Fly, Bird, Fly!
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1978Production year
1978Premiere
1 June 1979Runtime
79 minDirector
Jiří HanibalCategory
filmGenre
childrenTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Leť, ptáku leť!Czech title
Leť, ptáku leť!English title
Fly, Bird, Fly!Summary
A cycling tour during the school holidays is the setting for this summer comedy made by experienced creator of children’s films Jiří Hanibal. Eighth-grade Pioneers (scouts) are riding under the leadership of the unpopular Mr Vambera. He, indirectly, has caused the original organiser of the trip to Slovakia – young PE teacher Bodlák – to fall foul of injury. During their travels through Slovakia, however, the pupils find out that Mr Vambera is not the killjoy they imagined him to be... This 1978 film rather lays it on thick that the adolescents are members of the Pioneer movement, but otherwise it is an amusing motion picture that provides Jiří Pleskot with the opportunity of a lifetime when it comes to the role of Mr Vambera. Gustav Bubník and Magda Reifová are, meanwhile, cast as Pioneers. The then 16-year-old Ondřej Vetchý debuts in a nameless role.
Synopsis
The end of school year and holidays are approaching. Tonda Navrátil, an 8th grade pupil, brought a live hen instead of vegetables as a model for a drawing lesson. Teacher Vambera does not realize they are on the third floor and throws it out of a window saying: "Fly, bird, fly!" Teacher Bohoušek driving off on his motorbike and catching sight of the flying hen has an accident. He breaks his leg and gets to a hospital. The cycling-trip to Slovakia originally planned by Bohoušek for 8th grade pupils has to be taken care of by Vambera. First the pupils feel disappointed by exchanging their young witty physical training teacher for the other older arid one. They were, however, looking forward to a competition and final meeting of Czech and Slovak communist youth clubs in the Slovak town Banská Bystrica and so all of them except three pupils go. The three "renegades" secretly go the same direction though they travel a part of the journey by train. Vambera, who worked as a teacher in pre-war Slovakia, surprises them by his energy, wit, and understanding for them. In the village Liptov Vambera meets his former pupil, now a co-op farm chairman. He, the village people, and pupils prepare for Vambera a beautiful birthday party. The trip-takers arrive to Banská Bystrica city just in time to celebrate Tonda's triumph in several sports disciplines. Delighted children jump into a pool and Vambera joins them.
Photos
Cast
Jiří Pleskot
učitel Vambera
Gustav Bubník
Olda Kořínek
Jindra Bartošová
Markéta Světlíková
Ivan Vorlíček
Břéťa
František Srb
Matylda
Michal Dymek
Tonda Navrátil
Vladimír Vondra
Matěj Skála
Radoslava Stupková
Požárková
Magda Reifová
Jana Vaňková
Ladislav Mrkvička
učitel tělocviku Bohoušek Bodlák
Jaroslav Vrzala
předseda JZD Michal Kováč
Ivan Giač
inženýr, Kováčův syn
Tomáš Dolínek
Miklík
Pavol Topoľský
Ondra
Hana Seidlová
Králová
Jiří Procházka
Adamík
Karel Koloušek
školník Burda
Emil Horváth
průvodce na bojnickém zámku
Milan Belohlávek
učitel
Anton Ďuriník
stařík
Michal Gazdík
vedoucí tábora
Karel Hábl
správce letiště
Ivo Hrdina
průvodčí
Miroslav Chorvát
vrchní
Jindra Janoušková
zdravotní sestra
Anton Januš
hlídač
Jozef Kramár
dřevorubec
Andrej Mojžiš
dřevorubec
Katarína Vrzalová
hospodská
Margita Mazalová
hospodská
Štefan Kršňák
Janin otec
K. Paštiková
dívka
Milada Rajzíková
žena u skoku/vedoucí dívka
M. Svobodová
zapisovatelka
Ernest Šmálik
zřízenec
Luboš Veselý
žák
Slávka Hamouzová
zelinářka
Ivo Pelant
plachtař
Václav Helliman
strýc
Vlastimila Vlková
stařenka
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Karel Brchel
Assistant Director
L. Svoboda
Continuity
Screenstory
Josef Tengler
Screenplay
Zuzana Suchánová, Jaroslav Petřík, Josef Pinkava, Jiří Hanibal
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Josef Dvořák, Richard Staněk, Oldřich Halaza, Ivo Jokl
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Production Manager
Jaroslav Kučera, Igor Fábry (SFT Bratislava)
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
O. Dvořák
Cooperation
Lenka Mojžíšová (klapka), Vladimír Souček (fotograf), kolektiv pracovníků Slovenské filmové tvorby Bratislava
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Jan Hrábek)
Songs
Léto mé
Song Composer Jan Hrábek
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Machek
Singer Václav Neckář
Běž dál tím krásným údolím
Song Composer Jan Hrábek
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Machek
Singer dětský sbor
Production info
Original Title
Leť, ptáku leť!
Czech Title
Leť, ptáku leť!
English Title
Fly, Bird, Fly!
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
children
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1978
Production Year
1978
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 21 March 1978
start of filming 4 May 1978
technical Screenplay approved 30 May 1978
end of filming 26 October 1978
projection approval 14 November 1978
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1991
Premiere
premiere 1 June 1979 /suitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Laboratories
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina filmů pro děti a mládež Oty Hofmana, Ota Hofman (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
79 min
Original length in metres
2 270 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,66
Colour
colour
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech, Slovak
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 19. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov
1979
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Vítěz
Festival: 19. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov
1979
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Vítěz
Festival: 19. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov
1979
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Michael Dymek
