The Determined Lady

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1969

Production year

1969

Premiere

10 April 1970

Runtime

88 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Odvážná slečna

Czech title

Odvážná slečna

English title

The Determined Lady

Working title

Odhodlaná slečna

Summary

The unjustly forgotten tragicomedy Odvážná slečna (The Determined Lady) was drawn from screenwriter Vratislav Blažek’s made-for-television film Obžalovaná (The Accused, 1969), in which Jana Hlaváčová starred under Jaroslav Dudek’s direction. Blažek, with his colleague Otto Zelenka, adapted and expanded the comedy into a feature film, which František Filip directed in 1969. The heroine is a seemingly unassuming court stenographer –the spinster Miss Míková. Unable to sit by and watch divorcing parents bicker shamelessly in the courts over money, over time she kidnaps five emotionally neglected children, giving them a loving home. Chairman of the Senate František Kroupa (who falls for Miss Míková), and even the official judicial system, must capitulate to this uncompromising lady... This is an unconventional film that reflects the social realities and ideals of the Prague Spring. Jiřina Bohdalová and Josef Kemr excel in the lead roles.

Synopsis

Doctor of Laws Kroupa is appointed the new chairman of the senate of the civil court, replacing Doctor of Laws Smolík. He takes over from the brand new pensioner both the office and the secretary, Zdenka Miková. The man is fond of the young woman and soon feels more than sympathy for her. Zdenka borrows three hundred crowns from him, and instead of the money, she returns him a cute puppy. Kroupa judges the case of the Strnad couple, who are arguing over the alimony for their three-year old Věruška, but both the parents are apparently indifferent to the daughter herself. The judge suggests placing the kid into a child's home. Kroupa, in love, spots Zdenka over the shop window of a self-service store and, to his horror, observes the young woman stealing cans. The judge requires an explanation and Zdenka takes him to visit her village, where her father, a pack of hounds and four little children live. Kroupa is unhappy, considering the kids the consequence of the light-minded life of the unmarried Zdenka. He, however, soon finds out that the young woman kidnapped the kids from their own, indifferent and sometimes even brutal parents after meeting them as a registration clerk at the court, and devotedly provided them with a loving family. Kroupa forces Zdenka who falsified the adoption documents to report herself to the police. In a fairy-tale ending, the woman appears in front of the court where she is sentenced only symbolically and, upon accepting Kroupa's offer to marry her, reveals that she will have a baby with him.

Film online

Cast

Jiřina Bohdalová

sekretářka Zdenka Miková

Josef Kemr

JUDr. František Kroupa, předseda senátu

Stella Zázvorková

Anežka, Kroupova sestra

Václav Voska

předseda senátu JUDr. Smolík

Zdeněk Kryzánek

mlynář Mika, Zdenin otec

Lubomír Lipský

Josef Provazník

Slávka Budínová

Provazníkova žena

Josef Šob

dvojče Standa Provazník

David Šob

dvojče Jirka Provazník

Marta Richterová

Strnadova žena

Milada Pešková

Věruška, dcera Strnadových

Darja Hajská

Věruščina babička

Jaroslav Moučka

kapitán VB Sejček

Roman Skamene

Karel Sládek, Zdenčin chráněnec

Jitka Barcalová

Manka Hovorková, Zdenčina chráněnka

Alena Kreuzmannová

sociální pracovnice Patočková

Růžena Lysenková

sociální pracovnice Nohejlová

Milica Kolofíková

sociální pracovnice Kárná

Mirko Musil

strážmistr VB

Vladimír Menšík

tajemník MNV Robek

Jiří Dimitrov

tajemníkův syn

Bedřich Prokoš

předseda senátu

Zdeněk Dohnal

soudce z lidu

Eduard Pavlíček

soudce z lidu

Josef Langmiler

prokurátor

Ladislav Gzela

starý pán v parku

Jaroslav Cmíral

redaktor Tonda

Václav Šrámek

mladý redaktor

Ivan Minář

fotograf

Jaroslav Tomsa

příslušník VB

Karel Vítek

příslušník VB

K. Veselý

zřízenec

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Miloslav Čech

Assistant Director

Jan Kratochvíl

Screenplay

Otto Zelenka

Director of Photography

Rudolf Stahl ml.

Second Unit Photography

Karel Dobřichovský, Ladislav Chroust

Camera Operator

Bohumil Paris, Josef Pechar

Production Designer

Jan Zázvorka

Assistent Production Designer

Karel Vacek

Set Designer

Stanislav Krejča, Karel Lukáš, Karel Smrž

Film Editor

Jan Kohout

Sound Designer

Emanuel Formánek

Special Effects

Trikový ateliér FSB

Production Manager

Ladislav Terš

Unit Production Manager

Ctibor Novotný, Karel Prchal

Unit Production Manager

Petr Kajtar

Consultant

dr. Hanuš Nor

Cooperation

Růžena Bedriová (klapka), Jitka Bylinská (fotografka)

Music

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)

Production info

Original Title

Odvážná slečna

Czech Title

Odvážná slečna

English Title

The Determined Lady

Working Title

Odhodlaná slečna

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1969

Production Year

1969

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 3 June 1969
technical Screenplay approved 9 June 1969
start of filming 21 July 1969
end of filming 23 September 1969
the first film copy approved 16 December 1969
projection approval 28 December 1969
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1975

Premiere

premiere 10 April 1970 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 30 April 1970 /suitable for youths/ (kino Světozor /3 týdny/, Praha)

Studio

Barrandov

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

88 min

Original length in metres

2 500 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66, 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