A Weekend without Parents

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1981

Production year

1981

Premiere

12 February 1982

Runtime

85 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Víkend bez rodičů

Czech title

Víkend bez rodičů

English title

A Weekend without Parents

Working title

Panský kočí

Summary

Feckless van driver Milan Nedoma, and Dita, the daughter of a state company manager, fall in love. Though Dita’s father is unimpressed with his daughter’s suitor, he nonetheless permits the relationship to continue for the sake of Dita’s happiness. But Nedoma turns out to be something of a problematic partner – for he refuses to set aside his noble morals and simply opt for a comfortable family life under the wings of Dita’s parents. This moralising drama from director Jiří Hanibal serves as a critique of provincial practices, living on via the families of highly-placed functionaries. Hanibal teamed-up with writer Miroslav Sovják for the script, which serves as a contemporary 1981 representation of the official “party-line” view of such social and relationship issues. Marcel Vašinka takes the lead role in this run-of-the-mill film. Dita is played by Milena Steinmasslová. Vladimír Menšík and Zdena Hadrbolcová offer lively performances as the parents.

Synopsis

Milan Nedoma works as a company truck driver. He is rather careless, spending his leisure time in a pub with friends over beer and cards or by fleeting love affairs. He comes to like a new young cashier in the company and immediately begins to court her. Dita, as is the girl's name, becomes interested in Milan, too, and so she accepts his invitation for a cofee and later also to the lodging house where the man lives. Milan later learns that Dita is the daughter of the deputy director, Vaněk. But Vaněk does not like Milan and tries to quash the daughter's affair. Dita, however, finds a way. She stops going to the cottage with her parents and reportedly spends her free days with her friend Marcela who has a baby. In fact, she is with Milan in the family villa during the weekends. Dita's lie is revealed. The father is upset but the mother sees a groom for her daughter in Milan and she gets her way - Milan moves in with them. Everything goes well in the beginning but the young man soon gets bothered that someone else organizes his life all the time. He is also annoyed by the mockery of his friends with whom he used to enjoy a free life before. His return to his old tracks ends up pitifully. He is brought back to the family by a police patrol just at the same time as the Vaněks are being visited by his parents. The event results in a scandal after which Milan decides to leave. He also tries to convince Dita to leave her parents with him. Dita hesitates but finally catches up with Milan with two suitcases. She loves him and wants to live with him.

Cast

Marcel Vašinka

řidič Milan Nedoma

Milena Steinmasslová

pokladní Dita Vaňková

Vladimír Menšík

náměstek Eduard Vaněk, Ditin otec

Zdena Hadrbolcová

Eliška, Vaňkova manželka, Ditina matka

Miroslav Babuský

Olin, Milanův spolubydlící

Dáša Neblechová

Nedomová, Milanova matka

Robert Vrchota

Nedoma, Milanův otec

Karel Koloušek

skladník Procházka

Dagmar Veškrnová

Magda, Milanova milenka

Antonín Molčík

Pepa, Magdin další milenec

Alois Švehlík

Lojza, Vavruškův spolubydlící

Václav Štekl

správce ubytovny Mareš

Karel Urbánek

vedoucí dopravy František

Věra Koktová

Voice by Jana Andresíková
sekretářka Evička

Vlasta Žehrová

Ilonka, Ditina kamarádka

Karel Gult

úředník Láďa, Ditin manžel

Jaroslav Tomsa

surovec Fany

Jana Švandová

partnerka Fanyho

Dana Batulková

Milanova sestra

Miloš Vávra

Voice by Jiří Zahajský
Vaňkův řidič

Vladimír Míka

podpraporčík VB

Jan Vágner

nadstrážmistr VB

Roman Hemala

ředitel

Karel Hovorka

karbaník

Lenka Jedličková

slečna

Jana Vacíková

vrátná/přítelkyně

Olga Jungová

uklízečka

Václav Hrůza

řidič ředitele

Jan Kolenatý

chodec

Daniel Rous

nadstrážmistr VB

Robert Vacík

příslušník VB

Josef Střecha

člen komise

Jiřina Bílá

zapisovatelka

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Jiří Mikeťuk

Assistant Director

Robert Vacík, Magda Vodičková

Screenstory

Miroslav Sovják

Shooting Script

Jiří Hanibal

Dramaturg

Vladimír Bor

Director of Photography

Josef Pávek

Second Unit Photography

Kamil Kadeřábek

Camera Operator

Václav Zajíček

Production Designer

Jaroslav Krška

Assistent Production Designer

Ludvík Široký

Set Designer

Karel Kracík, Miloš Sršeň, Milan Šefrna, Jiří Zahrádka

Costume Designer

Marta Kaplerová

Film Editor

Zdeněk Stehlík

Assistant Film Editor

Erika Vojáčková

Sound Designer

Jiří Lenoch

Production Manager

Josef Císař

Unit Production Manager

Bohdan Kysil, Jaroslava Pražská

Unit Production Manager

Jana Jeřábková, Bohumil Vlach

Cooperation

Zina Kršková (klapka), Jaromír Komárek (fotograf), Zdeněk Suchý

Music

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens)

Production info

Original Title

Víkend bez rodičů

Czech Title

Víkend bez rodičů

English Title

A Weekend without Parents

Working Title

Panský kočí

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1981

Production Year

1981

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 1 October 1980
start of filming 9 March 1981
technical Screenplay approved 12 March 1981
end of filming 24 July 1981
projection approval 14 August 1981
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1987

Premiere

premiere 12 February 1982 /unsuitable for youths/

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Miloše Brože, Miloš Brož (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

85 min

Original length in metres

2 419 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