The Return
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1972Production year
1972Premiere
1 September 1972Runtime
95 minDirector
Václav MatějkaCategory
filmGenre
psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
NávratyCzech title
NávratyEnglish title
The ReturnSummary
During the “normalisation” era of the 1970s, the outstanding actor Petr Čepek focused primarily on theatre and television work. The 1972 psychological drama Návraty (The Return), directed by Václav Matějka, is one of the few exceptions. The protagonist, Slávek Vondra, is an indecisive, morally corrupt intellectual, and a poser who becomes a victim of his own inflated ambitions. His ex-wife, medical nurse Tereza (Jana Gýrová), still holds some affection for him and tries to stay in touch with him, for the sake of their little son; but Slávek’s actions finally make her see the light. At first glance, the film seems to differ from Matějka’s other, politically conformist works; in actuality, it is a pointed criticism of intellectuals who were active in the liberal 1960s and refused to support the new regime.
Synopsis
Tereza lives alone with her young son Michal. With him and her former husband Slávek, she visits Slávek's mother, from whom they are hidding their divorce. Tereza is not happy about the arrangement, but she still loves Slávek and canoot refuse him the favour. After the return, Slávek goes back to the attractive fashion designer Máša with whom he now lives, and who admires him as the young man who has written a book and is about to write another. In fact, Slávek has prematurely left the District National Committee to avoid defending a colleague and becoming involved in politics. He is not happy with his work as a bookstore manager. Tereza is seeing the violinist František, who loves her. Slávek and Máša go to a rehearsal of an amateur theatre company. Slávek has persuaded them to work on Chekhov's Ivanov. Now he is overly critical of the performance and the acting and gets into a conflict with everyone. Máša, whom he was about to marry, dies in a car accident. Her father throws Slávek out of her flat. Devastated Slávek staggers back to Tereza in the middle of night and persuades her to take him back. Tereza breaks up with František; after all, she has a child with Slávek. But Slávek hasn't changed at all. He continues to run away from responsibility and longs to go to a place where nobody knows him. He doen't care about Tereza's nursing job, or about her desires and plans. Their relationship becomes strained again. Tereza slowly loses all respect for Slávek. She becomes aware that Michal is being affected by his parents' tense relationship and decides to separate from Slávek for good.
Photos
Cast
Jana Gýrová
zdravotní sestra Tereza
Petr Čepek
Miroslav Vondra zvaný Slávek, Terezin bývalý manžel
Tomáš Muchka
Michal, Terezin a Slávkův synek
Jarmila Krulišová
Slávkova matka
Rudolf Jelínek
houslař František Havel, Terezin přítel
Josef Somr
Pavel Kuneš, Slávkův přítel
Jana Dítětová
Mája, Kunešova žena
Bohuš Záhorský
MUDr. Ladman
Zuzana Kocúriková
Voice by Jana Andresíková
módní návrhářka Máša
Jan Vostrčil
Tonda Havel, Františkův otec
Josef Šebánek
oslavenec Josef, Tondův bratr
Míla Myslíková
Máňa, Josefova manželka
Václav Mareš
Petr, Slávkův bratr
Jana Březinová
Božka, Petrova žena
Vladimír Jedenáctík
Vincek
Josefa Pechlátová
babička
Karel Šebesta
předseda ONV Janík
Karolina Slunéčková
barmanka Bláňa
Jan Přeučil
ochotník Pavlíček hrající Ivanova
Stanislava Bartošová
ochotnice Lucie hrající Sašu
Lubor Tokoš
ochotník Tomášek hrající Lebeděva
Jana Andresíková
ochotnice Slávina hrající Sáru
Josef Kotapiš
ochotník Suchý hrající sluhu
Petr Patera
ochotník Luňák hrající Lvova
Zdena Burdová
ochotnice Marie hrající Marfu
Zdeněk Braunschläger
ochotník Bárta hrající Berkina
Emil Iserle
ochotník
Miroslav Nohýnek
režisér Král
Jindřiška Gabriela Preissová
ochotnice a pokladní
Jana Posseltová
inspicientka
Hana Kreihanslová
úřednice Tomková
Josef Chvalina
Mášin otec
Jiří Kostka
Voice by Lubor Tokoš
Jenda
Alois Vachek
technik
Vincenc Vávra
technik
Miluše Zoubková
prodavačka knih Jánská
Václav Vydra
nemluva Honza
Lenka Kořínková
Anička
Jan Víšek
lékař v nemocnici
Libuše Zátková
průvodčí
Josef Kolb
pacient Mařák
Jaroslav Koc
harmonikář Tony
Radúz Chmelík
pracovník ONV Bláha
Drahomíra Fialková
Bláhová
Vlasta Jelínková
babička rodičky Jarky
Dubbing
Miriam Kantorková
hlas účetní Zdeničky Hálové v telefonu
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Pavel Dosoudil
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Miroslav Balajka, Ivan Ernyei, R. Stehlíková
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Josef Mojžíš, Věra Winkelhöferová
Unit Production Manager
Vlasta Mathauserová
Cooperation
Olga Hrčková (klapka), Miloš Schmiedberger (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Songs
Živijó, živijó
Singer sbor
Production info
Original Title
Návraty
Czech Title
Návraty
English Title
The Return
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1972
Production Year
1972
Production specifications
projection approval 28 February 1972
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986
Premiere
premiere 31 August 1972 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Paříž, Praha)
premiere 1 September 1972 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Karla Copa, Karel Cop (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny), Výrobní skupina Jiřího Šebora, Jiří Šebor (vedoucí výrobní skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
95 min
Original length in metres
2 665 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
black & white
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Event: Prémie Českého literárního fondu za rok 1972
1973
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Václav Matějka
