Writer Vladimír Páral first came to the attention of filmmakers in 1967 when director Hynek Bočan adapted his book Soukromá vichřice (Private Gale) into this feature-film comedy. Bočan’s previous film – feature debut Nikdo se nebude smát (Nobody Gets the Last Laugh, 1965) – was also inspired by a literary work, namely a short story by Milan Kundera. The novel Soukromá vichřice (Private Storm) was published in 1966 (its expanded subtitle reads: Laboratorní zpráva ze života hmyzu, or A Laboratory Report on the Life of Insects). Similarly to other stories from Páral´s “Black Pentalogy” (Veletrh splněných přání, or Fair of Fulfilled Wishes; Katapult, or Catapult; Milenci a vrazi, or Lovers & Murderers; Profesionální žena, or Professional Woman), the work is critical of archetypal heroic stereotypes, paradoxically merely trying to escape everyday banality and boredom. The protagonist of this story is chemical factory employee Áda Vinš, who tries to escape from his marriage to Joža via a relationship with Bohunka – a girlfriend of his subordinate Standa. Joska – who loans his cottage to the lovers – in turn comforts the lonely Joža… The games of canasta, by which the protagonists bide their time when visiting each other, serve as a symbol representing the characters’ wasted lives… The screenplay, written by the author of the original novel, along with experienced screenwriter Věra Kalábová and director Bočan, employs Páral’s archetypal partnership pattern, which resonates in the relationships and conduct of the characters. This unpitying probe into the misery of communist Czechoslovakia in the 60s gains a timeless importance due to the way in which it captures the setting and the characters. Hynek Bočan, who “destroyed” his promising career a year later by filming the depressing Pasťák (The Borstal, 1968/1990), cast several top actors of the day. Áda is portrayed by Josef Somr, Standa by Pavel Landovský and Joža by Míla Myslíková. Debuting Daniela Kovářová plays the part of Bohunka. Páral appears as a man in a pub wearing glasses. Jiří Menzel, Jiřina Bohdalová and Václav Neckář play themselves as customers in a Chinese restaurant.
The lives of the employees of an Ústí nad Labem chemical plant proceed on well-worn tracks. After ten years of marriage, Áda Vinš gets chicken every Sunday and sex every Saturday from his wife Joža. Every Sunday they also play canasta with Mr and Mrs Nejtr. Áda's subordinate, the thirty-year old foreman Standa, sweats away renovating a little house every day after work. Every Saturday he makes love with his Bohunka and on Sunday he is back building. The working days are all alike too, and the only things that change are the seasons. But one Spring Saturday everything is different. Áda waits by the car for Joža, who is shopping. He is bored and so starts chatting with the pretty Bohunka. The girl accepts his invitation to take her on a trip to the country. Compared with the prosaic Standa, the experienced Áda can offer romantic speeches and manners and Bohunka succumbs to his "charms". The lovers move into a log cabin that Joska Nejtr has lent Áda. Joska himself exploits the situation to comfort the deserted Joža. The unhappy Standa thinks up various traps and tricks to destroy the seducer of his Bohunka, but the affair between Áda and Bohunka is falling apart by itself. The cottage is damp and cold and every day the girl cooks the only dish she knows - goulash with sausages. Áda is glad when Standa takes her away from the cabin. After a while everything is back on its old tramlines. Joža has been given a gold bracelet as a peace-offering. Standa and Bohunka, now married, welcome a visit from another young couple who wants to play canasta.
Bohunka Augustová
Standa Kocián, Bohunčin snoubenec
Áda Vinš, Standův nadřízený
Joža, Vinšova žena
Joska Nejtr, Ádův podřízený
Ida, Nejtrova žena
Inka, Bohunčina spolubydlící
Standova matka
Standův otec
sekretářka
Miran, Inčin snoubenec
hostinský na venkově
vrátná
vrátný
zedník
bezpečák
opilec v hospodě
vrchní číšník v kavárně
Idin mladík
host v čínské restauraci
vrchní číšník v intelektuálské kavárně
on sám, host čínské restaurace
ona sama, host čínské restaurace
on sám, host čínské restaurace
muž podobný Vinšovi
žena podobná Jože
vrchní číšník
opilec před hospodou
prodavačka
milenec
brýlatý host v hospodě
voják na ulici
Karel Brchel
Vladimír Páral (Soukromá vichřice – novela)
Viktor Fixl, Emanuel Dvořáček, Eva Slívová
Ctibor Jeřábek
Hana Nývltová (klapka), Josef Janoušek (fotograf)
Bedřich Smetana (Prodaná nevěsta /sbor Proč bychom se netěšili/ – opera)
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)
Song Composer Jaromír Vomáčka
Writer of Lyrics Vratislav Blažek
Singer Václav Neckář
Song Composer Jaromír Vejvoda
Singer Josef SomrPavel Landovský
Soukromá vichřice
Soukromá vichřice
Private Gale
film
featuretheatrical distribution
comedy
Czechoslovakia
1967
1967
literary Screenplay approved 12 October 1966
technical Screenplay approved 2 January 1967
start of filming 15 January 1967
end of filming 4 July 1967
projection approval 3 October 1967
withdrawal from distribution 6 April 1973
premiere 22 December 1967 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Sevastopol /2 týdny/, Jalta /2 týdny od 19. 1. 1968/ a Metro /2 týdny od 19. 1. 1968/, Praha)
premiere 22 December 1967 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Tvůrčí skupina Šebor – Bor, Vladimír Bor (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Jiří Šebor (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)
feature film
95 min
2 701 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,37
black & white
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Event: Peněžitá odměna za film v rámci hodnocení produkce Filmového studia Barrandov v roce 1967
1968
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Hynek Bočan
Event: Ceny Trilobit 1967
1968
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Josef Somr
Event: Peněžitá odměna za film v rámci hodnocení produkce Filmového studia Barrandov v roce 1967
1968
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Věra Kalábová