Based on a book by Soviet writer Ilja Ehrenburg, this 1966 Czechoslovak-Austrian co-production offers three whimsical tales. Director Vojtěch Jasný guided this feature-film project in between duties directing the celebrated works Až přijde kocour (That Cat..., 1963) and Všichni dobří rodáci (All Good Countrymen, 1968). The trio of light-hearted historical tales from the pen of the unabashed West-loathing Ehrenburg is only politically neutral on the surface. All three show a simple pipe illustrating the laughable incompetence of the arrogant, archaic English, but also American and German. The first story features an actor so spellbound by his role that he ceases to be aware of the real world; in the second and third stories the pipe comes to symbolise adultery and impotence. This less-than-subtle co-production features a mixed cast. The film’s competitive screening at the Cannes Film Festival can be understood as a push by its foreign co-producer, following the previous screening of two of director Jasný’s films at the festival – namely Touha (Desire, 1958) and That Cat...
Three short stories.
It was originally planned to film another, fourth tale, The Captain´s Pipe. Adolf Hoffmeister collaborated on the screenplay for the tale The Lord´s Pipe.
Voice by Miloš Kopecký
herec George Randy
Voice by Jiřina Jirásková
herečka Mary, Randyho žena
herec William Poker, hrající Joea
režisér
herec Jurs, hrající překupníka kožešin
pastor
vetešník
listonoš
pomocný režisér
žena ve vězení
lékař
policista
člen štábu
člen štábu
lady Mary
Voice by Felix le Breux
lord Edward Grayton
lord William
psář John
komorná
Voice by Iva Janžurová
selka Elsa
Voice by Jiří Sovák
myslivec Kurt, Elsin muž
italský zajatec Marcello
hlas prodavače dýmek
hlas oddávajícího kněze
hlas komorníka
hlas myslivce
Ilja Erenburg (Třináct dýmek /Trinadcať trubok/ – kniha)
Vojtěch Jasný, Adolf Hoffmeister (spolupráce na scénáři povídky Dýmka lordova)
Jiří Rulík
dr. Daniel Stanko
Johann Strauss (Radeckého pochod /Radetzky-Marsch/)
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Dýmky
Dýmky
Pipes
Pfeifen, Betten, Turteltauben
Čtyři dýmky
povídkový film
featuretheatrical distribution
comedy, short-story
Czechoslovakia, Austria
1966
1965—1966
literary Screenplay approved 27 November 1964
technical Screenplay approved 20 August 1965
start of filming 1 September 1965
end of filming 22 February 1966
projection approval 24 May 1966
withdrawal from distribution 1 June 1971
premiere 16 September 1966 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 23 September 1966 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Alfa /6½ týdne/, Praha)
Tvůrčí skupina Novotný – Kubala, Bedřich Kubala (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Ladislav Novotný (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)
feature film
84 min
2 373 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,66, 1:2,35
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech