Death of a Fly
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1976Production year
1976Premiere
1 April 1977Runtime
86 minDirector
Karel KachyňaCategory
filmGenre
psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Smrt mouchyCzech title
Smrt mouchyEnglish title
Death of a FlySummary
This 1976 psychological study of a young high school student, tinged with an environmental message, is considered to be one of the lesser films from experienced director Karel Kachyňa. Written in collaboration with Jan Otčenášek, the film tells the story of teenager Milan, who compensates for his shyness around girls (especially classmate Magdaléna) by taking photographs. Inspired by class-teacher Votruba, Milan documents the environmental crimes of a local functionary. But Honza has to face a bigger issue than the evil injustices around him – a phobia of flies from which he has suffered since childhood. Self-confident love rival Honza decides to uses this phobia as a weapon against Milan…. The talented actor Luboš Knytl stars in what was his only feature-film role. Jaroslav Satoranský plays a progressive high school teacher.
Synopsis
Milan Hlaváček, a student of the grammar school in the town of Kladno, is secretly in love with his pretty classmate Magdaléna, who is courted by the self-confident Honza. The shy Milan is in anguish and his feelings do not escape the attention of another classmate of his, Alena. Milan is a keen photographer. Apart from inhabitants of the housing estate, his snapshots mostly capture Magdaléna. The teacher Votruba has a lecture on damage to the environment and encourages the students to take notice of such cases and document them. Milan takes photographs of people who wash their cars in the local brook without scruple, among them Sláma, a district official. The boy then exhibits the pictures at school, but Votruba thinks that provocation is no good and removes the snapshots. Magdaléna is interested in Milan's photographs, so she visits Milan at his place, accompanied by Alena and the jealous Honza. From a family film and a sound tape, the three of them learn that Milan has been afraid of flies ever since he was a little boy. Honza takes advantage of this information and, in a confrontation with Milan, ridicules him in front of the others. Honza also steals a compromising photo from Milan's collection and sends it anonymously to Sláma. Votruba then comes into conflict with Sláma and Milan clashes with his father. The boy finally comes to understand that it was one of Honza's nasty tricks and they have a fight. One weekend, there is a car accident near the Hlaváčeks' cottage. Milan saves the life of his friend. On the way to hospital, he overcomes his phobia and kills a fly bothering the injured boy.
Photos
Cast
Luboš Knytl
student Milan Hlaváček
Jana Pehrová
studentka Magdaléna Fialková
Miroslava Šafránková
studentka Alena Kazdová
Otakar Brousek ml.
student Honza Látal
Libuše Švormová
Zdena Hlaváčková, Milanova matka
Josef Somr
František Hlaváček, Milanův otec
Jaroslav Satoranský
třídní profesor Ota Votruba
Milena Dvorská
sousedka Kodetová
Petr Haničinec
okresní funkcionář Sláma
Petr Kostka
lékař
Miroslav Moravec
Josef Kotas
Jiří Lábus
strážmistr VB
Jiří Ornest
strážmistr VB
Martin Stropnický
student Berger
Hana Kazdová
studentka Jarmila
Jiří Schwarz
student Pintr
Zlata Adamovská
studentka
Zuzana Fišerová
studentka
Michal Pešek
student
Monika Hálová
studentka
Martin Kolár
student
Radka Kratochvílová
studentka
Ljuba Krbová
studentka
Jana Kulendová
studentka
Zuzana Schulzová
studentka
Martin Zahálka
student
Vítězslav Fejlek
student
Petr Herold
student
Zuzana Kadlecová
studentka
Jiří Kubín
student
Barbora Poláčková
studentka
Martin Švec
student
Eva Trunečková
sousedka Meruňková
Zdeněk Skalický
řidič barkasu Barták
Václav Kaňkovský
děda hlídač
Věra Petáková
profesorka Maruška
Marta Richterová
chatařka Bendová
Marie Hübschová
Váchová, žena s kufrem
František Kroutil
motocyklista Franta Ondrák
Tomáš Juřička
Jarda, Slámův syn
Marek Vašut
student
Marie Sýkorová
tanečnice
Eva Chaloupková
tanečnice
Markéta Fišerová
dívka hrající na flétnu
Dubbing
Richard Honzovič
hlas popisující nehodu
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Stanislava Hutková
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Pavel Blumenfeld, Jan Otčenášek, Jana Štroblová, Karel Kachyňa
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Ivan Ernyei, Josef Dvořák
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Stunts
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Růžena Hulínská, Miroslav Smrček
Unit Production Manager
Alexandr Šubrt
Cooperation
Bohumila Vrkočová (klapka), Zdeněk Dukát (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Songs
Magdaléno, Magdaléno
Singer sbor
Production info
Original Title
Smrt mouchy
Czech Title
Smrt mouchy
English Title
Death of a Fly
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1976
Production Year
1976
Production specifications
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986
Premiere
premiere 1 April 1977 /suitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Vladimíra Kaliny, Vladimír Kalina (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
86 min
Original length in metres
2 700 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: 15. festival českých a slovenských filmů Bratislava
1977
Bratislava / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslav Kučera
