The Brave Blacksmith
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1983Production year
1983Premiere
1 September 1984Runtime
80 minDirector
Petr ŠvédaCategory
filmGenre
fairytaleTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
O statečném kovářiCzech title
O statečném kovářiEnglish title
The Brave BlacksmithSummary
The lone film from director Petr Švéda, this romantic fairytale is inspired by a story from children’s author Božena Němcová. The fantastical tale, produced by Gottwaldov Film Studios (today Zlín), sees our young hero – the blacksmith Mikeš – setting out to try his luck in the world alongside miller’s assistant Matěj and stable boy Ondra. En route, they learn of three missing princesses, and decide to track them down. The trio also encounters a wicked elf-hag, but a simple old well is what places the greatest strain on their budding friendships. The role of brave young Mikeš sees Pavel Kříž make his debut. Unlike the main star, fellow travellers Ján Kroner Jr. and Jiří Knot did not manage to mine this “poetic” film to land further significant roles. Also of note is a performance by Petr Čepek in the role of the Black King.
Synopsis
Mike apprenticed as a blacksmith with his father and he sets off to spend his year of apprenticeship. On the way, he is joined by the miller's helper Matěj and a groom Ondra who do not like their work. In a pub in one kingdom, they learn that the king's three daughters have disappeared. Mike convinces his companions to search for the princesses. Time passes and the village boys still cannot find the girls. One day, they arrive at a mysterious house where the table is set for three. They eat and soon fall asleep. The next day, Mike and Jindra leave to get some food and Matěj is supposed to cook potato puree in the meantime. But he gets fooled by a hobgoblin who eats all the puree and does not give him anything in exchange. The same happens to Ondra the next day. Only Mike succeeds in duping the hobgoblin - he pulls a piece off his beard and the goblin turns into an ugly old witch. The witch reveals to him that the princesses were kidnapped by the Black King. There is the only way leading to his kingdom - through the black well. Mike liberates two princesses but the youngest one is not among them. Mike sends the girls up the well in a bucket; he himself, however, wants to test his companions on the witch's advice. The test brings him disappointment - Matěj and Ondra assume that the loaded bucket which they are pulling up in fact contains Mike, and they deliberately drop it. Then they set off with the princesses to the castle and claim to their father that they are actually the saviours. Mike finds out that the witch is the cursed third princess. He challenges the Black King to a fight and wins. He returns to the castle, discloses his treacherous friends and marries the youngest princess. But he does not get out of his smithy. He lives happily with his wife and his young son Mikík in the father's forge and reigns at the castle only when it is necessary.
Note
In the beginning, the film was directed by Zdeněk Zydroň but he was replaced by Petr Švéda.
Film online
Photos
Cast
Pavel Kříž
kovář Mikeš
Ján Kroner
Voice by Svatopluk Skopal
silák Ondřej
Jiří Knot
mlynářský pomocník Matěj
Vlado Müller
kovář, Mikešův otec
Viliam Polónyi
Voice by Václav Stýblo
Jakub, kovářův pomocník
Petr Čepek
Černý král
Martina Gasparovičová
princezna, zakletá jako babizna
Jana Tomšů
tmavovlasá princezna
Taťána Čechovská
plavovlasá princezna
Lubor Tokoš
král
Oldřich Velen
hospodský
Míla Myslíková
hospodská
Magda Reifová
služka s culíky
Jiří Krytinář
skřet
Ladislav Trojan
komoří
Jaroslav Klenot
zbrojnoš
Jiří Klenot
zbrojnoš
Miroslav Jíra
zbrojnoš
Stanislav Tříska
mlynář
Karel Koubek
Černý jezdec
Jiří Guryča
Mikeš jako malý
Martin Švéda
Mikeš jako nejmladší
Karel Semerád
zbrojnoš
Pavel Nášel
zbrojnoš
Jaroslav Šanda
zbrojnoš
Jaroslav Vlk
zbrojnoš
Miloš Vosmanský
chalupář-pocestný
Václav Kotva
hráč na citeru
Ivan Pohanka
hudebník
Petr Surý
hudebník
Alfons Jelínek
hudebník
Jan Bursík
hudebník
Bohumír Strnad
hudebník
Ivana Fišerová (2)
dvorní tanečnice
Boris Hanák
dvorní tanečník
Roman Nevěčný
dvorní tanečník
Pavel Prokeš
dvorní tanečník
Sonja Raabová
dvorní tanečnice
Karel Riegel
dvorní tanečník
Hana Solaříková
dvorní tanečnice
Irena Visnarová
dvorní tanečnice
Jaroslav Kaiser (3)
artista
Natalie Kaiserová
artistka
Josef Kočka
artista
Antonín Navrátil (4)
artista
Hynek Navrátil
artista
Julius Kessner
hráč na flautu
Jiří Košík
hráč na historické hudební nástroje
Danuše Košíková
hráčka na historické hudební nástroje
Ondřej Vetchý
dubl za Pavla Kříže
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Pavel Nášel, Věra Dvořáková, Regina Koštuříková
Based on
Božena Němcová (Neohrožený Mikeš – pohádka)
Screenplay
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Art Director
Set Designer
Ivo Formánek, Jiří Plášil, Milan Rabas, Ignác Samohýl, David Pikhart
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Assistant Sound Designer
Special Effects
Jiří Kolín, Igor Farbák
Special Effects
Irena Bergerová (pyrotechnička)
Stunts
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Věra Kopecká, Marie Šenkeříková, Lenka Vlčková
Cooperation
Renata Gondová (klapka), Otto Kamenský (fotograf), Michal Katerinjuk, Krajské středisko státní památkové péče a ochrany přírody v Brně
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens)
Choreographer
Danuše Hájková
Songs
O statečném kováři
Song Composer Petr Ulrych
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Suchý
Singer Petr UlrychHana Ulrychová
Production info
Original Title
O statečném kováři
Czech Title
O statečném kováři
English Title
The Brave Blacksmith
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
fairytale
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1983
Production Year
1983
Production specifications
withdrawal from distribution 14 July 1995
Premiere
premiere 1 September 1984 /suitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
80 min
Original length in metres
2 274 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: 7. mezinárodní festival dětských filmů Quito
1985
Quito / Ecuador
Vítěz
Event: Čestný titul Film s nejvyšší technickou kvalitou roku 1984
1985
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Vítěz
Festival: 7. mezinárodní festival dětských filmů Quito
1985
Quito / Ecuador
Vítěz
Festival: 22. mezinárodní festival filmů pro děti a mládež Gijón
1984
Gijón / Spain
Vítěz
Festival: 14. mezinárodní festival dětských filmů Chicago
1984
Chicago / United States of America
