Insane Cancan
Country
Czechoslovakia, AustriaCopyright
1982Production year
1982Premiere
1 May 1983Runtime
91 minCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Šílený kankánCzech title
Šílený kankánEnglish title
Insane CancanCo-production title
Die SchieberWorking title
PirátiSummary
This 1982 Czech-Austrian historical drama from director Jaroslav Balík takes place in Vienna after the First World War. The protagonists are former officer Krumka and his profiteering servant Scholef, who reunite after the lost war. The uncouth Scholef knows how to make money, but he needs the elegant Krumka to provide contacts and representation among high society. Social animosity endures between the pair, even during the years of the Great Depression and the rise of fascism… Josef Vinklář (Scholef) and Karel Heřmánek (Krumka) star in this largely forgettable feature. Hannel Zell, who collaborated on the adaptation of the novel by Austrian writer Robert Müller for the screenplay, also assumed the role of assistant director.
Synopsis
It is the third year of the First Wold War and an Austrian soldier, Scholef, of Galician origin, pays for having himself shot to avoid having to fight. In an infirmary, a commissioned officer called Krumka engages him as his batman. He finds Scholef's black marketeering skills useful, but otherwise, he despises the plebeian servant. The two men part after the lost war. Austria is shaken by social disturbances. Krumka contacts his former friends from the front but they, too, have problems asserting themselves – contrary to Scholef, dealing with everything, who is doing great. The police disperse a worker's demonstration on a Vienna street. Krumka gets involved by accident and, in the turmoil, helps Helena, the daughter of a banker by the name Lustig. The poverty-stricken Krumka then meets the prosperous Scholef and they team up. The coarse Scholef is gifted in reproducing money while the elegant Krumka has good social contacts. The former officer receives support from bankers through Helena whom he woos. Scholef and Krumka take the accountant Sedláček and his assistant Hilda into their business company, and Hilda becomes Krumka's lover. Scholef falls passionately in love with an operetta soubrette, Hortensie. Due to the favour of an old Prince Czapp, Krumka gets most of his property and buys his palace as the company's seat after his death. The company benefits from stock exchange speculations and bank machinations. The expensive and extravagant life of the two cronies ruins the company but they are saved by a deceit in which high political and business circles are involved. One time, Krupka ridicules his companion in the presence of Hortensie, reminding him that he once used to polish his shoes. The offended Scholef thinks about revenge and providently transfers his money to a Swiss bank before the outbreak of an economic crisis. He also fires Sedláček. Lustig commits suicide after the stock exchange crashes. Krumka, too, is affected. Scholef tells him how he saved his property and then fires him unscrupulously. Sedláček meanwhile became a ministry employee and summons Scholef on the basis of Krumka's information. He wants money and threatens to sue him for tax evasion. Scholef, however, is not afraid – he has enough compromising material on everybody. He organizes an expensive wedding with Hortensie. But no one from high society comes to the wedding banquet; the only visitor is Krumka bringing roses for the bride. When the former companions go to the balcony to talk, somebody of Krumka's new friends – Fascists – shoots Scholef dead on his pre-arranged sign.
Photos
Cast
Josef Vinklář
haličský šmelinář Milan Scholef
Karel Heřmánek
major Herman Krumka, Scholefův společník
Ota Sklenčka
komerční rada Lustig, vídeňský bankéř
Jiří Dohnal
plukovník kníže Sigismund Czapp von Eppinghausen
Jan Teplý
účetní Sedláček
Hana Talpová
operetní zpěvačka Hortensie
Zuzana Geislerová
Helena, Lustigova dcera
Valerie Zawadská
sekretářka Hildegarda Höferová
Miroslav Moravec
hrabě Drobowitz
Josef Langmiler
burzovní znalec Willander
Zdeněk Ornest
sekční rada Tiele
Jan Přeučil
fašista Tschako
Bořivoj Navrátil
důstojník Hans Krebs, později autoprodejce
Nelly Gaierová
hraběnka Fitz-Dietersteinová
Ladislav Frej
sociální demokrat Gessner
Edd Stavjanik
Rüdiger
Ljuba Krbová
prostitutka
Edita Dindělová
prostitutka
Oldřich Velen
továrník Kapp
Veronika Gajerová
Marta, přítelkyně hraběte
Lucie Žulová
Gretchen, přítelkyně hraběte
Dagmar Patrasová
přítelkyně hraběte
Lenka Horáková
Elfie, přítelkyně hraběte
Václav Kotva
sluha u Krumky
Jaroslava Kretschmerová
tanečnice Zizi
Hana Pastejříková
tanečnice Fifi
Gustav Nezval
ministr financí
Ondřej Havelka
novinář
Jana Viščaková
Lili
Miloš Vavruška
komunistický funkcionář
Hana Packertová
dáma v modrém
Marie Kulhavá
dáma
Jarmila Nedvídková
dáma
Dana Pilařová
dáma
Jana Fiedlerová
dáma
Jitka Malíková
dáma
Lorna Homoláčová
dáma
Jan Schánilec
lékař
Radan Rusev
mladík
Zdeněk Žák
mladík
Igor Smržík
Lustigův komorník
Antonín Kramerius
Lustigův sluha
Zdeněk Štěpánek
mluvčí dělníků
Lubomír Tlalka
žokej Imre
Marcel Vašinka
mladý dělník
Josef A. Stehlík
Voice by Václav Kaňkovský
otec Hortensie, berní úředník v. v.
Věra Kalendová
zdravotní sestra v lazaretu
Kateřina Lírová
zdravotní sestra
Miloslav Homola
voják-šmelinář
Zdeněk Procházka (kouzelník)
kouzelník
Simona Chytrová
společnice kouzelníka
Tomáš Jančařík
mladý elegán
Miroslav Kořínek
číšník zvaný Zuzanka
Gustav Heverle
burzián
Zdeněk Munzar
klavírista
Jindřich Narenta
burzián
Jan Grygar
voják
Ladislav Hádl
voják
Jiří Havlík
voják
Zdeněk Košata
voják
Karel Nonner
voják
Zdeněk Kutil
voják střílející na Scholefa
Ivo Niederle
úředník u Krumky
Karel Peyr
finančník
Jaroslav Radimecký
major
Zdeněk Hurník
zákazník
Zuzana Skalická
zraněná dívka
Jaroslav Tomsa
Hölbinger
Stanislav Hájek
zřízenec
Dušan Fiedler
muž soutěžící o zlatou cihlu
Pavel Havránek
muž soutěžící o zlatou cihlu
Pavel Jiras
muž soutěžící o zlatou cihlu
Vladimír Kříž
muž soutěžící o zlatou cihlu
Vít Pešina
muž soutěžící o zlatou cihlu
Milan Livora
dělník
Robert Vondrovic
citerista/muzikant
Jan Pačes
muzikant
Tomáš Jírovec
hudebník/muzikant
Jiří Kalla
hudebník/muzikant
Milan Sivek
hudebník/muzikant
Vítězslav Slouka
hudebník/muzikant
Arnošt Vrána
hudebník/muzikant
Petr Drešer
harmonikář
Stanislav Štěpán
harmonikář
Jiří Vondrovic
dirigent
Zdeněk Srstka
hostinský
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Igor Smržík, Magda Vodičková, V. Koubek
Based on
Robert Müller (Piráti /Flibustier/ – novela)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Karel Kracík, Miloš Sršeň, Pavel Šoltys
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Stunts
Arnošt Böhm, Václav Burkert, Rudolf Čumpelík, Vladimír Čumpelík, Leoš Ditrich, Petr Drozda, Karel Engel, Radek Hošek, Josef Hrubý, František Jákl, Petr Jákl, Miroslav Jíra, Jiří Kalenský, Jiří Kasík, Milan Kindl, Jaroslav Klenot, Jiří Klenot, Zdeněk Kopecký, Antonín Kramerius, Jiří Kraus, Jan Kriesman, Zdeněk Krumpl, Jiří Kuba, Miroslav Lahoda, Pavel Myslík, Josef Pechanec, Zdeněk Plavec, Marek Pravda, Jindřich Sejk, Oldřich Semerák, Jiří Sládek, František Stupka, Jaroslav Šanda, Jaroslav Špáňa, Viktor Šťastný, Stanislav Tůma, Karel Vítek, Jaroslav Vlk, Ludvík Wolf
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Luděk Blažek
Cooperation
Hana Vítková (klapka), Vladimír Souček (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Jacques Offenbach (Krásná Helena – opereta ), Carl Millöcker (Gasparone – opereta )
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens)
Danced by
Erna Březinová, Monika Bolardová, Zdeňka Gabzdylová, Naděžda Izakovičová, Nataša Lukaničová, Jitka Zámečníková, Renata Schmiedtmajerová, Helena Štěrbová
Songs
Adieu,mein kleiner Gardeoffizier
Song Composer Robert Stolz
Writer of Lyrics Walter Reisch
Singer Greta Keller
Production info
Original Title
Šílený kankán
Czech Title
Šílený kankán
English Title
Insane Cancan
Co-production Title
Die Schieber
Working Title
Piráti
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia, Austria
Copyright
1982
Production Year
1982
Production specifications
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1988
Premiere
gala premiere 24 March 1983 (kino Pasáž, Praha)
premiere 1 May 1983 /unsuitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
3. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Václav Erben (vedoucí 3. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
91 min
Original length in metres
2 651 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: 21. festival českých a slovenských filmů Ostrava
1983
Ostrava / Czechoslovakia
Vítěz
Festival: 21. festival českých a slovenských filmů Ostrava
1983
Ostrava / Czechoslovakia
Josef Vinklář
