You Are a Widow, Sir
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1970Production year
1970Premiere
15 January 1971Runtime
97 minDirector
Václav VorlíčekCategory
filmGenre
comedy, sci-fiTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
„Pane, vy jste vdova!“Czech title
„Pane, vy jste vdova!“English title
You Are a Widow, SirWorking title
Kdo chce zabít králeSummary
This 1970 sci-fi comedy is remembered as one of the timeless works of the creative duo Václav Vorlíček and Miloš Macourek, the screenwriter and director, respectively. Unlike with the other films made by this pair, the narration takes place in a strictly fictional setting – a central European kingdom under the reign of the enlightened King Rosebud IV. The intricate plot draws on astonishing local advances in the field of transplantation. The ability to transfer a brain into an arbitrary living or artificial body fulfils the incredible prophecy of the astrologist Stuart Hample. Stuart has bizarrely foreseen the following sequence of events: he will be killed, he will be subsequently “saved” by his friend Bob, he will become a widow and then he will marry beautiful actress Molly. Well, the stars never lie and the almighty Professor Somr succeeds in transplanting (by mistake, of course) Stuart’s brain into an artificial double of the popular actress Keletti modelled from a piece of veal... This crazy comedy fuelled by absurd black humour makes use of many of the motifs that Vorlíček and Macourek would turn to in many variations in their later works. The most effective yet undemanding subject matter is the swapping of bodies; the comical effect is achieved by simply overdubbing one actor with another. Unlike Což takhle dát si špenát (How About a Plate of Spinach?, 1977), Rumburak (Rumburak, 1984) or the TV series Arabela (Arabela, 1979), „Pane, vy jste vdova!“ (You Are a Widow, Sir) offers a dynamic and balanced composition cemented by the character of the “immortal” Stuart Hample, compellingly portrayed by Jiří Hrzán. Other bizarre characters in the feature come to life thanks to excellent, greatly typecast actors – the vigorous Keletti portrayed by Iva Janžurová, the good-natured cook Bob played by Jan Libíček and the beautiful Molly embodied by Olga Schoberová. Helena Růžičková, in the role of the merrily insane murderer Fany Stub, is also one of the unforgettable characters.
Synopsis
King Rosebud IV welcomes the neighbouring King Oscar XV at the airport. When Bobo, the commander of the troop of honour, gives the command "Present Arms!", he by unfortunate accident chops off Oscar's arm with his sword. Rosebud fires Bobo and announces the disbanding of the army. The generals are not favour of that by any means, and thus begin to plot the King's assassination. Bobo seeks comfort with his friend, astrologer Hample, and on that occasion also wants to know the truth about his future. The study in the astrological maps thoroughly surprises both men. Hample would be killed but Bobo will save his life, then the astrologer will become a widow, will marry the actress Molly whom she loves and at the same time will marry Molly's future husband, officer Steiner. The stars do not lie and the fates of Bobo and Hample are gradually fullfilled. The astrologer saves King Rosebud from assassination and the generals therefore liquidate him. His brain is provided to Professor Somr who implants it into his creation, an artificial being reminiscent of the actress Kelettiová. Hample as Kelettiová and Bobo then face various stratagems of the generals who, in order to remove the King, use a time bomb, the scientific results of Professor Somr and the murderous appetites of sadistic Mrs Stubová. And when Steiner, already Molly's husband, loses his life, Somr implants Hample's brain into his head and the beautiful Molly now belongs to the astrologer. The stars, indeed, do not lie.
Film online
Photos
Cast
Iva Janžurová
herečka Evelyna Kelettiová/umělá dvojnice z telecího masa
Jiří Sovák
král Rosebud IV.
Eduard Cupák
major Robert Steiner
Olga Schoberová
herečka Molly Adamsová, snoubenka
František Filipovský
král Oscar XV.
Čestmír Řanda
generál Omar Otis
Jan Libíček
kuchař Bobo
Otto Šimánek
průmyslník Alfréd Keletti, muž Evelyny
Luděk Kopřiva
divadelní režisér Brand
Helena Růžičková
vražedkyně Fany Stubová
Vladimír Menšík
povaleč Bloom, přítel Stubové
Oldřich Velen
generál letectva
Jaroslav Mareš
jednooký generál Hartman
Miloš Kopecký
profesor Somr, majitel sanatoria
Jiří Hrzán
astrolog Stuart Hample
Jiří Lír
herec Gugenheim
Stella Zázvorková
Mary, Otisova žena
Stella Májová
Gerta, přítelkyně Otisové
Lubomír Kostelka
tajemník Kelettiho
František Husák
komorník
Vlastimil Hašek
asistent v Somrově sanatoriu
Oldřich Celerýn
asistent v Somrově sanatoriu
Zdeněk Braunschläger
asistent v Somrově sanatoriu
Svatopluk Skládal
generál
Karel Peyr
generál
Karel Effa
zřízenec na patologii
Richard Záhorský
kněz
Oleg Reif
inspicient v divadle
Václav Štekl
herec v divadelní hře
Miloš Willig
herec v divadelní hře
Milan Jonáš
redaktor, Hamplův kolega
Viktor Maurer
dirigent divadelního orchestru
Zdeněk Svěrák
kritik na představení
Ladislav Smoljak
kritik na představení
Zdeněk Blažek
novinář
Vítězslav Černý
řezník/muž v livreji
Jaroslav Tomsa
tajný policista
Josef Kotapiš
kněz
Jiřina Bílá
dáma
Josef Burda
vojenský kapelník
Zdena Burdová
asistentka režie
Jan Cmíral
policista
Vlastimil Čaněk
reportér
František Miroslav Doubrava
tympánista
Jana Hana Duffková
herečka v zákulisí
Karel Houska
lékař na prosektuře
Václav Fišer
Voice by Vladimír Čech
dozorce
Vladimír Foukal
kulisák
Karel Hovorka
jevištní mistr
Vladimír Hrubý
kulisák
Pavel Jiras
zahradník/lokaj
Stanislav Juna
ministr
Milan Kindl
uhlíř
Petr Kopřiva
číšník
Václav Kotva
uvaděč
Pavel Fiala (2)
hudebník
I. Gazda
hudebník
František Horáček
hudebník
František Kovář
hudebník
J. Kozlík
hudebník
V. Lachman
hudebník
V. Müller
hudebník
M. Šavrda
hudebník
M. Veselý
hudebník
František Kubíček
poddůstojník
Ladislav Mrnka
poddůstojník
Michal Dohányos
novinář
Milan Muchna
novinář
Jana Sedlmajerová
novinářka
V. Slapnička
novinář
B. Bílek
novinář
Bohumil Rod
kulturista
Pavel Zradička
kulturista
J. Fabich
kulturista
Jiří Horký
kulturista
Vladimír Linka
tympánista
Luďa Marešová
šatnářka
Zdeněk Martínek
ministr
Pavel Navara
tajný
Zdeněk Novotný
novinář/uvaděč v divadle
Eduard Pavlíček
pobočník Oscara XV.
Věra Petáková
nápovědka
Vladimír Pospíšil
velitel roty
Alena Procházková
komorná
Eva Rubínová
stevardka
Jiří Růžička st.
rekvizitář
Zdeněk Srstka
zřízenec v divadle
Karel Vítek
zřízenec v divadle
Eva Trunečková
šatnářka
Vítězslav Vejražka
ministr
Jar. Šuman
vězeň s boulí
Vladimír Navrátil
fotoreportér
Vlastimila Vlková
návštěvnice divadla
Arnošt Böhm
zahradník s konví/dubl za Vladimíra Menšíka – artistický výkon
Dubbing
Mirko Musil
hlas v divadle
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Stanislava Hutková
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Ladislav Winkelhöfer, Vladimír Ježek, Jiří Žebrakovský
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Josef Mojžíš, Věra Winkelhöferová
Unit Production Manager
Vlasta Mathauserová
Cooperation
D. Špačková (klapka), Jaromír Komárek (fotograf), Miloslav Mirvald (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Songs
Pane, vy jste vdova
Song Composer Svatopluk Havelka
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Kopta
Singer Petr Spálený
Když jsem já sloužil
Song Composer lidová píseň
Production info
Original Title
„Pane, vy jste vdova!“
Czech Title
„Pane, vy jste vdova!“
English Title
You Are a Widow, Sir
Working Title
Kdo chce zabít krále
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
comedy, sci-fi
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1970
Production Year
1970
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 20 May 1969
technical Screenplay approved 25 November 1969
start of filming 23 March 1970
end of filming 26 June 1970
the first film copy approved 4 November 1970
projection approval 28 December 1970
withdrawal from distribution 1 November 1982
withdrawal from distribution 1 June 1993
Premiere
premiere 15 January 1971 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 21 January 1971 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino 64 U Hradeb, Praha)
renewed premiere 1 December 1983 /unsuitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Ústřední půjčovna filmů (původní 1971 a obnovená 1983)
Creative Group
Tvůrčí skupina Novotný – Kubala (příprava), Bedřich Kubala (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Ladislav Novotný (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny a vedoucí výrobní skupiny), Dramaturgická skupina Karla Copa, Karel Cop (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny), Výrobní skupina Ladislava Novotného
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
97 min
Original length in metres
2 750 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
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 9. mezinárodní festival vědecko-fantastických filmů Terst
1971
Terst / Italy
Iva Janžurová
