Basically Normal

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1981

Production year

1981

Premiere

12 March 1982

Runtime

88 min

Director

Otakar Fuka

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

V podstatě jsme normální

Czech title

V podstatě jsme normální

English title

Basically Normal

Summary

Two years after his satirical comedy Pátek není svátek (Friday Is No Holiday, 1979) director Otakar Fuka made this sequel in which members of the Novák family attempt to improve their position on the social ladder. The screenplay is once again a joint effort between the director and Jiří Just. The sequel makes it clear from the start that improving their country cottage is no longer enough for the Nováks. Instead, the ambitious Eva (Jorga Kotrbová) draws her husband (Petr Kostka) into an intricate web of shady wheeling and dealing. As the head of a new research institute department, Novák becomes entangled in several behind-the-scenes machinations with foreign company Djungarden. Only narrowly does he avoid falling prey to cunning profiteer Mazáč… Petr Nárožný takes the role of Mazáč in this light-hearted film. Dagmar Patrasová assumes the role of deceitful secretary Ilona. The part of an alleged West German (and salacious) company representative goes to Svatopluk Beneš.

Synopsis

Karel Novák was appointed as the head of a research institute's new department. His ambitious wife Eva, convinced about the assertiveness of her husband, decides to employ this opportunity for her social upswing. She immediately hands in her notice at work and turns the flat into a hair dressing salon. She also begins establishing useful connections, getting most acquainted with the rich Mazáč family. This helps her sail into the system of mutual bigger and smaller favours, even dragging her totally unaware husband into it. Mazáč promised Karel a contact in a foreign company, Djungarden, and its representative. Collaboration with the company would be beneficial for the research institute. But Mazáč introduces Karel to his German friend named Hans instead, who has nothing in common with the company. The encounter of the two men is preceded by a meeting with Hans's reported assistant Ilona, for whom Novák buys an expensive necklace on Mazáč's advice. Hans likes Karel's wife Eva, whose image was used for an Elite stockings ad. Eva, however, calls the police to save herself from the passionate Hans. At the police station, she meets Karel who was detained by the police patrol on his way from Ilona for being drunk. The research institute signs the contract with the company Djungarden. Karel finds out to his surprise that he has actually never seen its representative Hans. Back at home, he resolutely claims that he himself, not Eva, will decide about family affairs from now on.

Film online

Cast

Petr Kostka

Karel Novák

Jorga Kotrbová

Eva, Novákova manželka

Magda Reifová

Mirka, dcera Novákových

Magdalena Bičíková

Jarka, dcera Novákových

Zdeněk Dítě

ředitel Růžička

Josef Vinklář

masér Zdeněk Beznoska

Zita Kabátová

zákaznice Kunešová

Slávka Budínová

hospodyně Preichingerová

Petr Nárožný

Ing. Erich Mazáč

Marta Richterová

Monika, Mazáčova žena

Vlastimil Fišar

docent Šiška

Dagmar Patrasová

sekretářka Ilona Dvořáčková

Jiří Knot

účastník školení Ing. Anděl

František Filipovský

dědeček Knotek

Svatopluk Beneš

Hans Endmayer

Julius Hirsch

velitel hlídky VB

Jiří Lír

dr. Skřivánek

Jana Synková

osvětová pracovnice Skřivánková

Miriam Kantorková

zelinářka Vlasta Schwarzhuberová

Jiří Bruder

uhlíř Schwarzhuber, Vlastin manžel

Marie Drahokoupilová

Voice by Jana Šulcová
Carmen Telekyová

Jana Švandová

účastnice školení Iva Volrábová

Bořivoj Navrátil

módní fotograf Boris Dembovski

Zdeněk Svěrák

organizátor školení

Pavel Vondruška

docent, lektor školení

Jiří Bukvaj

dr. Málek

Vladimír Hlavatý

zámecký zahradník

Vladimír Hrubý

soused Kýhos

Jana Viščaková

prostitutka v hotelu

Helena Růžičková

účastnice školení Rabiňáková

Gabriela Wilhelmová

účastnice školení Štefanová

Václav Štekl

lesník Choura

Jiří Sequens ml.

Mirčin kamarád Kabíček

Olga Michálková

sousedka Staňková

Stella Májová

tlumočnice

Drahomíra Fialková

prodavačka punčoch

Jan Kuželka

účastník školení Ing. Beneš

Karel Bělohradský

řidič kropicího auta

Zdeněk Podhůrský

příslušník VB

Jiří Schmiedt

příslušník VB

Roman Hemala

příslušník VB

Martin Otava

montér Gogol

Zdeněk David

člen skupiny Disharmonic Nonet

Zdeněk Fornůsek

člen skupiny

Jaromír Honzák

člen skupiny

Jiří Koval

člen skupiny

Zdeněk Kratina

člen skupiny

Daniel Rous

člen skupiny

Martin Šulc

člen skupiny

Josef Střecha

recepční

Lidia Kravková

sekretářka

Libuše Štědrá

Blažíčková, Novákova kolegyně

Věra Kramešová

uklízečka

Dana Klossová

modelka Edita

Jan Laibl

dozorčí VB

Ladislav Lahoda

číšník

Irena Berková

modelka

Miloslav Homola

státní úředník

Vladimír Navrátil

příslušník VB

Ilona Jirotková

účastnice školení ve sprše

Crew and creators

Director

Otakar Fuka

Second Unit Director

Aleš Dospiva

Assistant Director

Roman Kopřivík

Continuity

Irena Klausová

Screenstory

Jiří Just

Shooting Script

Otakar Fuka

Director of Photography

Jiří Tarantík

Second Unit Photography

Eduard Kadeřábek

Camera Operator

Jiří Zavřel

Production Designer

Oldřich Bosák

Assistent Production Designer

František Císař

Costume Designer

Šárka Hejnová

Film Editor

Zdeněk Stehlík

Sound Designer

František Fabián

Production Manager

Oldřich Mach

Unit Production Manager

Eva Charvátová, Iva Šetková

Unit Production Manager

Vojtěch Panáček

Cooperation

Renata Stádníková (klapka), Zdeněk Dukát (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Petr Hapka

Selected Music

Oskar Nedbal (Polská krev /Jsem dip, jsem dip, jsem diplomat/), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Malá noční hudba)

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens)

Songs

Jsem dip, jsem dip, jsem diplomat

Song Composer Oskar Nedbal
Writer of Lyrics Zdeněk Knittl
Singer František Filipovský

Medvědi nevědi

Song Composer Ivan Mládek
Writer of Lyrics Ivan Mládek
Singer Magdalena ReifováMagdalena Bičíková

Zmalovaná

Song Composer Jiří Ziembrowski
Writer of Lyrics Ivan Mládek
Singer Magdalena ReifováMagdalena BičíkováMartin Otava

Už troubějí na horách jeleni

Singer sbor

Production info

Original Title

V podstatě jsme normální

Czech Title

V podstatě jsme normální

English Title

Basically Normal

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1981

Production Year

1981

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 27 July 1980
start of filming 23 March 1981
technical Screenplay approved 13 April 1981
end of filming 19 October 1981
projection approval 13 November 1981
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1987

Premiere

premiere 12 March 1982 /suitable for youths/

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

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

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

88 min

Original length in metres

2 509 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66, 1:2,35

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech