Divine Ema

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1979

Production year

1978—1979

Premiere

21 December 1979

Runtime

109 min

Director

Jiří Krejčík

Genre

biography

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Božská Ema

Czech title

Božská Ema

English title

Divine Ema

Summary

One of the highpoints of director Jiří Krejčík’s filmography was the biopic inspired by the life of the opera singer Ema Destinnová (aka Emmy Destinn, 1878–1930). In cooperation with the writer and screenwriter Zdeněk Mahler, the then 61-year-old Krejčík returned to the spotlight in 1979 after years working in television with a film that told a topical story against a historical backdrop. Božská Ema (Divine Ema) used the dramatic life of the celebrated diva to deliver a patriotic message about the need for inner freedom in a world of suspicion, betrayal, and the totalitarian application of power. The protagonist of this stylish tale is the great Czech dramatic singer Ema Destinnová, who deservedly won plaudits all over the world. Even though the First World War is raging in Europe, the singer decides to return home to Bohemia from the United States, despite warnings not to do so from those closest to her. Once she arrives, however, she is placed under constant supervision by the Austro-Hungarian police because of her sympathy for the anti-Austrian resistance. Nonetheless, the unshakeable patriot refuses under duress to serve those whom she views as the oppressors of her beloved country… This award-winning film on the life and times of Destinnová – played with feeling by the Slovak actress Božidara Turzonovová – does not restrict itself solely to the protagonist’s civic and political activities. The beautiful opera singer’s passionate romances also play an important role, particularly her relationship with the attractive forester Viktor, played by another Slovak, Juraj Kukura. The cinematographer Miroslav Ondříček helped Krejčík create a convincing vision of the world at the turn of the last century. The stubborn commitment of all those involved in making Divine Ema is borne out by the fact that the production designer Jindřich Goetz secretly borrowed some sets and props from the Antonín Dvořák biopic Koncert na konci léta (Concert at the End of Summer), which was also being shot by František Vlačil in Barrandov Studios at the same time and was set in the same historical period.

Synopsis

The opera lady singer Ema Destinnová is in all her splendour at the American stages. But in Europe there rages war and she decides to return home to Bohemia. As an enthusiastic patriot she takes over a small cape on the back of which is a coding chart designated for the anti-Austrian revolt. Ema crosses the border and everywhere is welcomed by enthusiastic crowds. However, it is a denunciation that results in her detaining and her property is submissioned to the examination. An imminent sentence for high treason is warded it off by the secret intervention of the German Kaiser - an admirer of her singing. The Austrian colonel, commander of the operation, sets her free. But he places her under surveillance and determines her existence to find out the addressee of the parcel. Ema's performance in the National Theatre in Prague is called off, the newspapers are not allowed to write about her. She herself is interned in her country small castle. A wood-reeve Viktor, her love, to whom she devotes her weeks of holidays in Bohemia, would need a wife for all the year and children, which is what Ema is not capable to grant him. Viktor abandons her but the colonel compels him to return and give reports on Destinnová. Ema refuses to marry her American manager which would help her to leave the country. She sings in Bohemia at the charitable concerts. Viktor is arrested but he runs away and in secret meets Ema and told her all. The colonel gets hounds on him. Desperate Ema intercedes for Viktor but she refuses to pay back by serving for espionage. She visits the National Theatre in Prague and sings from the auditorium the song of prophecy of Libuše. Impoverished and lonely she lives to see the rise of independent Czechoslovakia. But her homeland does not seem to be too grateful to her. Part of her property is put up for auction to pay for tax debts that were invented against her by imperial and royal authorities.

Note

The cameraman Jiří Šámal started shooting the film (summer scenes and the National Theatre) but the illness did not allow him to go on. The cameraman Miroslav Ondříček who took over the shooting wished that only his name were given in the titles. In the course of shooting there was also exchanged the producer Jaroslav Solnička for Jan Syrový. At the same time, in Hostivař studio, there was shooted a film Concert at the End of Summer. While the same historic period was concerned – the architect Jindřich Goetz was at times secretly borrowing equipment from one film to the other.

Film online

Photos

Director

Jiří Krejčík

Second Unit Director

Milan Kadlec

Art Director

Karel Laštovka

Set Designer

Miroslav Buberle, Josef Pavlík, Karel Karas

Costume Designer

Jan Kropáček

Costumes

Božena Světlá, Božena Ulrichová

Make-Up Artist

Miloslav Jandera, Božena Došlá, František Novotný, Eva Míšková, Eva Vyplelová

Film Editor

Miroslav Hájek

Assistant Film Editor

Magda Hájková, Helena Lehovcová

Sound Designer

Adolf Böhm, Jiří Zobač

Stunts

Vladimír Čumpelík, Petr Drozda, Karel Engel, Miroslav Falout, Josef Hrubý, Johana Janšíková, Růžena Jedličková, Jiří Kalenský, Jaroslav Klenot, Jiří Klenot, Libuše Kosová, Jiří Kraus, Zdeněk Krumpl, Alois Kříz, Ladislav Lahoda, Pavel Myslík, Hana Pokorná, Helena Průšová, Jindřich Sejk, Oldřich Semerák, Jiří Sládek, Jaroslav Šanda, Stanislav Tůma, Petr Valenta, Jan Váňa, Jaroslav Vlk

Production Manager

Jan Syrový, Jaroslav Solnička

Unit Production Manager

Vladimíra Kopecká, Věra Lukášová

Unit Production Manager

Václav Eisenhamer

Cooperation

Ladislav Štros (režie operních scén), Ivana Malíková (klapka), Karel Ješátko (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Zdeněk Liška, Svatopluk Havelka

Selected Music

Georges Bizet (Carmen /Toreadore smělý/), Antonín Dvořák (Rusalka /árie Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém/), Giacomo Puccini (Bohéma /La Bohéme, O soave fanciulla/), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Don Giovanni /Or sai chi l'onore/), Amilcare Ponchielli (Gioconda /La Gioconda/), Giacomo Puccini (Madame Butterfly), Giacomo Puccini (Tosca), Bedřich Smetana (Hubička /Skřivánčí píseň/), Bedřich Smetana (Libuše), Bedřich Smetana (Prodaná nevěsta), Bedřich Smetana (Večerní písně /Nekamenujte proroky/), Richard Strauss (Salome), Giuseppe Verdi (Aida /předehra/), Giuseppe Verdi (Aida /O patria mia/), Richard Wagner (Bludný Holanďan /Die fliegende Holländer/), Ruggiero Leoncavallo

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František BelfínJosef Chaloupka)

Singing Voice

Gabriela Beňačková (zpěv Emy Destinové), Jiří Zahradníček (zpěv Carusa)

Choreographer

Astrid Štúrová

Songs

Zelení hájové

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer Božidara Turzonovová [dab]Gabriela Beňačková

Ó, hřebíčku zahradnický

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer Božidara Turzonovová [dab]Gabriela BeňačkováJana Smrčková [dab]

A já sám, vždycky sám

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer sbor

Za císaře pána a jeho rodinu

Singer mužský sbor

Nemelem, nemelem

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer sbor

Ktož jsú boží bojovníci

Singer Božidara Turzonovová [dab]Gabriela Beňačkovásbor

Už mou milou do kostela vedou

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer Božidara Turzonovová [dab]Gabriela Beňačková

Kde domov můj

Song Composer František Škroup
Writer of Lyrics Josef Kajetán Tyl
Singer Božidara Turzonovová [dab]Gabriela Beňačkovásbor

Production info

Original Title

Božská Ema

Czech Title

Božská Ema

English Title

Divine Ema

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

biography

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1979

Production Year

1978—1979

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 17 February 1978
start of filming 11 May 1978
technical Screenplay approved 23 June 1978
end of filming 8 June 1979
projection approval 12 June 1979
withdrawal from distribution 31 July 1993

Premiere

premiere 21 December 1979 /suitable for youths/

Production

Filmové studio Barrandov

Copyright Holders

Státní fond kinematografie

Studio

Barrandov, Hostivař

Distribution

Ústřední půjčovna filmů

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Miroslava Hladkého, Miroslav Hladký (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Sales

Národní filmový archiv, Obchodní oddělení

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

109 min

Original length in metres

3 081 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech, English, German, Italian

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Československá nominace na Cenu americké Akademie filmových věd a umění Oscar 1981

1981
Praha / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 18. festival českých a slovenských filmů Košice

1980
Košice / Czechoslovakia
Božidara Turzonovová

Divine Ema

Country

Copyright

Production year

Premiere

Runtime

Director

Category

Genre

Typology

Original title

Czech title

English title

Summary

Synopsis

Note

Film online

Photos

Cast

Milena Svobodová

Všemír Němec

Ronald Heller

Aleš Bultas

Josef Hochmann

Jan Waldmann

Vladimír Lebeda

Patricie Limberská

Stanislav Kořínek

Ivo Alves

Omar Baldy

Jiří Čumpelík

Nelly Danko

Jitka Gauggová

Jiří Hansel

Olga Hlavsová

Jaroslav Holeček

Ludmila Houdková

Aranka Hovorková

Irena Jedličková

Helena Joklová

Marigula Karastathi

Eva Landová

Luděk Ludvík

Eva Maříková

Karel Mašek

Bohumír Nekut

Milada Němečková

Jarmila Novotná (tanec)

Heda Pašková

Miloslava Rešlová

Alena Stránská

Michal Šebor

Jindřiška Šulcová

Hana Tomsová

Jitka Trojanová

Zdeněk Václavík

Eliška Vitanovská

Monika Vjazovcová

Bohumil Klika

Richard Ivar

Crew and creators

Director

Second Unit Director

Assistant Director

Screenstory

Screenplay

Shooting Script

Dramaturg

Director of Photography

Camera Operator

Production Designer

Assistent Production Designer

Art Director

Set Designer

Costume Designer

Costumes

Make-Up Artist

Film Editor