Pleasures of the Father of His Country
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1969Production year
1968—1969Premiere
8 July 1969Runtime
100 minDirector
Karel SteklýCategory
filmGenre
historical, comedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Slasti Otce vlastiCzech title
Slasti Otce vlastiEnglish title
Pleasures of the Father of His CountryWorking title
Králova učňovská léta aneb Malá škola dějepisuSummary
Jaromír Hanzlík and Daniela Kolářová performed in not just one but two films inspired by the life of Emperor Charles IV: the romantic comedy Slasti Otce vlasti (Pleasures of the Father of His Country, 1969) and Noc na Karlštejně (Night at Karlštejn, 1973). However, in the latter film, a musical directed by Zdeněk Podskalský, they played only supporting roles while Vlastimil Brodský took on the part of the Father of the Nation. In Pleasures of the Father of His Country, directed by Karel Steklý to a script by Jan Procházka, the duo of Hanzlík and Kolářová play the central couple: young Prince Wenceslaus (later Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV) and his fiancée Blanche de Valois. The heir apparent undergoes a dramatic personal development from naïve love-struck youth to responsible man of action capable of raising the indebted Bohemian kingdom to new glories and of standing up to his authoritarian father, John of Luxembourg (John the Blind). The part of John went to Miloš Kopecký who also starred in another historical drama created by the Procházka-Steklý partnership; Svatby pana Voka (Weddings of Petr Vok of Rožmberk, 1970).
Synopsis
The young Prince Charles, the future Father of his Country Charles IV, is being educated at the French court in the company of his fiancée Blanche. One day he receives a summons from his father John of Luxembourg in Italy. He leaves for Italy accompanied by a deputation from Bohemia led by Bušek of Velhartice. On the way the prince's company fights a battle with armed Milanese against heavy odds. Thanks to Charles's perspicacity, or perhaps the intercession of St. Catherine, the prince's almost naked soldiers win through. In Lucca in Italy Charles joins his father, and here he experiences an amorous adventure and escapes from the traps laid by the Italian rebels. Later the king marries him to Blanche and sends him to Bohemia with the title and powers of a margrave. The situation in Bohemia is not easy for the young couple. The country is burdened by debts and the royal property pawned to the Czech lords. The young Charles energetically sets about remedying the situation. He has to face various devious tricks, but in the end his efforts bear fruit. He is taken aback, however, when his father unexpectedly returns to Bohemia and has his son imprisoned. Charles manages to escape to Italy, where he wages war for two years. When after a long period of separation Blanche arrives with a deputation from Bohemia, he decides to return home. He tackles the perfidious nobles and forces his father to leave the kingdom. He then reigns for a time with his beloved Blanche, although he is to have three more wives.
Film online
Photos
Cast
Jaromír Hanzlík
kralevic Karel
Daniela Kolářová
Blanka z Valois
Miloš Kopecký
král Jan Lucemburský
Oldřich Velen
Bušek z Velhartic
Vilém Besser
Vilém
Zdeněk Kryzánek
prelát-učitel
Lubomír Kostelka
Pistorius, vyslanec města Luccy
Milena Zahrynowská
Sofie, Pistoriova žena
Bohumil Bezouška
Beppo Rossi
Vladimír Menšík
Marsillio Rossi
Jana Kasanová
Dina, Marsilliova žena
Josef Gruss
Azzo Visconti, velitel milánských
Jiří Štěpnička
pobočník Enrico
Josef Elsner
pán z Potštejna
Karel Beníško
biskup Jan z Dražic
Jaroslav Cmíral
pán z Rabštejna
Jan Schánilec
mág mistr Hilarius
Jan Pohan
pán z Lipé
Miloš Vavruška
královský lovčí
Bohumil Švarc
herold v Lucce
Nina Popelíková
Karlova teta
Karel Gott
trubadúr
Kamil Bešťák
Topolino
Josef Bartůněk
rychtář
Bohuslav Čáp
muž s vosím hnízdem
Vlastimil Bedrna
zmrzlinář
Kamil Blahovec
venkovan/oráč
Lubomír Bryg
kuchař
Štěpán Bulejko
vikomt
Stanislava Bartošová
služebná
Ludmila Engelová
služebná
Ladislav Gzela
sluha
Vladimír Hrubý
sluha
Pavel Robin
sluha
Vladimír Navrátil
sluha
František Suk
sluha
Vladimír Hlavatý
pláteník
František Marek
purkrabí
Karel Hovorka
opilec
Vladimír Hrabánek
zraněný strážný
Karel Hábl
posel z Vellaie
František Hruška
muž v chrámu
Stanislav Juna
muž v chrámu
Blažena Kramešová
venkovanka v hermelínu
Petr Jákl
judista
František Jákl
judista
Jiří Sládek
judista
Jan Kouba
prelát
Jan Přeučil
posel z Verony
František Kubíček
rytíř
Zdeněk Kutil
mistr šermu
František Havlíček
hlásný
Jiří Lír
krejčí
Josef Kotapiš
strážný
Kajetán Maudr
kuchtík
Adolf Minský
stařec
Mirko Musil
spiklenec
Zdeněk Najman
rytíř
František Hanzlík
komorník
Pavel Sedláček
loutnista
Jiřina Součková
paštikářka
Antonín Soukup
žebravý mnich
Jiří Hein
pomocník
Miloš Nesvadba
tancmajstr
František Svačina
trpaslík-ochutnávač
Karel Svoboda
doktor
Marie Štrampachová
žena v chrámu
Karel Vítek
judista
Richard Záhorský
ceremoniář
Miluše Zoubková
dáma
Rudolf Kalina
odbojný pán
Jindra Ovčárová
vnadná pradlena
Vlastimila Vlková
vesničanka
J. Jurenko
kulturista
J. Jiroušek
dvořan
J. Málek
svalnatec
E. Vašíčková
Agnes
Jaroslav Šebek
stařec
M. Romlerová
abatyše
V. Prokšová
Italka
J. Bartoš
ozbrojenec
Z. Böhm
ozbrojenec
Michal Dohányos
ozbrojenec
A. Holík
ozbrojenec
František Horek
ozbrojenec
V. Chmelař
ozbrojenec
Miroslav Janda
ozbrojenec
V. Janovský
ozbrojenec
I. Kocner
ozbrojenec
J. Kubík
ozbrojenec
Jaromír Laštovka
ozbrojenec
J. Merkner
ozbrojenec
M. Nachtigal
ozbrojenec
V. Slapnička
ozbrojenec
Jaroslav Sus
ozbrojenec
J. Špíšek
ozbrojenec
A. Štaffa
ozbrojenec
J. Štěpán
ozbrojenec
Zdeněk Vondruška
ozbrojenec
V. Zoul
ozbrojenec
Magdalena Čechová
balet
Eva Zakouřilová
balet
Jana Homolová
balet
P. Marek
balet
M. Pecholt
balet
Eva Polášková
balet
J. Prokeš
balet
Pavel Ruta
balet
T. Štúr
balet
Jiří Trojan
balet
K. Volková
balet
Bohumila Čepová
balet
Karel Anderle
šermíř
Zdeněk Houška
šermíř
Ivan Chrz
šermíř
Petr Lebeda
šermíř
Miloslav Průša
šermíř
Zbyšek Šrůta
šermíř
František Plecháček
šermíř
J. Plecháčková
šermířka
J. Schuster
šermíř
Robert Ritschel
šermíř
Petr Vinař
šermíř
Jaroslav Voigst
šermíř
Milan Jonáš
písař
M. Zembala
sluha
K. Jerhot
dubl za Jaromíra Hanzlíka
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Zdeněk Maršálek
Continuity
Based on
František Kubka (Karlštejnské vigilie – kniha)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Art Director
Milan Kubík
Set Designer
Rudolf Beneš, Václav Kozel, Vladimír Mácha
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Jaroslav Vágner, Adolf Široký
Unit Production Manager
Consultant
Jiří Spěváček
Cooperation
J. Jindrová (klapka), Miroslav Pešan (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)
Songs
Země nám révu dává
Song Composer Jaromír Klempíř
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Kopta
Singer sbor
Srdce trubadúra
Song Composer Jaromír Klempíř
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Štaidl
Singer Karel Gott
Production info
Original Title
Slasti Otce vlasti
Czech Title
Slasti Otce vlasti
English Title
Pleasures of the Father of His Country
Working Title
Králova učňovská léta aneb Malá škola dějepisu
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
historical, comedy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1969
Production Year
1968—1969
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 22 November 1967
technical Screenplay approved 2 May 1968
start of filming 14 August 1968
end of filming 8 April 1969
the first film copy approved 15 May 1969
projection approval 22 May 1969
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1989
Premiere
festival premiere 13 June 1969 (20. filmový festival pracujících – léto ´69)
premiere 8 July 1969 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 14 August 1969 /suitable for youths/ (kino Blaník /4½ týdne/, Praha)
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
Tvůrčí skupina Švabík – Procházka, Jan Procházka (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Erich Švabík (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
100 min
Original length in metres
2 834 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,85, 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
