Director Jindřich Polák said a definitive farewell to the quiet character with the magic bowler hat with his 1988 film Pan Tau (Tau). As early as 1979 he had released Od zítřka nečaruji (I Won’t Conjure After Today), a montage of three televised episodes in which Mr Tau (played by Otto Šimánek) gradually relinquished his magical powers. The character was created for a children’s series which Polák co-wrote with Ota Hofman. It ran from 1969 until 1978, at which point he released another film montage, Poplach v oblacích (Alarm in the Clouds).Tracking the kind, distinguished gentleman was airport safety inspector Málek, who – thanks to Mr Tau –finally becomes convinced of the existence of miracles. But there are too many people in the world eager to seize the magical bowler hat… Apart from Šimánek (that unforgettable friend of fun and fantasy), the cast includes Vlastimil Brodský as Inspector Málek, with Zdena Hadrbolcová as his wife.
Mr Tau, the quiet and kind magician with a bowler hat and an umbrella, shows up unexpectedly on the wings of a plane during flight. The terrified crew contact the airport security service. After the plane lands, Mr Tau disappears. The third security inspector Málek is determined to catch the hooligan at any price. To achieve this, he gives up his holiday to visit the children's summer camp. Mr Málek's son, who just like all the other children is delighted by the new camp cook, Mr Tau himself, has unknowingly set the inspector on the magician's trail. But the children at the camp are determined not to let their beloved magician get caught and ingeniously place all sorts of traps in Inspector Málek's way. The inspector is most keen to get hold of the magician's hat, but the children bring together a mass of ordinary hats and brollies causing a huge number of hilarious situations caused by the constant confusions between the real and the fake hats. Málek finally understands that his enemy is in fact a reminder of his own forgotten childhood and makes it up with Mr Tau, and Mr Tau in return helps him persuade his superiors of the existence of miracles. At the airport, from which Mr Tau intends to fly off, people greedy for money and happiness hurl themselves at the magician's hat and rip it apart in the ensuing confusion. Mr Tau leaves without his bowler hat...
By assembling seven episodes of the third series of the medium length films presented on TV only, two feature films were created, I Won´t Conjure as from Tomorrow! and Panic in the Skies, which were shown in cinemas. The titles of the films: 1. Alert in the Sky, 2. Elephant Hunt, 3. Night at Safari, 4. Mr. Tau and Woman-Magician, 5. Mr. Tau at Pioneer Camp, 6. Mr. Tau – And Which Is the Right One?, 7. I Won´t Conjure as from Tomorrow!
pan Tau
III. inspektor bezpečnosti provozu
Helena, Málkova žena
babička Málková
děda Hanousek
kuchař Hurta
hlavní inspektor
Terezka, vedoucí oddílu dívek tábora U řeky
hostinský
řidič dodávky
kapitán letadla René Ticháček
Otík, syn Málkových
Alenka
Evčka, dcera Málkových
Pepíček, mladší syn Málkových
Honzík Jeřábek
Voice by Petr Svojtka
Láďa, vedoucí oddílu chlapců tábora U řeky
strážmistr VB
Mirek, syn řidiče dodávky
Martin
vedoucí tábora U potoka
kuchařka tábora U potoka
navigátor
technik
technik
technik
technik
požárník na ploše
Kačenka
Franta
Jirka
Milan
mechanik na letišti/řidič
maminka holky Jany
Marcela
Lucinka
Vašek
starší pionýrka
maminka Honzíka
mrňous
ubrečený kluk
Jakub
starší pionýr
Jiřina
tlouštík
kluk
dubl
holčička
Zdena Lukášová
Jitka Radová (klapka), Josef Vítek (fotograf)
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Od zítřka nečaruji
Od zítřka nečaruji
I Won’t Conjure After Today
Pan Tau
film
featuretheatrical distribution
fairytale
Czechoslovakia
1978
1977—1978
literary Screenplay approved 23 December 1976
technical Screenplay approved 25 April 1977
start of filming 10 May 1977
end of filming 27 November 1978
projection approval 8 December 1978
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1995
premiere 9 November 1979 /suitable for youths/
Dramaturgická skupina Oty Hofmana, Ota Hofman (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
feature film
84 min
2 360 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,66
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech