Trojan (Jiří Adamíra) is a suspect in the murder of his wife Eva (Regina Rázlová). Fleeing from the police, Trojan is unaware of his own innocence. Police detective Hart (Ilja Prachař) deduces that the engineer, who assisted in a project to relocate a cathedral in the mining town of Most, is hiding inside the remaining buildings earmarked for demolition… Cinematographer Jiří Tarantík captured actual footage of the destruction of the town’s Art Nouveau buildings. Consequently this 1978 motion picture, directed by Zbyněk Brynych, documents the demolition of the unique architecture in the old town of Most to make way for brown coal mining. The ruins of Old Most also served as a backdrop for the co-productions Vojáci svobody (Soldiers of Liberty, 1976), Kentauři (Centaurs, 1978) and Boj o Moskvu (The Battle of Moscow, 1985). This detective story without a murder is written by Karel Valtera, who also worked with director Brynych on Hněv (Wrath, 1977).
Upon returning from a late night party, Eva Trojanová has a quarrel with her husband. In anger, he grasps her neck and she collapses onto the bed. Thinking he has killed his wife, Trojan panics and flees. In the morning, Eva comes round, but after taking a few steps, she drops dead on the floor. Policemen arrive and the bruises on Eva's neck make them think that it was a violent death. Her husband is the first suspect. He, however, has disappeared, so the police start searching for him. Trojan checks into a hotel, but quickly leaves when he sees his face on a television in the bar. In his distress, he steals a car, food and cigarettes. He gets injured and, having a temperature, he heads north to the place where he and Eva met and where he was previously successful in his work. Meanwhile, Captain Hart, the head investigator, examines witnesses and finds out a lot of information about Eva, her friends as well as her serious heart and lung disorder. The autopsy report changes the direction of the investigation. It reveals that Eva died a natural death, so Trojan is innocent. They must find him quickly before he inadvertently does some foolhardy thing. Following Trojan's tracks to the places where he stole, Hart realizes that Trojan has headed for the coal-mining town of Most. Hart feels responsible for Trojan's life, so he persuades his superiors that they have to start looking for Trojan in Most. In the town, Hart finds himself in a difficult situation. Because of coal mining activities, entire blocks of buildings are to be demolished - just in the area where the injured Trojan is hiding, as the police have been told by local boys. Trojan is saved at the very last moment before the buildings blow up.
Ing. Karel Trojan
Eva, Trojanova žena
kapitán VB Hart
kadeřník Alfred Masný zvaný Fredy
MUDr. Hein, Evin milenec
příslušnice VB Boženka Navrátilová
příslušník VB
pyrotechnik
kapitán VB v Mostě
správce motelu
Marat
taxikář
sousedka Kalendová
Václav, manžel Kalendové
patolog profesor Krebs
barmanka Janička
náčelník VB
děda Panoška
penzista Kalous
Darek
Jirka
Ondra Novotný
Bětuška, nevlastní sestra Trojanové
Bětuščin manžel
nevlastní sestra Trojanové
manžel nevlastní sestry
hostinská, Jirkova matka
Ládínek, Fredyho přítel
barmanka
zákazník v hospodě
Darkův otec
recepční hotelu
Jarmilka, recepční v kadeřnictví
taxikář
kriminalista
kriminalista
hlasatel VB v Mostě
řidič VB v Mostě
velitel požárníků
technik VB
technik VB
technik VB
hlídka VB
hlídka VB
fotograf VB
příslušník VB
řidič VB
on sám, major Leoš Jirsák z Federální kriminální ústředny
dubl za Reginu Rázlovou
Zuzana Kopečková
Karel Kracík, Pavel Šoltys, Miloš Sršeň
plk. Josef Janůrek
Helena Kadlecová (klapka), Jiří Kučera (fotograf)
Johann Strauss ml. (Na krásném modrém Dunaji)
Orchestr Ladislava Štaidla (Music Conducted by Ladislav Štaidl), FISYO (Music Conducted by Milivoj Uzelac)
Song Composer Bob Hurikán
Writer of Lyrics Bob Hurikán
Singer sbor
Song Composer Ladislav Štaidl
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Štaidl
Singer Karel Gott
Stíhán a podezřelý
Stíhán a podezřelý
Pursued and Suspect
Dva na houpačce
film
featuretheatrical distribution
detective, drama, crime, psychological
Czechoslovakia
1978
1978
literary Screenplay approved 7 May 1978
technical Screenplay approved 9 August 1978
start of filming 9 August 1978
end of filming 24 December 1978
projection approval 27 December 1978
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986
premiere 31 August 1979 /unsuitable for youths/
Dramaturgická skupina Karla Valtery, Karel Valtera (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
feature film
85 min
2 366 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,66
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech