváč
Evelyna Stryhalová
kurtizána
Alois Müller
velitel stráže
Jan Libíček
vozka-verbíř
Vladimír Linka
dvořan
Jiří Lukeš
princátko
Milan Kindl
kat
Božena Köhlerová
děvečka
O. Kulčycká
děvečka
Oldřich Stodola
posel poražených
Vladimír Navrátil
dvořan
Otto Ohnesorg
generál
Miloslav Šindler
lokaj
Václav Podhorský
císařský mušketýr
Jindřich Poledňa
halapartník
Jiří Šindelář (4)
zbrojnoš
Pavel Robin
Vargův mušketýr
Zdeněk Skalický
císařský mušketýr
Antonín Soukup
hradní stráž
Zdeněk Týle
sluha hraběte
Miloslav Průša
šermíř
I. Černohorský
šermíř
J. Černohorský
šermíř
K. Palivec
šermíř
V. Nádvorník
šermíř
Zdeněk Vašek
mušketýr
Gustav Vondráček
mušketýr
Ladislav Zápotocký
generál
Jiří Zach
generál
Ervín Zolar
opilý strážce
Bohuslav Kupšovský
lokaj
Commentary
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Eliška Doubková
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Commentary by
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Set Designer
Josef Dvořák, Jan David (2), Vojtěch Palek
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Trikový ateliér FSB, Arnošt Kupčík, František Krčmář, Bohuslav Pikhart, Zdeněk Ostrčil, Josef Zeman
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Růžena Hulínská, Václav Dobeš
Unit Production Manager
Jiří Mařas
Cooperation
Jana Cunderlová (klapka), Josef Vítek (fotograf)
Music
Songs
Tomášku, člověče, tvé mládí uteče
Song Composer Jan Novák
Writer of Lyrics Ludvík Kundera
Singer Olga Schoberová [dab]
Víno je nejvěrnější z kumpánů /Pijácká/
Song Composer Jan Novák
Writer of Lyrics Ludvík Kundera
Singer Miloslav Holub [dab]Rudolf Pellar
Production info
Original Title
Bláznova kronika
Czech Title
Bláznova kronika
English Title
A Jester's Tale
Working Title
Dva mušketýři
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
historical, comedy, special effects
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1964
Production Year
1963—1964
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 1 November 1962
technical Screenplay approved 31 January 1963
start of filming 26 June 1963
end of filming 22 June 1964
projection approval 25 August 1964
withdrawal from distribution 30 April 1991
Premiere
preview 13 November 1964 (kino Sevastopol /1 týden/, Praha)
premiere 18 December 1964 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 1 January 1965 /suitable for youths/ (kino Lucerna /5 týdnů/, 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
82 min
Original length in metres
2 333 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,66
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
Exhibition: 2. mezinárodní týden fantastických filmů a hororů Sitges
1969
Sitges / Spain
Vítěz
Event: 5. mezinárodní setkání filmů pro mládež Cannes
1965
Cannes / France
Vítěz
Festival: 5. festival veselí Viennale
1965
Vídeň / Austria
Vítěz
Event: 5. mezinárodní setkání filmů pro mládež Cannes
1965
Cannes / France
Vítěz
Festival: 6. mezinárodní filmový festival Montréal
1965
Montréal / Canada
Vítěz
Event: 5. mezinárodní setkání filmů pro mládež Cannes
1965
Cannes / France
Vítěz
Festival: 2. mezinárodní filmový festival Addis Abeba
1964
Addis Abeba / Ethiopia
Vítěz
Festival: 8. mezinárodní filmový festival San Francisco
1964
San Francisco / United States of America
Karel Zeman
Vítěz
Festival: 8. mezinárodní filmový festival San Francisco
1964
San Francisco / United States of America
Revue
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