In 1966, Bořivoj Zeman joined the popular trend of making Czech parodies of “capitalist entertainment.” Like the films Limonádový Joe aneb Koňská opera (Lemonade Joe, 1964), Adéla ještě nevečeřela (Adela Has Not Had Her Supper Yet, 1977), and Tajemství hradu v Karpatech (The Mystery of the Carpathian Castle, 1981), Fantom Morrisvillu (The Phantom of Morrisville) provides a contrast by adding a Czech element to an old-world fictional template. The screenwriter was František Vlček, who had already penned the unrivalled parody Pytlákova schovanka aneb Šlechetný milionář (The Poacher's Foster Daughter, 1949). The Phantom of Morrisville also relies on a defunct subgenre – trashy reading material in the style of the English detective novelist Edgar Wallace. The story is framed by a character who is a member of an opera orchestra whose drums are desperately underutilised in Bizet’s Carmen. The musician passes the time by reading a tattered edition of a detective novel – The Phantom of Morrisville by James Harrison. With its hero, Sir Hanibal Morris, he embarks on an exciting adventure set in the eponymous aristocratic mansion, which is full of secret passageways… Before his marriage to the beautiful Clarence, Morris is haunted by his unresolved past in the form of the villainous adventurer Diaz. He has escaped from jail just before he was due to be executed and he sets out for Morrisville with his three henchmen to seek revenge… The musician tries to finish the novel whilst routinely performing his work at the same time. Consequently, the action is interrupted and scenes are stolen by interludes of “real” life. Besides situational gags, dry English humour also plays in important role in the story. The musical numbers are a less fortunate idea. They sound jarring alongside Bizet and they disrupt the stylistic unity of the detective story. Putting Waldemar Matuška in the role of Diaz is an interesting piece of casting (although the popular star at that time was used more organically in Lemonade Joe). Actors who stand out in the apposite cast include Oldřich Nový as Sir Morris/the musician, Vít Olmer as the investigator Allan Pinkerton, Jan Skopeček in the role of the punctilious manservant John, and Květa Fialová as Clarence.
At the Smetana Theatre in Prague, the performance of G. Bizet's opera Carmen begins. Elderly percussionist Emil, playing drums, has plenty of time in the intervals of his routine to read The Phantom of Morrisville and experience great adventures as Sir Hannibal. - Inspector Brumpby and the young crime reporter Allan Pinkerton attend Hannibal's wedding with beautiful Clarence. After the ceremony, Clarence's ex-husband, criminal Manuel Diaz, who was believed dead, shows up in her room. He wants to get his hands on Clarence and, most importantly, on the money she would inherit in the eventuality of her new husband's death. Diaz makes attempts on Hannibal's life. He knows his way about an underground labyrinth in the chateau and the traps he sets up for Hannibal seem to work, since Hannibal is apparently found dead after an explosion in the labyrinth, after which his body vanishes. The inspector tries to solve the countless mysteries. In this, he is joined by Allan, always ahead of the man of the law in his estimation and judgement of the situation. However, the two men face some death-defying situations. Luckily, Allan always manages to cope with everything. A man wearing the mask of the Phantom, the disguised Sir Hannibal himself, also helps them a great deal. Finally, it all ends well. Allan even confesses his love to beautiful secretary Mabel and then a mysterious lady reveals that Allan is the son of Lord Hannibal. - The performance of Carmen is over, the conductor borrows the novel from Emil. The musician's wife waits for her husband and takes him home.
The book that the musician is reading in the film is entitled The Phantom of Morrisswille (its title is different fromt that of the film).
sir Hanibal Morris/hudebník Emil
Clarence Hamiltonová, Hanibalova snoubenka
Voice by Eva Klepáčová
Mabel, Hanibalova sekretářka
reportér Allan Pinkerton, Hanibalův syn
dobrodruh Manuel Diaz
inspektor Brumpby ze Scotland Yardu
MUDr. Stolly
sluha John
Dixi zvaný Čahoun
Drummond zvaný Růženka
Miki zvaný Kuřátko
dáma v šedém alias krasojezdkyně Arabela, Allanova matka
Ind Abú, strážce tygrů
corroner
lady Whiteová, majitelka útulku pro nenapravitelné zločince
vydavatel novin M. C. Pelham
oddávající pastor
ceremoniář
harfenistka Helena, Emilova žena
žalářník ve vězení
vězeňský kněz
mladší muž
dáma s třešněmi
varhaník
vedoucí chovanců
dáma
mahárádža
zahradník Hans van Kakrlak
ošetřovatelka
stráž
svatebčan
svatebčan
svatebčanka
svatebčanka
svatebčanka
svatebčanka
svatebčan
svatebčanka
svatebčan
dirigent
starý lord
stará lady
holohlavý pán
vyzáblý pán
důstojník
trpaslík-topič
žena v lóži
řidič v livreji
Fantom
Voice by Eva Klepáčová
sekretářka u Pellhama
barman
družička
pozounista v divadle
Mojmír Ticháček
Josef Dvořák, Vojtěch Palek, Karel Průcha
Jaroslava Pražská
Marcela Jakubcová (klapka), Miloslav Mirvald (fotograf)
Georges Bizet (opera Carmen), Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (Svatební pochod)
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín), Orchestr Václava Hybše (Music Conducted by Václav Hybš)
Song Composer Julius Kalaš
Writer of Lyrics Ivo Fischer
Singer Waldemar Matuška
Song Composer Julius Kalaš
Writer of Lyrics Ivo Fischer
Singer Waldemar MatuškaVokální soubor Lubomíra Pánka
Song Composer Julius Kalaš
Writer of Lyrics Ivo Fischer
Singer Waldemar Matuška
Song Composer Julius Kalaš
Writer of Lyrics Karel Hrnčíř
Singer Oldřich Nový
Song Composer Julius Kalaš
Writer of Lyrics Ivo Fischer
Singer Waldemar Matuška
Song Composer Julius Kalaš
Writer of Lyrics Ivo Fischer
Singer Waldemar MatuškaVokální soubor Lubomíra Pánka
Fantom Morrisvillu
Fantom Morrisvillu
The Phantom of Morrisville
Fantom Morrisvillu aneb Píseň děsu
film
featuretheatrical distribution
horror, music, parody
Czechoslovakia
1966
1965—1966
literary Screenplay approved 2 June 1965
technical Screenplay approved 15 July 1965
start of filming 11 October 1965
end of filming 7 February 1966
projection approval 12 April 1966
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1975
withdrawal from distribution 28 February 1993
premiere 22 June 1966 /suitable for youths/ (kina 64 U Hradeb /6 týdnů/, Aero /½ týdne od 22. 7./, Mír /1 týden od 29. 7./ a Flora /1 týden od 5. 8./, Praha)
premiere 15 July 1966 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
renewed premiere 1 August 1983 /suitable for youths/
Ústřední půjčovna filmů (původní 1966 a obnovená 1983)
Tvůrčí skupina Šebor – Bor, Vladimír Bor (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Jiří Šebor (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)
feature film
87 min
2 472 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,37
black & white
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech