The Field Overgrown with Thorn Bushes

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1980

Production year

1980

Premiere

20 February 1981

Runtime

69 min

Director

Otakar Kosek

Category

film

Genre

psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Trnové pole

Czech title

Trnové pole

English title

The Field Overgrown with Thorn Bushes

Summary

Gottwaldov Film Studios (now Zlín) replenished the supply of “socially engaged” 1980s feature films with this drama. The lead character is Dubovec, the ageing chairman of a successful agricultural cooperative. After overworking himself, he ends up in hospital, where, as an eminent local, he receives extra care and gets on the path to a slow recovery. Dubovec recounts how he succeeded in turning the pitiful cooperative into a thriving business. Doctor Holková tends to the patient, and urges him to realise that life is about more than just work. However, she is experiencing marriage troubles that she is not able to solve… The leading parts in the feature – a good example of “ideological film production” of its time – are played by Karel Vochoč and Jaroslava Tvrzníková.

Synopsis

A successful co-op farm chairman is taken from work right to a hospital. His old friend, the senior consultant Hlásenský tells him his disease is serious and orders him to take a rest. He assigns doctor Holková to take care of him; however she behaves inaccessibly to him. She does not like he is provided an preferential care. She devotes to him, though, often even in her leisure time. Gradually both the middle-aged people become close friends. The doctor is interested in the chairman's life-story. He came to the co-op farm by his request in 1958. The beginning was not easy but the chairman was not used to give way to obstacles and problems. Thus, in course of twenty years, he managed to turn the dilapidating co-op farm into a prosperous firm with its own vineyards and orchards. Now, made to rest in bed, he revises his life. The doctor reads him a Rolland novel Colas Breugnon and during common chats she invites him into other sides of life, not only work. At the same time she is getting under the influence of his strong personality. She does not live a happy life with her superficial and unstable partner, so her relationship with the chairman makes her think of her life. After completing his treatment the chairman cannot spare his health condition and gets back to his post as a head of the co-op. Once he was visited by the doctor; both of them say nothing has changed in their lives.

Note

A contribution of the Gottwaldov Film Studio to the 16th Congress of the Czechoslovak Communist Party.

Cast

Karel Vochoč

předseda JZD v Dubovci

Jaroslava Tvrzníková

MUDr. Martina Holková

František Řehák

primář MUDr. Hlásenský

Zdeněk Hradilák

podivín zvaný Zlatokop

Zdena Herfortová

manželka předsedy

Petr Skarke

inženýr, Martinin přítel

Irena Visnarová

dívka v sudu s hrozny

Alois Liškutín

opilý družstevník

Stanislav Tříska

muž na toaletě

Ivan Frič

závozník

Václav Antoš

člen předsednictva JZD

Ivan Dědeček

Ladislav Mareček

Crew and creators

Director

Otakar Kosek

Second Unit Director

Ivan Frič

Screenstory

Jiří Křenek

Director of Photography

Jiří Kolín

Second Unit Photography

Vladimír Kolář

Camera Operator

Josef Ryšánek

Production Designer

Zdeněk Rozkopal

Assistent Production Designer

Vladislav Kucharski

Set Designer

Ivo Formánek, Emil Hrazdira, František Santarius

Assistant Film Editor

Vlasta Malotová, Marie Vrlová

Sound Designer

Radomír Koutek, Jitka Zvirocká (zvukové efekty)

Production Manager

Zdeněk Stibor

Unit Production Manager

Jiří Zemanec, Dušan Schaffer

Consultant

František Daňhel

Cooperation

Otto Kamenský (fotograf), JZD Mír Práče, Jan Daňhel (2) (náměstek pro kádrovou a personální práci JZD Mír Práče), C. Procházka

Music

Music Composed by

Vadim Petrov

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)

Production info

Original Title

Trnové pole

Czech Title

Trnové pole

English Title

The Field Overgrown with Thorn Bushes

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1980

Production Year

1980

Production specifications

withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986

Premiere

premiere 20 February 1981 /suitable for youths/

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

69 min

Original length in metres

1 993 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

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: 19. festival českých a slovenských filmů Kladno

1981
Kladno / Czechoslovakia
Otakar Kosek