Waiter, Scarper!
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1980Production year
1980Premiere
9 January 1981Runtime
85 minDirector
Ladislav SmoljakCategory
filmGenre
comedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Vrchní, prchniCzech title
Vrchní, prchniEnglish title
Waiter, Scarper!Summary
Zdeněk Svěrák and Ladislav Smoljak’s films have been considered Czech national treasures since 1974 when their comedy Jáchyme, hoď ho do stroje! (Joachim, Put Him into the Machine!) premiered in cinemas. The veteran director Oldřich Lipský was at the helm while Svěrák and Smoljak, both prominent figures in the Jára Cimrman Theatre among other things, provided the script. “Jáchym” was among the duo’s films not linked to the theatre’s ensemble or the legacy of Jára Cimrman, its fictional Czech genius namesake. Although unrelated to the theatre’s repertoire, Na samotě u lesa (A Cottage Near the Woods), “Marečku, podejte mi pero!” (Marečku, podejte mi pero!, both 1976), Kulový blesk (Ball-Lighting, 1978) and Vrchní, prchni (Waiter, Scarper!, 1980) still benefit from the same kind of intelligent, sarcastic humour. Vrchní, prchni! is certainly one of the pinnacles of cinematographic collaboration between Svěrák and Smoljak; the former provided the script and the latter directed the tragicomedy. One of the best comedies of the 1970s and 1980s, it presents an iconic “home-bred” story, akin to that of Kristian (1939). Like Kristian, the inconspicuous bookseller Dalibor Vrána (whose insatiable appetite for women leaves him to pay alimony to numerous ex-wives), also spends his evenings living an elegant if secret double life. By chance he discovers that when he is wearing his violinist’s tailcoat people dining in restaurants are prone to mistake him for a waiter, allowing him to collect payments from them. As a fake waiter he begins to haunt restaurateurs across the country. Since the filmmakers never lost sight of morals, Dalibor is eventually caught… The timeless picture presents a character sliding into middle age, crushed by his dull everyday reality. His “overtime” work allows Vrána to find creative self-fulfilment which also brings him the extra money he has long craved. Yet he remains an unconditionally likeable character whose trickery seems like a harmless excess in the framework of the evident though innominate socialist reality. The solemn fabric of the story was enhanced by Svěrák’s bravura, brilliant observations and scripted lines, which became part of popular culture. Smoljak’s directing remains unobtrusive throughout, though it did not stop the authors from staging a grandiose silent-film-style chase on the colonnade in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) as a finale. Josef Abrhám is just as magnificent in the lead role.
Synopsis
The bookstore manager Dalibor Vrána leaves for a high school reunion. He is wearing his only suit that he does not like, because wearing it he looks like a waiter. On his way to the reunion, he calls at a restaurant. One of the guests mistakes him with the headwaiter and forces him to take money. Reunion party takes place in a luxury house of Vyskočil, an old schoolmate of them. Vyskočil advises Vrána on numerous tricks to cheat and make good money. Dalibor thinks that all his schoolmates have a much higher level of living than he has, since he has always been lacking money. After the party he makes an important decision: to start the way to a wealthy life. During the day he works in the bookstore and in the evenings he goes to different restaurants, and pretending to be a headwaiter, he collects money from the guests. He is very successful in doing so; soon he can pay off his debts to his neighbour Pařízek (to reimburse for flooding their apartment), and later he can afford to buy a new car to replace his old "velorex" (a cheap three wheel textile-finished car). He extends his activities outside Prague. But unfortunately, the news about a faked waiter have spread to the media. Despite Dalibor acts very carefully, reacting to unexpected circumstances, he is eventually caught by police. He meets his schoolmate Vyskočil in prison, spending there 8 years. While sitting in prison, he learned to play violin. Upon being released, he takes a job of a violin player in a symphonic orchestra. After passing final exams at a hotel-management school, his son becomes a head waiter in a quality hotel in the Giant Mountains.
Film online
Photos
Cast
Josef Abrhám
knihkupec Dalibor Vrána
Libuše Šafránková
Helenka, Vránova žena
Zdeněk Svěrák
soused Pařízek
Daniela Bakerová
Erna, Pařízkova žena
Eliška Balzerová
prodavačka Věra
Jiří Kodet
spolužák Rudy Vyskočil
Dagmar Patrasová
Manuela, Rudyho slečna
Karel Augusta
bratranec Ludva
Zuzana Fišerová
prodavačka Libuše Douchová
Jiří Hálek
profesor Přikryl
Jiří Lír
rozčílený host
Milada Ježková
Váchová
Ilja Racek
opilý muž u motorestu
Filip Smoljak
Evžen, syn Pařízkových
Jaroslava Kretschmerová
svatebčanka
Miloslav Štibich
personalista Bechyně
Jana Altmannová
spolužačka Marková
Václav Mareš
spolužák Jelínek
Petr Popelka
spolužák Vaněk
Jana Březinová
spolužačka Jana Pecháčková
Jan Kašpar
vrchní U Žáby
Jan Hraběta
vrchní v Ústí nad Labem
Ivan Pokorný
vrchní v Rotisserii
Jiří Knot
vrchní ve Valdštejnské vinárně
Miroslav Vladyka
inženýr Robert
Bedřich Prokoš
otec inženýra
Pavel Havránek
vrchní v motorestu
Hana Čížková
plavovlasá zákaznice
Pavel Vondruška
klavírista
Jaroslav Weigel
číšník
František Olšovský
číšník
Ivan Wiesner
Voice by Martin Velda
uhrovitý mladík
Jan Prokeš
číšník Pažout
Stanislava Bartošová
soudkyně
Ilona Vaňková
slečna
David Smoljak
vedoucí výpravy
Jan Němeček
Honzík, syn Vránových
Aleš Jánský
Slávek, Vránův syn z prvního manželství
Lucie Horová
Květa, Vránova dcera z druhého manželství
Ladislav Smoljak
psovod
Josef Koudelka
host v restauraci
Jaroslav Vozáb
ředitel hotelu Savoy ve Špindlerově Mlýně
Karel Šíp
Daliborův spolužák
Boris Rösner
vyšetřovatel Bačák
Jiří Bednář
spolužák Valenta
Helena Dubová
zmalovaná slečna
Milan Duchek
Voice by David Smoljak
fotograf
Iva Hercíková
spolužačka Richterová
Milan Klacek
vrchní v Dubonnetu
Milena Koutná
spolužačka Winkelhoferová
Ludmila Krajíčková
spolužačka Vrzalová
Blažena Kramešová
spolužačka Procházková
Jan Kuželka
tlouštík
Jindřich Narenta
Němec
Vít Pešina
Kratochvíl
Zdeněk Skalický
vrchní ve vinárně
Josef Střecha
Voice by Ivo Gübel
muž se šálou
Renata Mašková
nevěsta
Zdeněk Zelenka
ženich
Ladislav Trojan
otec nevěsty
Jana Vychodilová
matka nevěsty
Vlasta Žehrová
slečna číšníka v Rotisserii
Jan Vávra
příslušník VB
Gabriela Wilhelmová
teta inženýra
A. Šlajsová
matka inženýra
Jiří Pokora
číšník
Vladimír Hrabánek
Bukač
Alexej Pyško
nadstrážmistr VB
Vladimír Žižka
hráč na bicí
Věra Kočišová
houslistka
Václav Kotva
svatebčan-strýček
Bohumil Fišer
zákazník v knihkupectví
Rudolf Svěcený
muž s cvikrem
Jan Němeček
Jaroušek
Slávka Hamouzová
svatebčanka
Václav Eisenhamer
host ve vinárně
Terezie Smoljaková
sousedka Paseková
Dagmar Smoljaková
host hotelu Savoy ve Špindlerově Mlýně
Kateřina Smoljaková
dítě na spřezení
Alžběta Smoljaková
Tomášek, Věřin syn
Dubbing
Ladislav Smoljak
hlas spolužáka
Běla Jurdová
hlas šatnářky ve Špindlerově Mlýně
Ivo Gübel
hlas číšníka v Karlových Varech
David Smoljak
hlas vrátného hotelu Savoy ve Špindlerově Mlýně
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Cooperation
Miloslav Mirvald (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)
Songs
Severní vítr
Song Composer Jaroslav Uhlíř
Writer of Lyrics Zdeněk Svěrák
Singer Jaroslav Uhlíř
Holubí dům
Song Composer Jaroslav Uhlíř
Writer of Lyrics Zdeněk Svěrák
Singer Jiří Schelinger
Studentská halenka
Singer sbor
Production info
Original Title
Vrchní, prchni
Czech Title
Vrchní, prchni
English Title
Waiter, Scarper!
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
comedy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1980
Production Year
1980
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 2 August 1979
technical Screenplay approved 4 January 1980
end of filming 10 June 1980
projection approval 23 June 1980
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1991
Premiere
premiere 9 January 1981 /unsuitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Karla Valtery, Karel Valtera (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
85 min
Original length in metres
2 432 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
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 3. mezinárodní filmový festival Harare
1986
Harare / Zimbabwe
Vítěz
Festival: 10. mezinárodní festival humoru Chamrousse
1985
Chamrousse / France
Vítěz
Festival: 10. mezinárodní festival humoru Chamrousse
1985
Chamrousse / France
Zdeněk Svěrák
Vítěz
Festival: 3. festival československé filmové veselohry Nové Město nad Metují
1981
Nové Město nad Metují / Czechoslovakia
Zdeněk Svěrák
Vítěz
Festival: 19. festival českých a slovenských filmů Kladno
1981
Kladno / Czechoslovakia
Josef Abrhám
Vítěz
Festival: 15. mezinárodní festival humoristických filmů Gabrovo
1981
Gabrovo / Bulgaria
Ladislav Smoljak
Vítěz
Festival: 3. festival československé filmové veselohry Nové Město nad Metují
1981
Nové Město nad Metují / Czechoslovakia
Ladislav Smoljak
