The Steeple-chase
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1981Production year
1980—1981Premiere
16 January 1982Runtime
86 minDirector
Jaroslav SoukupCategory
filmGenre
drama, psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
DostihCzech title
DostihEnglish title
The Steeple-chaseSummary
During the 1980s, director Jaroslav Soukup brought to Czechoslovak film production his interest in genre movies. Dostih (The Steeple-chase) is one such example, a 1981 sporting drama created with long-time screenwriting partner Miroslav Vaic. The movie combines the thrilling backdrop of the world of horse racing with a personal relationship drama. The main protagonists are two jockey friends – the fatalistic Sochor, who lives in the glare of former glories, and the self-confident Pečenka, whose rise to the top is halted by a fall. Sochor’s zest for life is reignited by a romantic encounter with his pal’s girlfriend Helena. He then decides to return to training as a jockey. Both leading men must battle in a race against the favourite Titan at the Velká pardubická steeplechase run, and also fight for the affections of Helena. The Steeple-chase benefits from strong performances by stars Ladislav Mrkvička (Sochor) and Pavel Zedníček (Pečenka), who also developed a taste for horse riding off-camera. Helena is played by Gabriela Osvaldová, who went on to become a successful songwriter.
Synopsis
The jockeys Venca Sochor and Pečenka, nicknamed Pečenáč (Roast Herring), are friends and roommates. Pečenáč rides an excellent horse Titan and usually wins the race. Sochor has recently been unlucky, always ending up behind. He used to be an outstanding jockey, but now, he even fails to give an interview to the journalist Bušek – the somewhat bitterly sportsman does not want to talk to anybody. Sochor and Pečenka go out on the town and end up in the flat of Roman, the famous actor who goes to the races and bets on horses. Sochor becomes fond of Helena at Roman’s, but she prefers Pečenka. The horse Titan, however, falls with Pečenka in the next race and they are both injured. Pečenáč must be taken to hospital and Sochor is approved to take care for Titan by the management. With Pečenáč absent, Helena comes to visit Sochor and they make love. Titan recovers under Sochor’s care and the jockey can start training the horse, even for the Pardubice Steeplechase. Back from hospital, Pečenka renounces Sochor and decides to betray him, claiming that Sochor helped the competition win the race and took a bribe of ten thousand crowns for the favour. Sochor keeps training Titan. One day, he runs into Pečenáč in a pub where his former friend works as waiter. Sochor learns from him that he married Helena. The two get drunk, and when Sochor successfully drags Pečenáč home, he can see that Helena is not happy in the marriage. The date of the Pardubice Steeplechase is close. Sochor trains in spite of his increasing backache. Just before the steeplechase, the main manager tells Sochor that Titan is not going to run in Pardubice because he was profitably sold to a foreign client. The Pardubice Steeplechase is launched and it is sadly watched by Sochor, Helena and Pečenáč.
Film online
Photos
Cast
Ladislav Mrkvička
žokej Václav Sochor
Pavel Zedníček
jezdec Pečenka zvaný Pečenáč
Gabriela Osvaldová
Helena
Miroslav Masopust
jezdec Jarda Týml
Dana Syslová
jezdkyně Jarka Koulová
Jiří Tomek
trenér Janoušek
Ferdinand Krůta
ošetřovatel Vanýsek
Josef Větrovec
ředitel podniku
Milan Klásek
herec Roman
Karel Hlušička
redaktor Bušek
Vladimír Hlavatý
Sochorův děda
Alena Kreuzmannová
Sochorova matka
Zdena Burdová
Sochorova sestra
Pavel Jiras
Sochorův švagr
Ota Sklenčka
primář
Václav Mareš
veterinář
Karel Chromík
sázkař Kodet
Ivo Niederle
funkcionář
Jan Teplý
inženýr
Lena Birková
pokladní v kině
Ivana Bílková
lékárnice
Marcela Loučímová
žokejka Marta
Marta Malá
prodavačka zeleniny
Jiří Kodeš
opilý tramp
Eliška Kuchařová
lékařka
Jiří Ornest
přítel Standa
Hana Čížková
přítelkyně
Eva Čepická
přítelkyně
Eva Hořánková
úřednice
Vladimír Ptáček
masér
Richard Mihula
tlustý bookmaker
Kateřina Lírová
úřednice na poště
František Michálek
správce závodiště
Hana Heřmánková
Romanova nová přítelkyně
Jitka Havlíčková
Pečenáčova bývalá žena
Herman Vojtěch
ošetřovatel
Vladimír Novotný
ošetřovatel
Miroslav Janáček
žokej
Břetislav Karel
žokej
Jan Košťál
žokej
Jaroslav Mašek
žokej
Ferdinand Minařík
žokej
Jiří Novák (žokej)
žokej
Václav Nový
žokej
Harry Petrlík
žokej
Ing. Michal Pokorný
žokej
Miroslav Šmídek
žokej
Tomáš Šatra
žokej
Karol Šarina
žokej
Pavel Liebich
dubl za Ladislava Mrkvičku
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Přemysl Čermák
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Karel Kracík, Pavel Šoltys, Miloš Sršeň
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Stunts
Vladimír Bursík, Václav Syřiště
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Consultant
Ing. Stanislav Waksmundský, CSc., František Michálek (jezdectví)
Cooperation
Kateřina Strádalová (klapka), Roman Vácha (fotograf), zaměstnanci Státního závodiště Praha
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens)
Songs
Sladce mě líbej
Song Composer Jaroslav Moravec
Writer of Lyrics Alfons Jindra
Singer mužský hlas
Jsi prostě nejlepší
Song Composer Karel Svoboda
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Machek
Singer Lešek Semelka
Půjčovna snů
Song Composer Ladislav Štaidl
Writer of Lyrics Zdeněk Borovec
Singer Ladislav ŠtaidlPragosingers
Kam se schoulíš
Song Composer Karel Svoboda
Writer of Lyrics Eduard Krečmar
Singer Karel Gott
Kavárna Sladký ráj
Song Composer Ladislav Štaidl
Writer of Lyrics Boris Janíček
Singer Karel Gott
Jsi prostě nejlepší /parafráze/
Song Composer Karel Svoboda
Singer Pavel Zedníček
Niagára
Song Composer Eduard Ingriš
Writer of Lyrics Eduard Ingriš
Singer mužský sbor
Sám s děvčetem v dešti
Song Composer Kamil Běhounek
Writer of Lyrics Karel Kozel
Singer R. A. Dvorský
Production info
Original Title
Dostih
Czech Title
Dostih
English Title
The Steeple-chase
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama, psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1981
Production Year
1980—1981
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 17 October 1979
start of filming 9 October 1980
technical Screenplay approved 11 November 1980
end of filming 11 September 1981
projection approval 30 September 1981
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1987
Premiere
premiere 16 January 1982 /unsuitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Miroslava Hladkého, Miroslav Hladký (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
86 min
Original length in metres
2 462 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: 20. festival českých a slovenských filmů Ústí nad Labem
1982
Ústí nad Labem / Czechoslovakia
Richard Valenta
Vítěz
Festival: 18. filmový festival mladých Trutnov
1981
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslav Soukup
Vítěz
Festival: 18. filmový festival mladých Trutnov
1981
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia
Richard Valenta
