Operation in Istanbul
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1975Production year
1975Premiere
19 December 1975Runtime
101 minDirector
Vladimír ČechCategory
filmGenre
drama, spyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Akce v IstanbuluCzech title
Akce v IstanbuluEnglish title
Operation in IstanbulSummary
This 1975 spy drama by well-established director Vladimír Čech reflects the regime’s dream of the Czechoslovak intelligence services’ dominance over their slow-witted adversaries from the CIA and West Germany. The story’s protagonist is a communist double agent, Petr Halva, who outwardly acts as a Czech immigrant who is the deputy director of a West Berlin company, Tanass. Tanass is in fact a front for US intelligence, which was infiltrated by Halva 10 years previously when he posed as an apparently reliable agent. However, the seasoned Halva is taken by surprise when his pretended romantic feelings for the beautiful Gitta – played by Ida Rapaičová – gradually become real… Akce v Istanbulu (Operation in Action) is rather inept depictions of the sweet and decadent life on the other side of the Iron Curtain are balanced by a high-calibre cast. Radovan Lukavský performed the lead role in this film adaptation of a book by popular pro-regime author Ivan Gariš, who also penned the film’s screenplay.
Synopsis
Not far from Prague, a drunk driver of the car with West German front license plate comes into collision with a girl hitchhiker. The police detains the offender - the business agent Grandner. In West Berlin, in his home firm Tanass, it makes a stir. Tanass is in fact the branch office of the American secret service and Grandner was one of the agents. Nobody suspects that Peter Halva, a senior director, Czech émigré, working in the firm for ten years, is a member of the Czechoslovak espionage. The elegant man passes over the notes by mediation of an attractive intelligence woman Gitta whom he regularly meets at the night club Conchita. Their simulated love passion is gradually realized. But one of the English agents identified Gitta and the woman takes to flight through East Berlin to her homeland. Peter managed to suggest her that an operation is in preparation in Istanbul. The American agents intend to kidnap an important Czech scientist MSc. Mašita, flying on official journey to Egypt, at the inter-landing in Turkey. The Czechoslovak espionage group has not enough time to interference with it thus Halva is entirely dependent on him. He gets rid of his colleagues after he foists drugs into their hands and discloses it to the Turkish police. Then he accompanies Mašita, who is entirely unaware of anything, to the airplane. However, by this time, Halva´s real identity has been revealed and he returns to his homeland which he longed for. At the airport Gitta is awaiting him. The workers of Tanass are broken down, their firm is closed.
Photos
Cast
Radovan Lukavský
Petr Halva, zástupce ředitele Tanassu, pracovník československé rozvědky
Ida Rapaičová
Gitta Reinová alias Monika Dullardová
Wilhelm Koch-Hooge
Voice by Luděk Munzar
plukovník John C. Howard, vedoucí pracovník CIA
Martin Růžek
ředitel Tanassu Wolfgang Streitzer
Minerva Daly
Voice by Jaroslava Adamová
zpěvačka Giselle Kraemerová alias Minerva
Josef Langmiler
kapitán Garry Browder vlastním jménem Drew Davidson, specialista na únosy
Eduard Cupák
majitel baru Conchita Dean Powell, bývalý pracovník anglické zpravodajské služby
Oto Ševčík
pracovník spolkové zpravodajské služby Neumaier
Gustav Heverle
policejní komisař Christian Wollmann
Oldřich Velen
policejní inspektor Georg Friedmann
František Peterka
agent Lino Torrance, pracovník CIA
Gustav Nezval
plukovník Ladislav Kment, pracovník československé rozvědky
Miroslav Homola
recepční Guttmann
Jan Přeučil
agent William Roberts, rezident v Istanbulu
Josef Chvalina
inženýr Tomáš Mašita, vedoucí výzkumného pracoviště mechanizačních prostředků
Jindřich Narenta
agent Hans Kreiske, spolupracovník CIA
Milan Mach
instruktor Miroslav Krulich, spolupracovník CIA
Viktor Maurer
agent Santanelli
Zita Kabátová
kadeřnice
Vladimír Navrátil
major Jan Mikeš, pracovník československé rozvědky
Jan Pohan
úředník výzkumného ústavu Karel Berka, spolupracovník CIA
Raoul Schránil
obchodní zástupce Thomas Grandner, spolupracovník CIA
Josef Šebek
Wuttke, agent spolkové zpravodajské služby
Jan Kuželka
Müller, agent spolkové zpravodajské služby
Jana Hermachová
stopařka
Eduard Kohout
spolumajitel baru Conchita
Oldřich Lukeš
taxikář Huber
Jiřina Bílá
sekretářka Greta
Josef Střecha
komorník
Robert Vrchota
Bartz, majitel autoservisu
Jiří Lír
agent-řidič
Mirko Musil
Jaroušek
Aleš Vincík
muž obsluhující diaprojektor
Zuzana Talpová
bytná Gipfelová
Radka Dulíková
sekretářka Helenka
Václav Hrůza
řidič
Karel Babáček
dirigent
Milan Bajer
hudebník
J. Heřmanský
hudebník
Jan Svatoš
hudebník
Zdeňka Aichmanová
host v baru
Zdeněk Hess
host v baru
Václav Kotva
host v baru
Antonín Meisner
host v baru
Vilemína Nejedlová-Skokanová
host v baru
Miroslav Krejča
agent v Praze
Olga Bidlová
manekýnka
Jitka Hamerníková
manekýnka
Marta Kaňovská
manekýnka
Marie Konrádová
manekýnka
Alena Křečková
manekýnka
Marie Prokešová
manekýnka
Dagmar Špačková
manekýnka
Eva Štětková
manekýnka
S. Kankušová
manekýnka
Jar. Kochová
manekýnka
B. Šachová
manekýnka
Zdeněk Skalický
zřízenec
Jindřiška Šulcová
tanečnice
Dubbing
Zdeněk Kryzánek
hlas námořníka
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Based on
Ivan Gariš (Akce v Istanbulu – román)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Karel Škop, Růžena Hulínská
Unit Production Manager
Helena Hánová
Consultant
plk. Jan Kovář, pplk. František Havlíček, JUDr. Přemysl Velický
Cooperation
Olga Kourová (klapka), Zdeněk Dukát (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček), Orchestr Karla Vlacha, Orchestr Karla Babáčka
Singer
Minerva Daly
Production info
Original Title
Akce v Istanbulu
Czech Title
Akce v Istanbulu
English Title
Operation in Istanbul
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama, spy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1975
Production Year
1975
Production specifications
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1990
Premiere
premiere 11 December 1975 /suitable for youths/ (kino Světozor, Praha)
premiere 19 December 1975 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Miroslava Hladkého, Miroslav Hladký (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
101 min
Original length in metres
2 819 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
Festival: 14. festival českých a slovenských filmů Brno
1976
Brno / Czechoslovakia
Vladimír Čech
