The Determined Lady
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1969Production year
1969Premiere
10 April 1970Runtime
88 minDirector
František FilipCategory
filmGenre
comedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Odvážná slečnaCzech title
Odvážná slečnaEnglish title
The Determined LadyWorking title
Odhodlaná slečnaSummary
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
Photos
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
Jan Přeučil
Strnad
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
Vítězslav Černý
závozník
Ladislav Gzela
starý pán v parku
Josef Hlinomaz
vrátný
Svatopluk Skládal
číšník
Jaroslav Cmíral
redaktor Tonda
Luďa Marešová
redaktorka
Věra Budilová
Machová
Daniela Šrajerová
servírka
Václav Šrámek
mladý redaktor
Bronislav Poloczek
fotograf
Ivan Minář
fotograf
Jaroslav Tomsa
příslušník VB
Karel Vítek
příslušník VB
Magdaléna Holendrová
holčička
K. Veselý
zřízenec
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Miloslav Čech
Assistant Director
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Stanislav Krejča, Karel Lukáš, Karel Smrž
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Production Manager
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 Composed by
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)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
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
