The Spree
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1966Production year
1966Premiere
9 December 1966Runtime
82 minDirector
Miroslav HubáčekCategory
filmGenre
comedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
FlámCzech title
FlámEnglish title
The SpreeSummary
Czech actors seldom have tailor-made roles written for them. One exception came in the film Flám (The Spree, 1966), in which the leading role is portrayed by Miloš Kopecký. The 44-year-old actor was at the peak of his fame (in 1966 alone he starred in four features). The comedy mines Kopecký’s charisma to good effect, in what is a somewhat ambivalent role. Director Miroslav Hubáček casts his star as the outwardly sophisticated architect Donát, who finds it very hard to meet the expectations placed upon him. This is also the case with his superficial lover (played by Olga Schoberová), who expects protection from her partner while supposedly seeking work. Donát succumbs to deception when he meets a beautiful woman (played by Jana Hlaváčová), whom he believes could genuinely revolutionise his average life. With the addition of simple anecdotes and spirited, witty dialogue, the film was partly influenced by the star himself, who brought in Jiří Mucha to adapt Otto Zelenka’s script.
Synopsis
Architect Jiří Donát, a single middle-aged man, is distinguishes from most of his peers, by his beard with which he seems to be hidign his real face. He considers himself an average man professionally, and catastrophe-prone in personal relationships. Pretty and superficial shop assistant Eva wants to become famous and makes no attempt to hide the fact she expects support and connections from her lover Donát. Donát displeased by this, still tries to win over the director of his organization, an aging, energetic and somewhat mannish woman. First he butters her up with routine flattery, only to lose her sympathy entirely with a tactless request for a modelling job for Eva. His lover's mood is spoiled by the news and she run away from a café the same night and goes to a party out of Prague with an orchestra that she wants to join as a singer. But Donát does not remain alone. The wife of a womaniser friend unexpectedly arrives in the café, where her husband is sitting with a pretty girl. The friend asks Donát to act as if the girl was his lover. The architect and the girl, who introduces herself as Dana, visit several nightspots and he finally invites her to his flat. The girl is good-looking and friendly, but the superficial man takes her for a prostitute. The young, intelligent and witty woman, who only wanted to experience something exciting and unusual, is disappointed by that. When Donát realizes his mistake, it is already too late. Dana leaves with a very cold goodbye and he is left with nothing but bitterness over a wasted opportunity.
Photos
Cast
Miloš Kopecký
architekt Jiří Donát
Vlasta Matulová
ředitelka podniku Eliška Bočková
Jana Hlaváčová
kreslička Dana vlastním jmém Šárka Slabihoudová
Olga Schoberová
prodavačka Eva, Donátova přítelkyně
Vladimír Menšík
Bedřich, Donátův známý
Jiří Menzel
brýlatý mladík
Zdeněk Dítě
majitel auta
Eduard Dubský
vrchní v Selektu
Jan Libíček
vedoucí orchestru Dvořáček
Blažena Slavíčková
Evina bytná
Jaroslav Mareš
opilec Rudýnek
Jan Přeučil
příslušník VB
Vladimír Hrubý
opilec před barem
Zdeněk Týle
starší pán
Miloš Willig
hudebník
Mirko Musil
soused
Miluše Zoubková
sousedova milenka
Ivana Karbanová
dívka v kavárně
Dana Reimová
dívka v kavárně
Eva Jiroušková
Boženka, Bedřichova manželka
Jan Víšek
vrchní ve Vltavě
Zdeněk Braunschläger
opilec se sportkou
Václav Štercl
železničář
Libuše Zátková
dívka v tramvaji
Miroslav Berka
hudebník v Selektu
Pavel Chrastina
hudebník v Selektu
Petr Janda
hudebník v Selektu
Ladislav Klein
hudebník v Selektu
Jan Antonín Pacák
hudebník v Selektu
Dalibor Svašek
hudebník v Selektu
J. Bezkočka
hudebník v Selektu
J. Bartoníček
hudebník v Selektu
Jan Hochman
hudebník v Selektu
Stanislav Kubík
hudebník ve Vltavě
Milan Mader (2)
hudebník ve Vltavě
Jiří Mráz
hudebník ve Vltavě
Ota Rendla
hudebník ve Vltavě
Karel Velebný
hudebník ve Vltavě
V. Šindler
hudebník ve Vltavě
Vl. Vondráček
hudebník ve Vltavě
J. Hanzlík
hudebník ve Vltavě
Náhlovský
hudebník ve Vltavě
I. Coneva
zpěvačka ve Vltavě
Jaromír Otto Karel
muž u klavíru
Pavel Mráček
mladík na skútru
Magda Maděrová
šatnářka
Jan Cmíral
příslušník VB
Vladimír Navrátil
architekt
Jindřich Heidelberg
vrchní ve vinárně
Helena Růžičková
silná dívka
Marcela Sedláčková
šatnářka ve Vltavě
Saša Grossová
osamělá žena
Jana Štěpková
mladá dívka
Jan Diviš
příslušník VBŽ
Vladimír Linka
hudebník
Rudolf Veselý
venkovan
Jitka Šulcová
dívka na skútru
Jan Tureček
vrátný
H. Ťukalová
modelářka
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Rudolf Beneš, Vladimír Mácha, Suchý
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Marie Poledníková, Jan Šuster
Unit Production Manager
Vilém Henzel
Cooperation
Bohuslav Kück (fotograf)
Music
Songs
Volání divokých husí
Song Composer Jaromír Vomáčka
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Vitinger
Singer Milan Chladil
Pomalu a líně /Lazy River/
Song Composer tradicionálPavel Vitoch /úprava/
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Štaidl
Singer Yvonne Přenosilová
Krásné dívky hloupé jsou
Singer skupina Olympic
Production info
Original Title
Flám
Czech Title
Flám
English Title
The Spree
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
comedy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1966
Production Year
1966
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 28 July 1965
technical Screenplay approved 23 March 1966
start of filming 30 March 1966
end of filming 29 June 1966
projection approval 30 September 1966
withdrawal from distribution 31 October 1972
Premiere
premiere 9 December 1966 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Pasáž /4 týdny/, Praha)
premiere 9 December 1966 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
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
2 341 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
