The Secret of the Great Story-Teller
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1971Production year
1971Premiere
28 April 1972Runtime
101 minDirector
Karel KachyňaCategory
filmGenre
comedy, biographyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Tajemství velikého vypravěčeCzech title
Tajemství velikého vypravěčeEnglish title
The Secret of the Great Story-TellerSummary
In 1955, French author Andre Maurois published an eponymous biography of the life of 19th century French writer Alexandre Dumas. In 1971, this work was adapted for the screen by experienced Czech screenwriter Jaroslav Dietl. Directed by Karel Kachyňa, the film relates dramatic stories from the life of Alexandre Dumas, père. This prolific novelist, playwright and journalist lived a colourful life, offering the filmmakers plenty of opportunities to relate his passion and longing for excellence, amidst a society ill-tuned to this intense, unconventional man. Martin Štěpánek flexes his acting muscles in the title role. Brother Petr Štěpánek portrays Dumas’s son. Also performing in the film are actors Jana Hlaváčová and Otakar Brousek.
Synopsis
Alexander Dumas was an author of more than four hundred novels, a hundred of theatre plays and many stories and articles. A man of a varied origin, a grandson of a black slave woman and a French marquis, a son of a brave Napoleon's general, came to Paris in the twenties of the 19th century. He was nobody and couldn't do anything but he was self-confident and gaped for learning and success. Thanks to good handwriting he became a scribe. The wise librarian Lassage provided him with a vast amount of books and Dumas read them. He decided to become a dramatist. Before he succeeded at the stage of Comédie Française, he made the tailor Katerina a single mother of his first-born son Alexander. He had to learn diplomatic behaviour. He gained a fancy of the prima donna Mars after his second theatre play. He persuaded the Duke of Orleans that he did not parody his court and marriage. He became famous; however he was never rich enough, as he played ducks and drakes with his big money. When he married an actress Ferrier years later, his son performed a scandal as Dumas had never married his mother. The writer finally mollified his son and made him start writing. Dumas won also a trial in which he was accused of exploiting unknown authors who had written parts of novels for him. Many of great plans failed - sick and poor Dumas found a caring shelter in a family of his son - a successful dramatist. Alexander Dumas senior died when he had run out of his will to write.
Photos
Cast
Martin Štěpánek
spisovatel Alexandr Dumas st.
Petr Štěpánek
Alexandr, Dumasův syn
Otakar Brousek
baron Taylor, komisař Comédie Française
Jana Hlaváčová
krejčová Kateřina Labayová
Slávka Budínová
herečka Marsová
Milena Dvorská
herečka Ida Ferriérová
Jana Švandová
Melánie Walderová
Petr Kostka
spisovatel Viktor Hugo
Carmen Mayerová
Julietta Drouetová
Vladimír Šmeral
kritik Nodiere
František Němec
spisovatel Eugene de Mirecourt
Ladislav Trojan
spisovatel Maquet
Josef Chvalina
kritik Lassage
Jiří Císler
kníže Edoardo Allata
Zuzana Martínková
kněžna Naděžda Nariškinová
Hana Houbová
spisovatelka George Sandová
Lubor Tokoš
architekt Durant
Josef Karlík
prokurista nakladatelství
Zdeněk Kryzánek
generál Foy
Vladimír Brabec
vévoda z Orleánsu
Zdeněk Hodr
inspicient Garnier
Jindřich Narenta
Mirecourtův advokát
Heda Škrdlantová
Voice by Zdena Procházková
císařova neteř
Marie Popelková
švagrová vévody z Orleánsu
Naďa Konvalinková
Tonička
Ivo Niederle
komorník François
Josef Burda
Danglar/muž od Nodiera
Zdena Burdová
Isabela
Marcela Baťková
Marguerita
Viktor Maurer
Napoleon
Ladislav Frej
vévoda de Guise/herec
Adolf Filip
generál Morcerf/herec
Ludmila Grossmannová
stará kněžna
Anna Gabrielová
Kateřina M.
Ladislav Gzela
zastavárník
Karel Hovorka
písař
František Hanzlík
Saint Gaudeus
Zdeněk Hess
Anthony
Jana Hermachová
Prudence
Helena Jehličková
Madame Récamier
Karel Anderle
Aramis
Václav Formánek
Athos
Miloslav Průša
d'Artagnan
Josef Šolc
Porthos
Josef Červinka
Richelieu
Zdena Dančíková
Constance Bonacieuxová
Jana Gýrová
Mylady/herečka
Stanislav Juna
abbé Faria
Emil Iserle
biskup
Jan Kotva
Jakub/písař
Jana Hana Duffková
šlechtična
Petr Svojtka
Duval
Vladimír Pospíšil
Karel Savojský
Alena Janošková
dvorní dáma
Ilona Jirotková
dvorní dáma
Josef Janoušek (2)
notář/divák u soudu/číšník
Julie Jenšíková
hraběnka B.
Jan Kanyza
mladík
Tomáš Töpfer
mladík
Jana Posseltová
Nichette
Marta Richterová
vévodkyně
Eduard Pavlíček
arcibiskup
Stanislav Němec
herec/alchymista
Jiřina Hautová
komorná
Eva Rubínová
komorná
Josef Šebek
Saint Megni/herec
Vladimír Štros
herec
Zdeněk Skalický
lokaj
Ladislava Tschamundjiová
Haydée/exotická bruneta
Ivan Chrz
gardista
Zdeněk Houška
gardista
Petr Lebeda
gardista
František Plecháček
gardista
M. Lhotský
gardista
Milan Procházka
gardista
Alois Vachek
předseda soudu
Luka Rubanovičová
Adéle Hervey
Jiří Wohanka
herec
Pavel Jiras
sluha v livreji
Jindřiška Gabriela Preissová
komtesa/herečka
Luděk Svoboda
písař
Jiřina Zemanová
vévodkyně
Vítězslav Brandejský
hudebník
František Hotový
hudebník
František Javůrek
hudebník
Zdeněk Kodat
hudebník
Karel Kos
hudebník
Vilém Linke
hudebník
Čestmír Preclík
hudebník
Zdeněk Šimůnek
hudebník
Alois Zouhar
hudebník
Jindřich Čmugr
hudebník
Václav Sedlák
hudebník
Vladimír Svoboda
hudebník
A. Vališ
hudebník
Regina Kociánová
baletka
Helena Postránecká
baletka
Jana Kolenatá
baletka
Václav Kovařík
Garibaldi
O. Pobuda
baron z M.
František Miroslav Doubrava
divadelní zřízenec
Ladislav Kazda
divadelní zřízenec
Viktor Očásek
starý úředník
Josef Coufal
muž od Nodiera
Zdeněk Janata
číšník
M. Banseth
číšník
J. Komberec
číšník
L. Koulík
číšník
J. Lederer
číšník
R. Pěkný
číšník
I. Šlár
číšník
M. Havelka
Karel VII.
E. Saudková
Sorelová
M. Šamalová
rusovláska
Renée Nachtigallová
švadlena
Hana Čížková
švadlena
Milena Steinmasslová
švadlena
Commentary
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Karel Brchel
Continuity
Based on
Jaroslav Dietl (Alexandr Dumas starší – třídílná televizní hra), André Maurois (Tři Dumasové /Les trois Dumas/ – životopisná kniha)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Art Director
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Jaroslava Semrádová
Consultant
Maria Ullrichová, Eva Kröschlová, Ivan Chrz
Cooperation
Jaroslava Sýkorová (klapka), Jindřich Panáček (fotograf)
Music
Production info
Original Title
Tajemství velikého vypravěče
Czech Title
Tajemství velikého vypravěče
English Title
The Secret of the Great Story-Teller
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
comedy, biography
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1971
Production Year
1971
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 8 February 1971
technical Screenplay approved 20 April 1971
start of filming 4 June 1971
end of filming 23 August 1971
projection approval 7 December 1971
the first film copy approved 30 December 1971
withdrawal from distribution 3 October 1983
Premiere
premiere 27 April 1972 /suitable for youths/ (kino Jalta, Praha)
premiere 28 April 1972 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Zdeňka Dufka, Zdeněk Dufek (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny), Výrobní skupina Ladislava Novotného, Ladislav Novotný (vedoucí výrobní skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
101 min
Original length in metres
2 830 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,66
Colour
colour
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
