Burglar and Umbrella
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1970Production year
1970Premiere
9 April 1971Runtime
92 minDirector
Jiří SequensCategory
filmGenre
crimeTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Pěnička a ParaplíčkoCzech title
Pěnička a ParaplíčkoEnglish title
Burglar and UmbrellaSummary
The magic of the First Republic underworld – the galerka (in Prague’s Žižkov quarter) – formed a major component of the popular television series Hříšní lidé města pražského (The Sinful People of Prague, 1968). Inspired by a book from author Jiří Marek, and adapted for the screen by writer-director Jiří Sequens, this 1970 film shifts the old world criminal comedy atmosphere, as well as the series’ characters, from the small to the big screen. The main protagonist – the astute police administrator Vacátko, portrayed by Jaroslav Marvan – becomes entangled in the tragic story of reckless prostitute Anča, nicknamed “Paraplíčko”, and her lover, the safe cracker Pěnička. The romantic drama set in interwar Prague sees Jiřina Bohdalová and Radoslav Brzobohatý in the lead roles. Police administrator Vacátko would feature in three further feature films and one television film. Pěnička a Paraplíčko (Burglar and Umbrella) is marked by a major effort by its makers to evoke the period atmosphere with musical numbers, which tilt this crime comedy towards being an actual musical.
Synopsis
In the morning twilight of Prague, the dead body of the safebreaker Toufar is found floating on the river Vltava with a knife in his back. Inspectors Bouše and Brůžek visit Toufar's lover, the prostitute Anna Kulatá, nicknamed Umbrella [Paraplíčko], and it is apparent that the moment before she opened the door of her flat, someone fled through the window. Umbrella is summoned for examination to the head of the criminal police - Police Councilman Vacátko, but although shocked by the photograph of the dead man, she does not confess to anything. Before Toufar, Umbrella lived with the safe-breaker Pěnička, who loved her very much and made her quit her street trade. But when he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, Umbrella began to live with the brute Toufar, who chased her to street again. In the case of the murder, Pěnička is therefore the prime suspect. He has been at home for three months already and works with the coal-men, who confirm his alibi. But Umbrella is afraid of Pěnička and, following the advice of the criminal nicknamed Milk [Mlíko], tells Police Councilman Vacátko that the murder weapon belonged to Pěnička. The police come to arrest the safe-breaker, but he runs away to the attic of the house, barricades himself and shoots at his pursuers. Eventually, Police Councilman Vacátko himself sets off to face him. Pěnička confesses to killing Toufar in self-defence in a fight and Vacátko convinces him to hand himself over to justice. They leave together in a hackney carriage and the grieving Anna goes back to her old way of life, hooked on to the arm of her new lover, Milk.
Film online
Photos
Cast
Jaroslav Marvan
policejní rada Karel Vacátko
Josef Vinklář
vrchní inspektor Josef Bouše
Josef Bláha
inspektor Josef Brůžek
Jiřina Bohdalová
prostitutka Anča Kulatá zvaná Paraplíčko
Radoslav Brzobohatý
bývalý kasař Josef Pěnička
Bohumil Šmída
Voice by Jaroslav Moučka
kasař Mlíko
Martin Růžek
majitel domu Petr Holeček
Bohuslav Čáp
nuselský komisař
Ota Sklenčka
soudní lékař MUDr. Vejvoda
Jaroslav Raušer
policejní prezident
Stanislav Fišer
tenorista Sláva Podrazil
Jiřina Štěpničková
masérka Marie Drahomajzlová, Pěničkova bytná
Miroslav Homola
vrchní Chládek
Mirko Musil
nadstrážník Křídlo
Robert Vrchota
parťák uhlířů Jarda
Václav Kaňkovský
strážník
Bohumil Koška
strážník
Vladimír Navrátil
strážník
Zdeněk Braunschläger
strážník
Miroslav Malina
strážník
Vladimír Medek
strážník
Jiří Smutný
strážník Hrůza
Josef Zíma
zpěvák v Jedové chýši
Viktor Očásek
muž s novinami v kavárně
Jaroslav Tomsa
tanečník v Jedové chýši
Ivo Niederle
novinář
František Bohdal
výčepní zvaný Evžen
Ela Šilarová
služka
Jindřich Panáček
fotograf
Vilém Lipský
divák na nábřeží
Jan Blažek
zápasník
Petr Jákl
zápasník/dubl za Radoslava Brzobohatého
Jiří Kasík
zápasník
Jiří Mašín
zápasník
Otakar Rademacher
zápasník
Jiří Vach
zápasník
Jan Váňa
zápasník
Zdeněk Srstka
zápasník/dubl za Bohumila Šmídu
Antonín Janů
hudebník
Antonín Kryl
hudebník
Rudolf Přibík
hudebník
Karel Turnovský
hudebník
Jaromír Vrba
hudebník
Elena Lindauerová
tanečnice
Hana Talpová
tanečnice
K. Samková
tanečnice
Březinová
tanečnice
Eva Cízlová
tanečnice
Ditrichová
tanečnice
Dufková
tanečnice
Duchoňová
tanečnice
Janusová
tanečnice
Zdeněk Blažek
tanečník
Antonín Loužecký
tanečník
Dubbing
Mirko Musil
hlas strážníka na žebříku/hlas strážníka na náplavce
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Based on
Jiří Marek (Pěnička a Paraplíčko – povídka), Jiří Marek (Panoptikum hříšných lidí – sbírka povídek)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Jaroslav Česal, Karel Kočí, Bohuslav Varhaník
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Josef Hudlička, Karel Hyka
Unit Production Manager
Milena Andrejsková
Cooperation
Hana Jozífková (klapka), Jindřich Panáček (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Songs
Píseň flamendrů
Song Composer Zdeněk Liška
Writer of Lyrics Vladimír Sís
Singer Stanislav Fišer [dab]Miloš ZavřelMichaela ČernáHana TalpováJosef Zíma
Hříšní lidé
Song Composer Zdeněk Liška
Writer of Lyrics Vladimír Sís
Singer Josef ZímaInkognito kvartet
Production info
Original Title
Pěnička a Paraplíčko
Czech Title
Pěnička a Paraplíčko
English Title
Burglar and Umbrella
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
crime
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1970
Production Year
1970
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 27 January 1970
technical Screenplay approved 25 February 1970
start of filming 17 March 1970
end of filming 17 July 1970
the first film copy approved 7 December 1970
projection approval 28 December 1970
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1991
Premiere
premiere 7 April 1971 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino 64 U Hradeb, Praha)
premiere 9 April 1971 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Tvůrčí skupina Šmída – Kunc (příprava), František Břetislav Kunc (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Bohumil Šmída (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny a vedoucí výrobní skupiny), Dramaturgická skupina Miloše Brože, Miloš Brož (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny), Výrobní skupina Bohumila Šmídy
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
92 min
Original length in metres
2 610 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,66, 1:2,35
Colour
colour
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
