Saint from Krejcárek

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1969

Production year

1969

Premiere

13 March 1970

Runtime

88 min

Director

Petr Tuček

Category

film

Genre

allegory, psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Svatej z Krejcárku

Czech title

Svatej z Krejcárku

English title

Saint from Krejcárek

Working title

Svatý z Krejcárku

Summary

This 1969 feature-film debut from Petr Tuček tells the modern-day story of simple cobbler Lájošek Cína, who swaps trades after being chosen by delivery driver Martin to be his assistant. Cína begins living with Martin’s fanciful lover Magda in the Krejcárek district in Prague’s Žižkov. He treats her children as his own and enjoys good relations with all the other inhabitants of this colourful community – but only until he finally erupts in a jealous rage and causes an irreparable tragedy. This tragicomedy, set against the popular backdrop of the workers' quarter of Žižkov, offered experienced actor Václav Kotva a rare chance at a major leading role. Robust driver Martin, who pulls the unhappy Lájošek into a world of problems, is played by František Peterka. The role of Magda goes to the unfairly forgotten Jaroslava Vysloužilová.

Synopsis

Lorry driver Martin drops into a shoe repair shop one day and it strikes him that the small, quiet cobbler Lájošek Cína can't possibly be happy there. He decides that the cobbler ought to become his driver's mate, and so he gives in Cína's notice to his boss on his behalf. The smiling and amenable man accepts his new life without protest. Because he had previously been sleeping in the workshop, Martin finds him lodgings in a colony of small houses in Krejcárek with his girlfriend Magda, the mother of four small girls. Magda, who belongs to everyone and no one, gets to like living with the altruistic Lájošek, who immediately declares himself the father of her daughters. Meanwhile Martin is having problems with his lawful wife Kateřina, who wants to get a divorce and go abroad with a lover. After a time Magda tells Lájošek that she is pregnant. He looks forward to his first child and isn't bothered when it turns out to be a mulatto child. He loves little Martínek and is as devoted to him as to the daughters. The juggler Harry returns to the neighbourhoods and Magda decides to move in with him and take the children. Martin is jealous of Harry, but loses in a fight with him. The endlessly patient Lájošek, who has endured the ridicule of the neighbours at his living with a woman easy virtue for the whole time, cannot bear the fact that he is going to lose "his family", and he kills Magda, who has already refused to live with him, with an axe.

Cast

Václav Kotva

Lájošek Cína

František Peterka

řidič Martin Zach

Jaroslav Kníže

Samuel Kazda, bývalý papírník

Karel Jelínek

hrobník Jožka Kristus

Stanislav Stolbenko

žonglér Harry Busch

Drahoslava Landsmanová

Kateřina, Zachova žena

Karel Roden

profesor Vondrovič, milenec Kateřiny

Ivana Mandíková

Magdina dcera

Ilona Petržílková

Magdina dcera

Zdenka Smrčková

Magdina dcera

Andrea Czajczyková

Magdina dcera

Daniel Eghan

Martínek, Magdin syn

Anna Innemannová

Irena

Bohumil Koška

major Jarda Vágner, Magdin bývalý milenec

Vladimír Jedenáctík

uhlíř Jandáček

Viktor Očásek

vrátný v porodnici

Josef Menzel

kanovník

Václav Brtna

hromotluk

Václav Král

hostinský

Jindřich Merbs

artista

Antonín Pokorný

apač

Oto Ševčík

svatebčan

Blažena Vernerová

zdravotní sestra

Crew and creators

Director

Petr Tuček

Second Unit Director

Jiří Růžička st.

Assistant Director

Jiří Potsch

Continuity

Jiřina Srbová

Screenstory

Vladimír Kalina

Director of Photography

Andrej Barla

Second Unit Photography

Jiří Stöhr

Camera Operator

Pavel Dosoudil, Pavel Nečesal

Production Designer

Karel Černý

Assistent Production Designer

Miloš Červinka

Set Designer

Jiří Čermák, Eva Slívová

Costume Designer

Naděžda Hanáková

Film Editor

Zdeněk Stehlík

Assistant Film Editor

Jana Šimůnková

Sound Designer

Dobroslav Šrámek

Special Effects

Trikový ateliér FSB

Production Manager

Zdeněk Oves

Unit Production Manager

Vladislav Špidra, Antonín Navrátil, Ctibor Jeřábek

Unit Production Manager

Eliška Pospíšilová

Cooperation

Alena Řepová (klapka)

Music

Music Composed by

Svatopluk Havelka

Selected Music

Bedřich Smetana (Má vlast /Vltava/), Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (Svatební pochod)

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)

Songs

Nikdo nás neuvidí

Singer Václav KotvaFrantišek PeterkaJaroslav Kníže

Tou Putimskou branou šel vojáček s pannou

Singer dětský sbor

Živijó, živijó

Singer František PeterkaKarel JelínekJaroslav Kníže

Nemelem, nemelem

Singer sbor

Zasadil jsem konvalinky

Singer sbor

Já půjdu za tebou

Singer František Peterka

Koupím já si koně vraný

Song Composer lidová píseň
Writer of Lyrics lidová píseň
Singer František Peterka

V Hodoníně za vojáčka mňa vzali

Song Composer lidová píseň
Writer of Lyrics lidová píseň
Singer František PeterkaVáclav KotvaJaroslav Kníže

Production info

Original Title

Svatej z Krejcárku

Czech Title

Svatej z Krejcárku

English Title

Saint from Krejcárek

Working Title

Svatý z Krejcárku

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

allegory, psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1969

Production Year

1969

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 28 November 1968
technical Screenplay approved 6 March 1969
start of filming 7 March 1969
end of filming 24 July 1969
the first film copy approved 12 November 1969
projection approval 27 November 1969
withdrawal from distribution 1 September 1974

Premiere

premiere 13 March 1970 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 9 April 1970 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Klub /2 týdny/ a Městská knihovna /1 týden od 23. 4./, Praha)

Creative Group

Tvůrčí skupina Šmída – Daniel, František Daniel (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Bohumil Šmída (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

88 min

Original length in metres

2 494 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:2,35

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech