Attempted Murder
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1973Production year
1973Premiere
12 October 1973Runtime
101 minDirector
Jiří SequensCategory
filmGenre
psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Pokus o vražduCzech title
Pokus o vražduEnglish title
Attempted MurderSummary
Providing a notable psychologically intense role for actor Karel Höger, this 1973 film tells the story of a well-circumstanced doctor, who descends into paranoia and pathological fear of an unknown attacker. A poisoned cat and a gunshot, which thankfully misses its target, lead Professor Trojan to believe that someone is trying to kill him. While investigating potential malevolent motives among his hospital colleagues, patients, and even family members, Trojan realises that the world is full of people who might want him dead... This clinical study of fear is the work of screenwriter Zdeňek Bláha and experienced director Jiří Sequens, who often made crime genre films during this period. Alongside a tremendous performance from Höger, Martin Růžek plays Trojan’s neighbour Šeda, while Josef Abrhám plays the lead character’s estranged son and Jana Brejchová his daughter-in-law.
Synopsis
The head of a Prague clinic, Professor Trojan, lives a quiet life in his flat in the Malá Strana (Lesser Tlen), one of Prague's historical and oldest boroughs. Old Zdena, the sister of his deceased wife, keeps house for him. His son Petr is also a doctor, but to his father's displeasure he has moved to the Moravian city of Brno with his wife Eva, a singer at the start of her career. Trojan has just one friend, the retired judge Karel Šeda. One day someone poisons Trojan's cat. On the same day someone shoots at the professor through the window of his flat. The professor at first shrugs off the incidents, but then he starts to be afraid. He thinks hard about his relationships at work and in the family. He wonders if his deputy Dvořáček, M.D., who has carelessly allowed a patient to steal some potassium cyanide, might not be trying to get rid of him. His son too only has an interest in him when he wants to borrow money. Petr and Eva come to Prague when Šeda writes and tells them about the episode. The death of the cat is explained, and turns out to be unconnected with the shooting. Trojan's subsequent visit to Moravia is pleasant only until the moment when his son asks for a loan. The rift seems to be definitive. Trojan is now consumed by fear. Šeda tells him about a man whom he sentenced years before for a crime of passion. Recently the murderer has finished his sentence and been released. Trojan no longer even trusts his friend, but after a bitter quarrel Šeda is shot in the street and seriously injured. The culprit is indeed the ex-prisoner, who had earlier confused the two men. Trojan will now have a difficult time repairing the damage done by his pathological suspicions.
Film online
Photos
Cast
Karel Höger
profesor MUDr. Petr Trojan, přednosta kliniky
Slávka Budínová
vrchní sestra Milena
Jana Brejchová
zpěvačka Eva Křížová, Trojanova snacha
Martin Růžek
soudce JUDr. Karel Šeda, Trojanův přítel
Zdeněk Řehoř
asistent MUDr. Dvořáček
Josef Abrhám
lékař Petr, Trojanův syn, Evin muž
Jaromír Hanzlík
kriminalista poručík Benda
Nina Popelíková
Zdena, Trojanova švagrová a hospodyně
Miriam Kantorková
MUDr. Vlachová
Václav Lohniský
pacient Pešl
Oldřich Vízner
vysokoškolák Pavel, Zdenin syn
Ivo Niederle
kriminalista Jenda
Otakar Brousek
MUDr. Landa
Bohuslav Čáp
Kouba, pomatený kuchař-vrah
Ľudovít Greššo
Voice by Oldřich Velen
stařeček ve sklípku
Eva Chaberová
mladší ošetřovatelka
Eva Vlachová
starší ošetřovatelka
Miloš Willig
lékař
Miloslav Šindler
lékař
Jiří Adamec
medik
Petr Kopřiva
medik
Josef Kalena
nemocniční zřízenec
Vladimír Kára
kameraman
Petr Šelelyo
kameraman
Jiří Herman
kameraman
Petr Šťáhlavský
asistent kamery
František Klíma
asistent kamery
Jan Kadlec st.
asistent kamery
Karel Šašek
střihač
Dana Samcová
mikrofonistka
Jaroslav Kotrč
technik videa
Jan Pavlásek
zvukař
Bohumil Linka
technik záznamu
Miloslav Kašpar
magnetofonista
Karel Novák
měřící iženýr
Viktor Očásek
pacient Česal
Jiří Cimický
lékař
Dagmar Bláhová
zdravotní sestra
Jaroslav Bystřický
technik záznamu
Vladimír Navrátil
kriminalista
Vladimír Linka
kriminalista
Bohumil Koška
kriminalista
Jura Hudeček
hudebník
Pavel Pekárek
houslista
Milan Pacák
Dvořáčkův dvojník
Jiří Fictum
dubl za Karla Högera
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Luděk Kopal
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Jaroslav Česal, Karel Kočí, Stanislav Krejča
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Josef Hudlička, Olga Mimrová
Unit Production Manager
Jaroslava Pražská
Cooperation
Hana Jozífková (klapka), Vladimír Souček (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Johann Sebastian Bach (Toccata a fuga d moll)
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Songs
Grand prix
Song Composer Zdeněk Liška
Writer of Lyrics Vladimír Sís
Singer Jana Brejchová [dab]Hana Buštíkováskupina Bukanýři
Moje milé premilené čerešně
Singer sbor
Production info
Original Title
Pokus o vraždu
Czech Title
Pokus o vraždu
English Title
Attempted Murder
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1973
Production Year
1973
Production specifications
projection approval 12 July 1973
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986
Premiere
premiere 11 October 1973 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino 64 U Hradeb, Praha)
premiere 12 October 1973 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Miloše Brože, Miloš Brož (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
101 min
Original length in metres
2 826 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,66, 1:2,35
Colour
black & white
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
