The Midnight Column of Soldiers
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1972Production year
1972Premiere
25 May 1973Runtime
87 minDirector
Ivo NovákCategory
filmGenre
comedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Půlnoční kolonaCzech title
Půlnoční kolonaEnglish title
The Midnight Column of SoldiersSummary
Ivan Novák’s comedy presents the soldier’s life at the onset of the 1970s as a useful and even cheerful occupation. Five friends, whose task is to secure the safe passage of a military column through nocturnal Prague, gain an evening’s leave from their good-hearted commander Velich (Jaromír Hanzlík). However, their plans bump up against harsh reality: Milan (Petr Oliva) finds only his younger sister (Jaroslava Schallerová) at his parent’s house, Jindra (Jaroslav Potměšil) has to cope with his girlfriend’s infidelity and Ján (Oldřich Vízner) is arrested by the military police as he’s not brought along his certificate of leave. As a bon vivant, Rosůlka (Jiří Krampol) fails to demonstrate his seductive skills during the course of the evening, while dutiful Velich meets the lovely mother of little Mirek… This escapist feature – not at all well remembered – is based on a novel by Karel Štorkán, who also contributed to the screenplay.
Synopsis
The group of five soldiers is charged to secure an undisturbed transit of the military column through Prague. According to the order they are to await the column at midnight at the end of the Prague housing estate. The military transport guard arrive to the place of destination early and thus they gain a walk in Prague from the commander, Corporal Velich. Velich has to stay at the wagon. The soldiers have their ideas how to spend free time in the big town. Milan is first leaving with elegant Marta then he wishes to meet his parents, especially his mother. But he is disappointed finding at home only his fifteen-year-old sister who is celebrating her birthday with her friends. Jindra sets out to his fiancée Jitka but he has to confront her little unfaithfulness before he wins her again. Ján Rutkay accepts invitation from his friends to play with them the organ in a small theatre. But he is taken away by the military watch because he has forgotten at Velich his documents and leave of absence. The man of fashion, Rosůlka, nicknamed Bůr due to the endless borrowing money endeavours in vain to make an acquaintance with any attractive woman. Velich passes the time of the waiting at the wagon with a little boy Mirek who is living in a near-by house. Then in the evening he makes friends with the boy's divorced mother as well. Midnight is drawing near, both happy and disappointed soldiers are in a hurry to return to the wagon to fulfil their duty. The column is passing Prague without a problem, the last is leaving the military transport guard.
Photos
Cast
Ladislav Potměšil
vojín Jindra Vondráček
Jaromír Hanzlík
desátník Velich
Petr Oliva
Voice by Václav Postránecký
člen dopravní hlídky Milan
Oldřich Vízner
člen dopravní hlídky Ján Rutkay
Jiří Krampol
člen hlídky Josef Rosůlek zvaný Bůr
Jorga Kotrbová
Jitka, Jindrova nevěsta
Jaroslava Tichá
Floriánová, Jitčina matka
Josef Somr
major na posádkovém velitelství
Jana Šulcová
Eva Voráčková
Tomáš Muchka
Mirek, Evin syn
Jana Sedlmajerová
Marta, Milanova přítelkyně
Jiří Stivín
hudebník Bobo, Jánův kamarád
Jiří Vondráček
Voice by Michal Pavlata
boxer Honza Čumpelík
Jan Kotva
Bimbas
Aleš Košnar
Bogan
Josef Brozman
Ota
Věra Galatíková
herečka ve Viole
Jaroslava Schallerová
Míša, Milanova sestra
Bohuslav Kupšovský
vrchní v Tabarinu
Valerie Čižmárová
Voice by Naďa Konvalinková
zpěvačka
Olga Blechová
zpěvačka
Jan Kuželka
příslušník VB
Vladimír Hrubý
šmelinář
Vítězslav Černý
párkař
Libuše Procházková
Iva
Helena Cillerová
Blanka
Jana Boušková
Helena
Blanka Bösserová
Monika
Ivo Kubečka
host Tabarinu
Karel Hábl
host Tabarinu
Jiřina Bílá
zákaznice v Pramenu
Ladislav Janeček
zákazník v Pramenu
Vladimír Štros
zákazník v Pramenu
Jarmila Šmídová
šatnářka
Jan Řeřicha
nadrotmistr Láznička
Václav Němec
velitel hlídky
Jiří Ptáčník
člen hlídky
Rudolf Růžička (2)
inspicient v divadélku
Zdeněk Skalický
vrchní v letní restauraci
Karel Vávra (3)
cvičitel ratlíků
Miluše Voborníková
zpěvačka v divadélku
Jiřina Zemanová
květinářka
Ivona Nováková
basketbalistka
Hana Čížková
Venuše
Jana Možíšová
dívka v opalovačkách
Hana Kašparová
barmanka
Josef Chval
žonglér s míčky
Vladimír Hrabánek
inspicient v Tabarinu
Jarmila Horská
číšnice
Alexandra Haškovcová
dívka ve Viole
Eva Čtrnáctá
tanečnice
Marie Gergiedowská
tanečnice
Zdeňka Hlízová
tanečnice
Blanka Koubová
tanečnice
Diana Matějková
tanečnice
Věra Navrátilová
tanečnice
Rudolf Dašek
člen Bobovy kapely
Zdeněk Kalhous
člen Bobovy kapely
Karel Jahn
člen Bobovy kapely
Karel Vejvoda
člen Bobovy kapely
Jan Žižka
hudebník
Ferdinand Vondráček-Vondra
muž v umývárně
Petr Hannig
dubl za Oldřicha Víznera – hra na varhany
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Jiří Potsch, Dagmar Nováková
Based on
Karel Štorkán (Půlnoční kolona – novela)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Marcel Kříž, Dana Smržová, Eva Slívová
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Radomír Hubáček, Vladislav Špidra
Unit Production Manager
Cooperation
Hana Stibůrková (klapka), Alena Červená (fotografka)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček), System Tandem, Jiří Stivín, Petr Hannig
Songs
Jak se tak toulám světem
Song Composer Petr Hapka
Writer of Lyrics Zdeněk Rytíř
Singer Karel ČernochOlga BlechováValerie Čižmárová
Pod modrou oblohou
Song Composer Petr Hapka
Writer of Lyrics Zdeněk Rytíř
Singer Miluše Voborníková
Hajú, hajú
Singer Josef Somr
Okolo Hradce
Production info
Original Title
Půlnoční kolona
Czech Title
Půlnoční kolona
English Title
The Midnight Column of Soldiers
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
comedy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1972
Production Year
1972
Production specifications
projection approval 14 December 1972
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986
Premiere
premiere 3 May 1973 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Lucerna, Praha)
premiere 25 May 1973 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
gala premiere 4 June 1973 (Chomutov a Litvínov)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Oty Hofmana, Ota Hofman (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
87 min
Original length in metres
2 455 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
Awards
Vítěz
Event: Prémie Českého literárního fondu za rok 1972
1973
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Karel Štorkán
Vítěz
Festival: 11. filmový festival mladých Trutnov
1973
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia
