On the Big River

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1977

Production year

1976—1977

Premiere

10 November 1978

Runtime

66 min

Director

Jan Schmidt

Category

film

Genre

adventure

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Na veliké řece

Czech title

Na veliké řece

English title

On the Big River

Working title

Sokolí oko / Než zhasne slunce / Trilogie z pravěku

Summary

In 1978, director Jan Schmidt released his sequel to his “prehistoric” adventure film Osada Havranů (The Ravens’ Stronghold, 1977). It was the second film in what would turn out to be a trilogy of movies inspired by the popular novels of writer Eduard Štorch. The young, inquisitive boy Havranpírko, or “Little Raven Feather” (Ludvík Hradílek), and his manly friend and guardian, the hunter Sokol, or “Falcon” (Jiří Bartoška), serve as the main characters (as is also the case in the final part in the series, Volání rodu [Indivisible Clan, 1979]). In this instalment, the two descendants of the Raven clan have to confront a mystical aggressor who is oppressing the neighbouring settlement of the Fishermen. They discover, however, that the attacks are not at all the work of a supernatural force. Sokol, meanwhile, learns the power of understanding and compassion. Though he desires to marry Veveřice, or “Squirrel Girl” (Marie Sýkorová), she shows no interest in him, so he lets her go. She is free to follow the voice of her heart. While with the Fishermen clan, Sokol encounters the beautiful girl Šťastná chvíle, or “Happy Moment” (Gabriela Osvaldová). She goes on to become one of the key characters in the final part of this trilogy.

Synopsis

At the Ravens' settlement they have decided to marry off the girl Veveřice (Squirrel). Suitors bring gifts for the bride-to-be. Sokol (Falco) offers a sheep, shepherd Pazour (Flint) two sheep, and Kam, the merchant's son, a whole cow. Veveřice will go to the one who makes the highest offer. Everything suggests that Kam will be the winner, but at the last moment, Havranpírko (Raven-Feather) brings another cow on Sokol's behalf, and Sokol wins. Alas, the girl obviously likes Kam better and runs off with him after her wedding night. Accompanied by his loyal Havranpírko, Sokol sets off to look for her along the river. The Fisherfolk's settlement in which they arrive is being harassed by a supernatural beast to which the poor settlers sacrifice all their food. Fisherwoman Šťastná chvíle (Moment of Happiness) shows Sokol a shortcut to help him catch up with the merchant. Sokol battles with Kam and wins. But he then realizes that Veveřice doesn't want him as her husband and so finally sets Kam and the girl free. On his return, he makes another stop at the Fisherfolk's settlement, which is in the grip of terrible fear of the mysterious beast. The settlers have nothing to offer the beast any more and decide to sacrifice Šťastná chvíle. They tie her to a tree and the beast really takes her away. Sokol refuses to believe that such a beast exists and heads off on its trail together with Havranpírko. He finds its cave and stabs and kills the beast in battle. When he pulls off its animal hide he realizes that the alleged beast is Divous (Wild One), an outcast from the Ravens tribe. Sokol and Havranpírko even manage to find Šťastná chvíle and they all return to their tribes.

Note

Second part of the primeval trilogy. For the first part, see: Ravens´ Settlement, for the third part, see: The Call of the Clan.

Film online

Cast

Ludvík Hradilek

Voice by Roman Skamene
Havranpírko

Jiří Bartoška

lovec Sokol

Ľudovít Kroner

Voice by Stanislav Holý
Čihaj, Sokolův otec

Marie Sýkorová

Veveřice

Gabriela Osvaldová

Voice by Jana Andresíková
Šťastná Chvíle z kmene Rybářů

Bohumil Vávra

Starý Havran

Vilém Besser

lovec Divous

Eva Lysáková

Drápova žena

Jan Míškovský

Kořínek

Stanislav Hájek

lovec Sobol

Michal Träger

lovec

Eva Roučková

žena z kmene Havranů

Bořivoj Navrátil

kupec Ger, Kamův otec

František Jákl

kupecký nosič

Miroslav Jíra

kupecký nosič

Ladislav Treybal

kupecký nosič

Jiří Klenot

veslař kupců

Jiří Sládek

veslař kupců

Karel Vítek

veslař kupců

Zdeněk Srstka

muž s lasturou

Karel Dellapina

Bouřňák

Jindřich Khein

Blešivec

Commentary

Crew and creators

Director

Jan Schmidt

Second Unit Director

František Matoušek

Assistant Director

Jiří Prokeš, Josef Loučím

Screenstory

Pavel Juráček

Based on

Eduard Štorch (Na veliké řece – román)

Screenplay

Milan Pavlík

Shooting Script

Jan Schmidt

Dramaturg

Ivan Urban

Director of Photography

Jiří Macák

Second Unit Photography

Rudolf Holan

Camera Operator

Jan Hanzal

Production Designer

Jindřich Goetz

Assistent Production Designer

Jaromír Švarc

Set Designer

Jiří Bžoch, Karel Kracík, Dana Smržová, Pavel Šoltys

Costume Designer

Theodor Pištěk ml.

Film Editor

Miroslav Hájek

Assistant Film Editor

Magda Hájková, Helena Lehovcová

Sound Designer

František Fabián

Production Manager

Blažej Vráb

Unit Production Manager

Rudolf Mos, Vlastimil Maršálek

Unit Production Manager

Hana Holá

Consultant

dr. Karel Sklenář, RNDr. Jiří Olšbauer, Jaroslav Tomsa

Cooperation

Helena Kadlecová (klapka), Karel Šebík (fotograf), Z. Nudera, V. Suchomel

Music

Music Composed by

Zdeněk Liška

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín), Studio elektronické hudby FSB

Music Supervisor

Jiří Zobač

Choreographer

Frank Towen

Production info

Original Title

Na veliké řece

Czech Title

Na veliké řece

English Title

On the Big River

Working Title

Sokolí oko / Než zhasne slunce / Trilogie z pravěku

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

adventure

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1977

Production Year

1976—1977

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 4 January 1976
start of filming 15 January 1976
technical Screenplay approved 13 May 1976
end of filming 8 November 1977
projection approval 24 November 1977
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1995

Premiere

premiere 10 November 1978 /suitable for youths/

Studio

Hostivař

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Oty Hofmana, Ota Hofman (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

66 min

Original length in metres

1 868 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: Mezinárodní festival dětských filmů Linec

1979
Linec / Austria

Vítěz

Festival: 7. festival dětských filmů České Budějovice

1978
České Budějovice / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Exhibition: 10. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov nad Ohří

1978
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 18. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov

1978
Zlín / Czechoslovakia