So Bye-bye

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1970

Production year

1970

Premiere

2 April 1971

Runtime

85 min

Director

Vít Olmer

Category

film

Genre

psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Takže ahoj

Czech title

Takže ahoj

English title

So Bye-bye

Working title

Drahý Ján / Případ Veronika

Summary

It was at the end of the 1960s that actor Vít Olmer decided to take a stab at directing. Olmer’s pre-1989 directorial output is widely regarded as noteworthy, but following the revolution and the impact of the unleashed market economy on Czech cinema, Olmer embraced more commercial projects. This 1969 feature-film debut from Olmer tells the story of 23-year-old Veronika who no longer finds fulfilment in leading a somewhat promiscuous, emotionally unattached life. Talented photographer Jan offers her the chance of a normal relationship. However, Veronika soon discovers that she is merely the subject of Jan’s professional passions. The then 28-year-old director sought to present a morality play that utilises the contemporary poetic styles of the Czechoslovak New Wave. Valerie Chmelová offers an authentic debut performance alongside non-professional actor Antonín Sládek. The perceived artistic failure of this film led Olmer to take a multi-year break from shooting feature films.

Synopsis

Twenty-three-year old student Veronika lives with her mother and a white poodle. She does not seem to worry about anything. She is independent, easily making friends and relationships with men. She light-heartedly parts with them with her signature salutation, "So bye-bye" as they leave her to their wives and lovers. Yet, Veronika feels that this is not the right thing. Her girlfriend Kateřina, the married mother of a small girl, tries to help her in vain with good advice. One night in her apartment, she introduces Veronika to an interesting young man. Jan Kubíček is a talented photographer. Veronika meets him accidentally several times and subsequently accepts his invitation to his cellar flat-studio, where they make love without even knowing their names. For Veronika, this is the beginning of love. Jan, too, who has hitherto been saved from loneliness by his preoccupation with work, is satisfied with the relationship. He firmly convinces the girl that his professional colleague Helena does not mean anything to him. One day, however, everything changes. Jan behaves brutally to Veronika and while making love full of tension, the girl hears clicking sounds. When Jan hits her without any reason, she leaves in silence. After her departure, Kubíček develops photographs secretly made by Helena while the couple were making love. It seems that the man regrets it now. In addition, Veronika will go on looking for security in life.

Cast

Valerie Chmelová

studentka Veronika

Antonín Sládek

fotograf Jan Kubíček

Jaroslava Brousková

kamarádka Kateřina

Jana Synková

fotografka Helena

Marta Vančurová

studentka Marta

Karol Sidon

Ládík, Kateřinin přítel

Miloš Vávra

milenec cvičící karate

Jaromír Borek

vousatý milenec zvaný Machr

Tomáš Sedláček

blonďatý milenec

Josef Dvořák

odmítnutý nápadník

Kateřina Sidonová

malá Katka, dcera Kateřiny

Jaroslav Satoranský

Honza, bývalý Veroničin milenec

Jiří D. Novotný

milenec s dýmkou

Zora Božinová

matka Veroniky

Bohumil Křížek

otec Veroniky

Marie Motlová

žena v čekárně u veterináře

František Drdácký

cvičitel CO

Karel Augusta

muž s buřtem a novinami

Miroslav Plzák

on sám přednášející v televizi

Jiří Schmitzer

veršující student

Miloslav Balcar

potrhlý muž v knihovně

A. Jelínek

zvěrolékař

Crew and creators

Director

Vít Olmer

Second Unit Director

Zdena Pavlátová

Assistant Director

Ivana Skabranská

Continuity

Helena Pokorná

Shooting Script

Vít Olmer

Director of Photography

Jaromír Holpuch, Petr Prokop

Camera Operator

Václav Zajíček

Production Designer

Karel Černý

Assistent Production Designer

Miloš Červinka

Set Designer

Karel Janda (2), Jiří Cvrček, Bohumil Kadlec

Costume Designer

Jana Křivánková

Film Editor

Josef Valušiak

Special Effects

Trikový ateliér FSB

Production Manager

Jaroslav Solnička

Unit Production Manager

Milan Štěch, František Jaderník

Unit Production Manager

Václav Polák

Cooperation

Irena Hrušková (klapka), Karel Ješátko (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Jiří Šust

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)

Songs

Píseň o malíři

Song Composer Petr Hapka
Writer of Lyrics Petr Rada
Singer Hana Hegerová

Bylo léto, horké léto

Song Composer Mojmír Smékal
Writer of Lyrics Ivo Fischer
Singer Lilka Ročáková

Production info

Original Title

Takže ahoj

Czech Title

Takže ahoj

English Title

So Bye-bye

Working Title

Drahý Ján / Případ Veronika

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1970

Production Year

1970

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 7 January 1970
start of filming 19 April 1970
technical Screenplay approved 21 April 1970
end of filming 13 July 1970
the first film copy approved 30 September 1970
projection approval 28 December 1970
withdrawal from distribution 31 January 1991

Premiere

premiere 2 April 1971 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 7 April 1971 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Paříž, Praha)

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

Tvůrčí skupina Šebor – Bor (příprava), Vladimír Bor (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Jiří Šebor (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny a vedoucí výrobní skupiny), Dramaturgická skupina Vojtěcha Cacha, Vojtěch Cach (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny), Výrobní skupina Jiřího Šebora

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

85 min

Original length in metres

2 407 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech