Nurse Alena’s Love Affair

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1973

Production year

1972—1973

Premiere

5 October 1973

Runtime

83 min

Category

film

Genre

drama, psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Známost sestry Aleny

Czech title

Známost sestry Aleny

English title

Nurse Alena’s Love Affair

Working title

Sestra Alena

Summary

Based on the eponymous novel by Marie Pujmanová, director Miroslav Hubáček shot the feature film Známost sestry Aleny (Nurse Alena’s Love Affair, 1973) about the title character’s love affair with a racing car driver. Karel Mareš, has been through a serious kidney operation and should not be allowed to drive, but he insists on getting behind the wheel to compete in a national rally. The dramatic course of the race vindicates the opinion of Dr. Srdínek, his personal physician. But even when Karel’s dreams of a racing career are lost in the ensuing smash-up, his loving Helena supports him… Screenwriters Vladimír Bor and Václav Šašek changed the profession of Pujmanová’s main character, who was originally a journalist, to allow for more visually dramatic moments in the film. The leading roles in this nearly forgotten feature are played by popular Slovak actors Emília Vášáryová and Štefan Kvietik, who are overdubbed into Czech by Miluše Švormová and Jan Tříska.

Synopsis

Young car racer Karel has just undergone a kidney operation. Recovering, he falls in love with a pretty nurse Alena whom he tries to attract when coming for medical check-ups to the hospital. At first Alena refuses, but eventually she accepts his invitation for dinner, followed by a dance. Alena soon falls in love with the energetic boy, who cannot live without the excitement of car racing. After his recovery, Karel wants to get back to the race-course at all costs. He starts preparing for a national rallye and Alena accompanies him. Doctor Srdínko, Karel's attending doctor, emphatically warns Alena, that Karel should refrain from racing forever. Karel is unwilling to admit this fact, though. Firstly, the race looks good for Karel and his navigator Jiří. During the race in rough terrain, Karel has a kidney attack. Alena calls up doctor Srdínko who gives Karel an injection, but advises him to withdraw from the race. Jiří is also afraid of taking further risk with Karel. Finally, they both decide to take part in the rallye the following day. However, Karel is unable to drive. Jiří takes over the driving from him, but he cannot find the correct direction; he is leaving the car in anger. Karel finishes the race on his own, having taken wrong way and long after the set time limit. He is very unhappy because his longed-for world broke to pieces. Loving Alena helps him to overcome the crisis and Karel returns to hospital to undergo another operation.

Cast

Emília Vášáryová

Voice by Libuše Švormová
zdravotní sestra Alena

Štefan Kvietik

Voice by Jan Tříska
závodní jezdec Karel Mareš

Martin Růžek

manažer klubu Hlaváč

Otakar Brousek

MUDr. Srdínko

Petr Budín

Voice by Eduard Cupák
Jiří, Karlův navigátor a spolujezdec

Robert Vrchota

mechanik Topinka

Aleš Košnar

Voice by Jaromír Hanzlík
mechanik Vláďa

Emma Černá

zdravotní sestra Blanka

Zdena Burdová

instrumentářka

Mirko Musil

hotelový host v náladě

Václav Štekl

hotelový vrátný

Václav Picko

startér závodů

Naďa Konvalinková

Voice by Jorga Kotrbová
zdravotní sestra Jarka

Jiřina Chlumská

pacientka

Ludmila Šafářová

zdravotní sestra

Ivan Sellák

Voice by Jiří Kodet
vrchní

Zdeněk Hess

řidič harleye

Ivo Hrdina

pořadatel

Bohumír Procházka

závodník

Pavel Hrubeš

saniťák

Karel Piskáček

dirigent v baru

Aleš Vaverka

hudebník v baru

Bedřich Volf

hudebník v baru

Karel Znamenáček

hudebník v baru

Václav Syřiště

dubl za Štefana Kvietika

Josef Srnský

dubl za Roberta Vrchotu

Zdeněk Synek

dubl za Aleše Košnara

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

František Matoušek

Assistant Director

Tomáš Urban

Based on

Marie Pujmanová (Sestra Alena – novela)

Shooting Script

Miroslav Hubáček

Director of Photography

Josef Vaniš

Second Unit Photography

Václav Helliman

Camera Operator

Bohumil Vodička

Production Designer

Karel Vacek

Assistent Production Designer

Vladimír Hovorka

Set Designer

Karel Lukáš, Václav Pošta, Jiří Čermák

Costume Designer

Jiří Sochovský

Film Editor

Miroslav Hájek

Assistant Film Editor

Jitka Šulcová

Sound Designer

Ladislav Hausdorf

Production Manager

Jaromír Lukáš

Unit Production Manager

Radomír Hubáček, Jiří Ulrich

Unit Production Manager

Blanka Rýdlová

Consultant

Miroslav Cejp, Ing. Zdeněk Turek, MUDr. Zdeněk Trefný, CSc., Václav Syřiště

Cooperation

Daniela Pilařová (klapka), Alena Červená (fotografka)

Music

Music Composed by

Zdeněk Liška

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)

Production info

Original Title

Známost sestry Aleny

Czech Title

Známost sestry Aleny

English Title

Nurse Alena’s Love Affair

Working Title

Sestra Alena

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama, psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1973

Production Year

1972—1973

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 13 July 1972
start of filming 22 August 1972
technical Screenplay approved 15 September 1972
end of filming 3 March 1973
projection approval 28 March 1973
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986

Premiere

premiere 4 October 1973 /suitable for youths/ (kino Lucerna, Praha)
premiere 5 October 1973 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)

Studio

Hostivař

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Karla Copa, Karel Cop (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

83 min

Original length in metres

2 345 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