I Command the Review

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1969

Production year

1968—1969

Premiere

20 June 1969

Runtime

84 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Přehlídce velím já!

Czech title

Přehlídce velím já!

English title

I Command the Review

Summary

Seasoned director Josef Mach directed this comedy based on Zolotoy telyonok (The Little Golden Calf), a satirical novel by Ilja Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov. In the process, he transposed the original 1920s Soviet setting into 1960s Czechoslovakia. The result was a contemporary “communal satire” in which the protagonist Folta – a man who never completed his law studies, and officially makes a living as a lorry driver but actually operates a successful business on the side acting as a legal consultant to all manner of wheeler-dealers – decides together with the butcher Pejša to swindle money from Drtílek, a millionaire who gained his fortune through fraud and deceit. Ultimately, however, Folta becomes a victim of his own cunning plans… Appearing in the main parts of this predictable story, which conforms to what was deemed to amount to social criticism at the time, are a host of well-known Czech actors. The part of Folta the trickster was assumed by Karel Höger, a then much-favoured performer of character roles. He was ably supported by Ilja Prachař, Vladimír Menšík and Čestmír Řanda.

Synopsis

Ungraduated law student Folta, now a driver at a soda works, offers successful legal guidance. He gives good advice to the butcher Pejša who is facing charges of stealing pork. In return, Pejša invites him to his home for a treat of stolen pork meat. Together they watch the TV contest, and Folta recognizes one of the contestants, a millionaire. It is Drtílek, a man who made a lot of money by fraud after the war. The man now hides his ill-gotten gains, waiting for an opportunity to make use of his money. Folta has an idea about how to get hold of at least half of Drtílek's money. He hires his ex-clients and they all pay a visit to the fraud. First they put the squeeze on him and then they mug him and steal twenty thousand crowns. Folta sets up an organization for them as a cover for their real activities. Folta proves to Drtílek that he knows about his frauds and demands half of the man's wealth. Drtílek is forced to consent. He deposits his share in the left-luggage office and accidentally leaves a ticking clock in it. The officials open the suitcase to check it and Drtílek loses everything. The "ingenious strategist" Folta finds himself in a similar situation. As soon as he reaches Austria, where he intended to escape, Pejša and his family take all his money. Stripped of all his cash, Folta crosses the border back to Czechoslovakia.

Cast

Karel Höger

řidič Folta zvaný Doktor

Vladimír Menšík

sňatkový podvodník Ivan Holiš

Lubomír Kostelka

invalidní důchodce Josef Rendl

Jan Skopeček

kasař Josef Jošt

Čestmír Řanda

úředník Alfons Drtílek

Ilja Prachař

řezník Josef Pejša/Pejšův bratr Robert

Josef Beyvl

dědeček Pejšových

Slávka Budínová

bufetářka Vlastička

Josef Chvalina

Brajnštetr, Drtílkův kolega

Libuše Havelková

Pejšová, Josefova manželka

Elena Hálková

jasnovidka Cleo de Maror

Josef Hlinomaz

muž s kufrem

František Krahulík

zaměstnanec módního závodu

Oldřich Velen

zaměstnanec módního závodu

Eduard Hofman

porotce soutěže 10× odpověz

Zdeněk Jirotka

porotce soutěže 10× odpověz

Vlado Príkazský

porotce soutěže 10× odpověz

Pavel Tumlíř

porotce soutěže 10× odpověz

Otto Kinský

prodavač

Vladimír Huber

děda s fajfkou

Jaroslav Moučka

ředitel výzkumného ústavu Vaňátko

Luba Skořepová

úřednice výzkumného ústavu

František Paul

vrátný výzkumného ústavu

Jan Pohan

strážmistr VB

Jaroslav Zrotal

Josef Hrejsa

Alena Procházková

dívka na taneční zábavě

Karel Hábl

pohraničník

Josef Koza

dozorce

Jiří Lír

muž v restauraci

Marie Mikotová

režisérka

Robert Morávek

Foltův přítel

Eva Vlachová

zákaznice Inpoklempu

B. Šmejkalová

asistentka

Marcela Šmejkalová

Marcela, dcera Pejšových

Rudolf Horák

náměstek ředitele

Antonín Lebeda

muž v klobouku

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Helena Rohanová

Assistant Director

Aleš Lamr

Based on

Ilja Ilf (Zlaté tele /Zolotoj těljonok/ – román), Jevgenij Petrov (Zlaté tele /Zolotoj těljonok/ – román)

Director of Photography

Josef Hanuš

Second Unit Photography

Josef Pechar

Camera Operator

Vojtěch Kuthan

Production Designer

Oldřich Bosák

Assistent Production Designer

Bohumil Nový

Set Designer

Ivan Ernyei, Miloslav Dvořák

Costume Designer

Fernand Vácha

Film Editor

Zdeněk Stehlík

Special Effects

Trikový ateliér FSB

Production Manager

Václav Rouha

Unit Production Manager

Zdeňka Černá, Blažej Vráb

Unit Production Manager

Karel Čabrádek

Cooperation

Roman Soumar (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Ferdinand Havlík

Selected Music

Bedřich Smetana (Má vlast /Vltava/)

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)

Songs

Kupředu, zpátky ni krok

Song Composer Jan Seidel

Cypljonok malyj

Singer Čestmír Řanda st.

Production info

Original Title

Přehlídce velím já!

Czech Title

Přehlídce velím já!

English Title

I Command the Review

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1969

Production Year

1968—1969

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 7 May 1968
technical Screenplay approved 25 July 1968
start of filming 10 September 1968
end of filming 17 January 1969
the first film copy approved 21 March 1969
projection approval 27 March 1969
withdrawal from distribution 28 August 1969

Premiere

premiere 20 June 1969 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 26 June 1969 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Paříž /4 týdny/, Praha)

Creative Group

Tvůrčí skupina Feix – Brož, Miloš Brož (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Karel Feix (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

84 min

Original length in metres

2 385 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech