The Glass House
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1981Production year
1981Premiere
20 August 1982Runtime
74 minDirector
Vít OlmerCategory
filmGenre
drama, psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Skleněný důmCzech title
Skleněný důmEnglish title
The Glass HouseSummary
Actor Vít Olmer’s decision to establish himself as a director took root in the early 1980s with the making of several coming-of-age films. Apart from Sonáta pro zrzku (Sonata for a Red-Haired Girl, 1980) and Stav ztroskotání (State Of Shipwreck, 1983), he also created Skleněný dům (The Glass House). The protagonist of this 1981 psychological drama is the emotionally traumatised girl Pavla, who has developed an unhealthy attachment to her young tutor, Jarmila. However, Jarmila is not prepared to give up her own life for a lonely, socially troubled charge, and Pavla takes Jarmila’s planned marriage and imminent departure as a betrayal… Olmer realised Irena Charvátová’s modest script with a clear understanding of the mentality of its adolescent heroine. The lead role was the first film appearance for talented actress Michaela Kudláčková. Also making her debut was Michaela Kuklová in the role of Anežka while Veronika Freimanová played Jarmila.
Synopsis
A children's home located in a village château receives a newcomer - a girl called Pavla Malíková. Pavla does not like the place and thus often gets into conflict with both the inmates and the teachers. Only the young teacher Jarmila protects her and finally succeeds in gaining Pavla's trust. Jarmila's kindness, however, soon causes problems. The emotionally parched Pavla, whose father is an alcoholic, gets chronically fixated on Jarmila and requires her boundless and unconditional attention. The possessive fixation on the teacher culminates during a trip which Jarmila's fiancé also participates in. Pavla is jealous of him and turns unbearable. As soon as she tries to interfere in Jarmila's private life after their return, she is strictly turned down by the teacher. But Pavla still cannot believe that her beloved Jarmila is getting married. She organizes an "anti-wedding" on her wedding day, planning to mock Jarmila's most important event. After intervention by the teacher called Morávková, she runs away to the park, experiencing a heavy storm there. She falls ill the next day and is happy when Jarmila visits and tends to her. But her happiness is short-lived. She learns from a friend, Veronika, that the teacher is pregnant and will be leaving the home. The desperate Pavla rudely attacts and offends the young woman. From the garden, she then breaks the window of a dining room where a farewell party is being held. Her revolt is, however, futile. She simply must come to terms with the departure of her favourite teacher, as well as with her own destiny.
Photos
Cast
Michaela Kudláčková
Pavla Malíková
Václav Knop
Jiří Malík, Pavlin otec
Veronika Freimanová
vychovatelka Jarmila
Anna Ferencová
vychovatelka Morávková
Viktor Nejedlý
Václavík
Gabriela Džurbanová
cikánka Veronika Stojková
Hana Hercíková
Vlasta
Soňa Novotná
Hanka
Andrea Sedláčková
Růžena
Beatrice Gumíňská
Olina
Michaela Kuklová
Anežka
Hana Znamenáčková
Ivana
Květa Balogová
Květa
Martin Vedral
Oldřich Zalabák
Aleš Machalíček
Míša
Robert Pelecháč
Gejza
Jan Kehár
Zdeněk
Jan Kreidl
Pepík Zelenka
Petr Fiala
dlouhán Vašek
Petr Nejezchleba
ředitel dětského domova Drábek
Jiří Kodeš
Milan, Jarmilin přítel
Taťjána Sobotková
vychovatelka Miluška Faltejsková
Věra Kalendová
kuchařka
Pavel Dobruský
Pavlík
Eva Holubová
Šedivá, Pavlíkova matka
Kamila Špráchalová
Kamila
Soňa Tittelbachová
Soňa
Dita Prachařová
Dita
Milan Podobský
Milan
Jana Davídková
Jana
Jaromír Soušek
adoptivní otec
Eva Kudláčková st.
adoptivní matka
Karel Hovorka ml.
řidič
Iva Petříčková
vychovatelka Věra
Milan Cafourek
šermíř
Vladimír Holub
šermíř
Vlastimil Lukeš
šermíř
Pavel Mařík
šermíř
Václav Mrázek
šermíř
Jan Novobilský
šermíř
Jaroslav Pilňáček
šermíř
Jiří Sladký
šermíř
Jiří Sudík
šermíř
Miroslav Sudík
šermíř
děti a zaměstnanci DD v Nemyšli
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Zuzana Zemanová, René Slauka
Continuity
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
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Dagmar Pitráková, Ondřej Sláma
Consultant
Miroslav Vích
Cooperation
Hana Suchá (klapka), Zdeněk Vávra (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Johann Mattheson (Chaconne), Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (Svatební průvod)
Music Performed by
Jiří Stivín & Co (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens)
Songs
Jaká jsem
Song Composer Karel Vágner
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Žák
Singer Hana Zagorová
Jen jednou dostat šanci
Song Composer Oldřich Říha
Writer of Lyrics Ladislav Vostárek
Singer Katapult
Beatles
Song Composer Karel Svoboda
Writer of Lyrics Eduard Krečmar
Singer Karel Gott
Až /A co děti, mají si kde hrát?/
Song Composer Oldřich Říha
Writer of Lyrics Ladislav Vostárek
Singer Katapult
Svatební průvod
Song Composer Ernest Breuer
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Grossmann
Singer Naďa Urbánkovádívčí sbor
My jsme děti veselé
Singer dětský sbor
Půlnoční závodní dráha
Song Composer Oldřich Říha
Writer of Lyrics Ladislav VostárekMilan Flanderka
Singer Katapult
Production info
Original Title
Skleněný dům
Czech Title
Skleněný dům
English Title
The Glass House
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama, psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1981
Production Year
1981
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 24 April 1980
start of filming 1 June 1981
technical Screenplay approved 1 July 1981
end of filming 20 November 1981
projection approval 2 December 1981
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1987
Premiere
premiere 20 August 1982 /suitable for youths/
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Miroslava Hladkého, Miroslav Hladký (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
74 min
Original length in metres
2 129 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: Mezinárodní filmový festival FEST ´83 Bělehrad
1983
Bělehrad / Former Yugoslavia, 1945–1991
Vítěz
Festival: 20. mezinárodní festival filmů pro děti a mládež Gijón
1982
Gijón / Spain
Vítěz
Festival: 22. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov
1982
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Michaela Kudláčková
Vítěz
Festival: 20. mezinárodní festival filmů pro děti a mládež Gijón
1982
Gijón / Spain
Vítěz
Exhibition: 14. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov nad Ohří
1982
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Michaela Kudláčková
Vítěz
Festival: 20. mezinárodní festival filmů pro děti a mládež Gijón
1982
Gijón / Spain
Vítěz
Festival: 22. mezinárodní festival neorealistických filmů Avellino
1982
Avellino / Italy
Irena Charvátová
