An Enemy Is at the Wheel
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1974Production year
1974Premiere
3 October 1975Runtime
93 minDirector
Karel SteklýCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Za volantem nepřítelCzech title
Za volantem nepřítelEnglish title
An Enemy Is at the WheelSummary
Prague taxi service chief Mudroch (Miloš Willig) has no time for the irrational demands of his drivers for a pay rise. The drivers decide to strike and seek the support of the trade unions and “enemies of the state” in their fight against Murdoch. But the taxi firm boss is convinced that such an honest communist as himself cannot be overcome. Then saboteurs interfere with the brakes of his car… This 1974 drama made by a very old hand of filmmaking, Karel Steklý, amounts to a criticism of opponents of the contemporary regime. They are represented as indulging in dishonest intrigues in preparation for the 1968 disruption of the established political order. It is a forcible example of post-1968 “normalisation” cinema which makes use of many ideological clichés. The motion picture propagandistically presents honest comrades, corrupted long-haired citizens, taxi drivers who have no appetite for work and wicked emigrants stealing the wives of true communists. Today, the film might come across as an unintended comedy, but in its day, it clearly reflected the new doctrine of “normalisation” being pushed by the state.
Synopsis
Prague taxi drivers ask for an immoderate pay rise. Director Mudroch disapproves of their requirements, giving rise to their hostility. The drivers refuse to work and the chief dispatcher Chaluš is laughed at by them. They decide to win over director Mudroch, looking for support of anti-communists at the ministry and in the Trade Unions. On the contrary, Mudroch expects support from the ministry, but the office-holder Hlávka is not willing to burn his fingers, being threatened by anti-communist leaflets. Chaluš is aware of the company shortcomings, but his marriage problems prevail. His wife Zdena her ex-friend dates Rudolf who is back from emigration. Now, he talks her into leaving for the West with him. Mudroch struggles to cope with his new position, convinced that honest communists cannot be defeated. His hostile colleagues damage the brakes in his car. Chaluš learns from the driver Eugene that his wife is about to leave with Rudolf. He rushes to the airport with Mudroch. In the very last minute, Zdena changes her mind, leaving Rudolf at the airport. Mudroch's taxi crashed because of faulty brakes. Seriously injured Mudroch loses consciousness. His last words are: they can murder people, but they cannot win.
Photos
Cast
Miloš Willig
ředitel taxislužby Mudroch
Libuše Řídelová
Mudrochova manželka
Petr Skarke
hlavní dispečer taxislužby Chaluš
Regina Rázlová
trenérka plavání Zdena, Chalušova žena
Karel Hábl
Rudolf, bývalý Zdenin milý
Svatopluk Matyáš
Ing. Brotánek, pracovník ministerstva financí
Zdena Burdová
dispečerka Jana
Libuše Matějová
Bartošová, Rudolfova sestra
Jiří Němeček
předseda Ústřední rady odborů dr. Ončák
Josef Langmiler
šéfredaktor televizních novin Winter
Gustav Opočenský
taxikář Bláha, bývalý právník
Jan Skopeček
taxikář Hejtmánek
Jindřich Janda
funkcionář Ústřední rady odborů Hlávka
František Skřípek
Milan, Mudrochův syn
Bohumil Bezouška
taxikář Evžen
Oldřich Velen
taxikář Frühauf
Zdeněk Kryzánek
taxikář Soukup
Ivo Niederle
taxikář Koloušek
Vladimír Hrubý
taxikář Patočka
Jan Schánilec
taxikář Pařílek
Zdeněk Kutil
předseda ZO ROH Šíma
Jan Krafka
taxikář Víšek
Jiří Havel
taxikář Kupšík
Petr Pospíchal
taxikář Beznoska
Radan Rusev
taxikář Pazdírek
Antonín Hardt
strážmistr VB
Jiří Holý
politik
Ferdinand Krůta
politik
Josef Hlinomaz
automobilista v aerovce
Magda Maděrová
dispečerka Jitka
Raoul Schránil
vrchní ve varieté
Stanislav Remunda
řidič autojeřábu
Miloš Vavruška
muž v oranžové bundě na ulici
Karel Peyr
Voice by Eduard Dubský
velvyslanecký rada
Vladimír Navrátil
taxikář
Bohumil Kňákal
taxikář
Zdeněk Braunschläger
taxikář/závozník
Ladislav Krečmer
zákazník na Hradčanském náměstí
Václav Neckář
zpěvák
Roman Hemala
Komárek
Ladislav Kazda
Hrdý
František Kubíček
Voice by Mirko Musil
normální muž na ulici
Kajetán Maudr
zřízenec v livreji
Rudolf Kalina
Voice by Vladimír Pospíšil
muž s baretem na ulici
Běla Veselá-Sobotková
tanečnice s ohněm
Jiřina Zemanová
květinářka
Petr Kučera
reportér s politiky
Zdenek Zaoral
brýlatý muž ve vinárně
Jarmila Švehlová
dívka u podpisových archů
Jiří Tomek (hudebník)
hudebník
Anatolij Kohout
hudebník
Jaroslav Tomsa
dubl za Miloše Williga
motoristický oddíl Dukla Benešov
motocyklisté
Dubbing
Mirko Musil
hlas šedovlasého muže u podpisových archů
Petr Svojtka
hlas vlasáče na ulici
Jiří Valenta
hlas z rozhlasu
Jiří Krampol
hlas publicisty Vladimíra Toska v televizoru
Alena Karešová
hlas z televizoru
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Antonín Šimral
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Miroslav Himmer, Marcel Kříž, Eva Slívová
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Karel Prchal, Vladimír Tišer
Unit Production Manager
Václav Veruněk
Cooperation
Regina Svobodová (klapka), Miroslav Pešan (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Songs
Bum, bum, bum
Song Composer Ladislav Štaidl
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Štaidl
Singer Karel Gott
Kupředu, zpátky ni krok
Song Composer Jan Seidel
Production info
Original Title
Za volantem nepřítel
Czech Title
Za volantem nepřítel
English Title
An Enemy Is at the Wheel
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1974
Production Year
1974
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 8 March 1974
start of filming 8 April 1974
technical Screenplay approved 21 May 1974
end of filming 18 November 1974
projection approval 22 November 1974
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986
Premiere
festival premiere 26 February 1975 (13. festival českých a slovenských filmů Praha /kino Světozor, Praha/)
premiere 25 September 1975 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Světozor, Praha)
premiere 3 October 1975 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Karla Copa, Karel Cop (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
93 min
Original length in metres
2 681 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,66, 1:2,35
Colour
colour
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Exhibition: 17. přehlídka avantgardních a neorealistických filmů Avellino
1976
Avellino / Italy
Vítěz
Festival: 13. festival českých a slovenských filmů Praha
1975
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Miloš Willig
