Marguerites For the Lady of the Castle

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1981

Production year

1981

Premiere

25 September 1981

Runtime

85 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Kopretiny pro zámeckou paní

Czech title

Kopretiny pro zámeckou paní

English title

Marguerites For the Lady of the Castle

Summary

Stanislav Rudolf’s novels for girls provided inspiration for a number of Czech films. One of the most popular adaptations of the novelist’s work was 1981’s Kopretiny pro zámeckou paní (Marguerites For the Lady of the Castle).The film was helmed by the capable director Josef Pinkava. The heroine of the story, penned by Pinkava and seasoned scriptwriter Stanislav Petřík, is 15-year-old Katka Krásná. During the summer, she has to sell tickets at the box office at Krabonoš Castle, where her parents both work. Katka falls in love with Petr, a history student from Prague who is also working at the castle for the summer. However, he fails to pick up on her feelings. Lovelorn, Katka gets back at him by stealing two valuable exhibits from the castle museum. In the end she is forced to confess to the police and her parents. Petr begins to reciprocate the girl’s affections… Director Pinkava had considerable experience of stories featuring young protagonists (e.g., Prázdniny s Minkou [Holiday With Minka] /1962/, Kočky neberem [We Don’t Give Chicks a Lift] /1966/, Terezu bych kvůli žádné holce neopustil [I’ll Never Give Up Tereza for a Girlfriend] /1976/). He encountered Rudolf’s work in 1971 when he adapted the rewarding story of Metráček, an overweight schoolgirl. Pinkava conceived of Marguerites For the Lady of the Castle as a breezy summer story with likeable characters. The title role in the likable picture was taken by non-actress Sylva Julinová, with Jan Hartl playing the student Petr. Pavel Kříž, then 12, makes his screen debut in a small role, though his voice was dubbed by Roman Skamene.

Synopsis

Fifteen year old Katka Krásná lives with her parents in the Krabonoš castle. During the holiday she helps her parents, who work at the castle at the cash-desk. She is not much excited; she will not have time for her friends and swimming. Petr, a history student, comes to Krabonoš for a summer job and Katka likes the young man, but he does not pay any attention to her. Therefore, the girl keeps doing dirty on him and immediately the first evening she puts pepper in his coffee. Petr gets into trouble with Pavluša, a spoiled son of Těšíks, who also work at the castle. Pavluša asks his pals to beat Petr up. Katka hears their talk and she runs to warn Petr. On the way she is held back by Pavluša, but Petr, who is also a judo-man, manages the hulks. He thinks that it was Katka who was supposed to be attacked. Even after this story, Petr does not understand that Katka fell in love with him. He takes two pots from the castle manager in order to clean them. Katka wants to take revenge for his disregard and she steals the pots. The loss of the pots is being investigated by police lieutenant Tyleček. During an interview, Katka confesses. Her father is embittered, only her mother senses the truth. Tyleček closes down the entire case and with a slight irony he even opens Petr's eyes. At night, Katka wakes up. Petr's tape recorder appears in the window, hanging on a rope with two daisies. All of a sudden, she feels happy.

Cast

Sylva Julinová

Katka Krásná

Jan Hartl

student historie Petr

František Husák

Voice by Zdeněk Řehoř
správce hradu Krabonoše, Katčin otec

Zdena Hadrbolcová

kastelánka, Katčina matka

Jana Tomšů

Ida, Katčina kamarádka

Eva Holubová (3)

Hanka, Katčina kamarádka

Tomáš Vacek

Tonda, Katčin ctitel

Jiřina Jelenská

průvodkyně Těšíková

Stanislav Tříska

Voice by Lubomír Lipský
údržbář Gusta, manžel Těšíkové

Pavel Klůs

Voice by Jiří Lábus
Pavluša, syn Těšíkových

Jiří Tomek

poručík VB Jindřich Tyleček, Hančin otec

Josef Chvalina

učitel matematiky Protivák

Antonín Navrátil

strážmistr VB

Pavel Kříž

Voice by Roman Skamene
student Robert

Věra Tichánková

babička Kocourková

Lubor Tokoš

dědeček sedmi vnuků

Eduard Halama

hostinský

Helena Martinovská

Katčina spolužačka

Eva Sokolová

Katčina spolužačka

Ilona Willertová

Bohunka

Vladimír Hrabal

Ivo Ženatý

Vladimír Mikšík

Matyásko

Zdeněk Sýkora

kumpán rváčské party

Dubbing

Vladimír Hrabánek

hlas návštěvníka hradu

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Hana Pinkavová

Assistant Director

Vladimír Prager

Based on

Stanislav Rudolf (Kopretina pro zámeckou paní – kniha)

Director of Photography

Jiří Kolín

Second Unit Photography

Vladimír Kolář

Camera Operator

Josef Ryšánek

Production Designer

Zdeněk Rozkopal

Assistent Production Designer

Josef Havlíček

Art Director

Jiří Hudeček

Set Designer

Otto Buchta, Oldřich Halaza, Josef Vojtášek

Costume Designer

Kristina Novotná

Film Editor

Ivan Matouš

Assistant Film Editor

Alice Egnerová, Ludmila Varmužová

Sound Designer

Radomír Koutek

Assistant Sound Designer

Ladislav Procházka, Zdeněk Skaunic

Production Manager

Vojtěch Kunčík

Unit Production Manager

Jarmila Bartoníková, Jindřich Ujčík

Consultant

František Finsterle

Cooperation

Jana Školoutová (klapka), Dalibor Michalčík (vrchní osvětlovač), Otto Kamenský (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Karel Svoboda

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)

Songs

Šla Nanynka do zelí

Pihovatá dívka

Song Composer Pavel Novák
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Novák
Singer Sylva Julinová

Production info

Original Title

Kopretiny pro zámeckou paní

Czech Title

Kopretiny pro zámeckou paní

English Title

Marguerites For the Lady of the Castle

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1981

Production Year

1981

Production specifications

withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1993

Premiere

premiere 25 September 1981 /suitable for youths/

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

85 min

Original length in metres

2 322 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: 12. mezinárodní festival filmů pro děti a mládež Giffoni Valle Piana

1982
Giffoni Valle Piana / Italy

Vítěz

Festival: 4. festival české a slovenské filmové veselohry Nové Město nad Metují

1982
Nové Město nad Metují / Czechoslovakia
Josef Pinkava

Vítěz

Exhibition: 13. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov nad Ohří

1981
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 21. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov

1981
Zlín / Czechoslovakia