Extended Time

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1984

Production year

1984

Premiere

1 October 1985

Runtime

85 min

Category

film

Genre

tragicomedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Prodloužený čas

Czech title

Prodloužený čas

English title

Extended Time

Summary

The ideological demands of the “Barrandov dramaturgs” meant several films realised by director Jaromil Jireš during the 1980s more or less bore an unwelcome watermark. This was apparent even in such intimate human stories as portrayed by this 1984 psychological drama. In the film, the popular Miloš Kopecký plays ageing art historian Svozil, who is trying to come to terms with a very unpleasant diagnosis – stomach cancer. His resolution to use the time remaining to him to the maximum leads the hero to radically rearrange his life according to his own impulses. Through their protagonist, Jireš and screenwriter Marta Kadlečíková create the idea that even during the era of “normalisation” it is possible to live a dignified and fulfilling life. In a powerful story of sickness, love and old age, Taťána Fischerová (Svozil’s girlfriend Alena) and Petr Čepek (oncologist Antoš) appear alongside the dominant Kopecký.

Synopsis

The aging professor of art history, Karel Svozil, suffers from gastric pain. His lover Alena, much younger than him, would like them to have a baby. A thorough examination of Karel's ailment proves the worries of Karel's friend, internist Fořt, that he may be suffering from cancer. Karel must undergo surgery. Shortly before, he warns his student Čech of the university department head, Kalous. After the surgery, Svozil peeps into the nurses' room and learns about the cancer from his medical record. He hides the unfortunate news from Alena. But his girlfriend already knows everything from Fořt and the two agree on concealing the disease from Karel. The patient returns home from hospital. He is depressed and moreover oversensitive to any symbols of death. He works feverishly, as if striving to make the best use of the time left; he lectures and writes a book. Alena finds the oncologist Antoš in order to learn more about Karel's disease, and has sex with him out of a sense of hopelessness. She, however, confesses to Karel the next day and Karel forgives her. When he makes love to her, his spine begins to hurt. Antoš is afraid of metastases and Karel can sense that from him. Karel finishes his book and marries Alena. He also stands up for the student Čech in the dispute with Kalous. One day, a large ceramic vessel falls on Karel and hits him in the spine. The back pain immediately fades away. This means that the diagnosis cannot be carcinogenic metastases, which is also proved by the ensuing complex examination. Karel thus begins enjoying life again and paying attention to such minor problems as the dispute with Kalous, a damaged mudguard and so on.

Film online

Cast

Miloš Kopecký

profesor Karel Svozil

Taťána Fischerová

Alena, Svozilova milenka

Ota Sklenčka

profesor Josef Fořt, internista

Petr Čepek

docent Antoš, onkolog

Milan Klásek

profesor Kalous, vedoucí katedry

Vladimír Tesař

Voice by Bohuslav Čáp
výtvarník Oldřich

Věra Kubánková

Marie, Oldřichova žena

Jana Dítětová

Fořtova žena

Vladimír Hlavatý

stařík Šťavný

Zora Polanová

sekretářka Štálová

Ladislav Matějček

student Čech

Arnošt Faltýnek

pacient Nováček

Miroslava Vydrová

těhotná studentka

Stanislav Dohnal

student

Ladislav Lehký

student

Lenka Vlachová

studentka

Kateřina Malatincová

studentka

Miriam Brochová

studentka

Renata Mašková

zdravotní sestra Jarmila v nemocnici

Blanka Blahníková

zdravotní sestra Andělka na onkologii

Kateřina Frýbová

zdravotní sestra na gastroenterologiii

Monika Křišťová

modelka

Petr Kopřiva

číšník

Jan Svoboda

Kalousův asistent

Michal Kraus

lékař

Alfréd Ducháč

lékař

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Michal Vostřez

Assistant Director

Jiří Novotný (2)

Shooting Script

Jaromil Jireš

Director of Photography

Jaroslav Kučera

Second Unit Photography

Karel Dobřichovský

Camera Operator

Václav Zajíček

Production Designer

Jindřich Goetz

Assistent Production Designer

Olga Rosenfelderová

Set Designer

Jiří Forst

Costume Designer

Irena Greifová

Film Editor

Josef Valušiak

Assistant Film Editor

Jan Svoboda, Jana Šimonová

Sound Designer

Antonín Kravka

Special Effects

Ludvík Malý, Trikový ateliér FSB

Production Manager

Eliška Nejedlá

Unit Production Manager

Zuzana Kovaříková, Jana Koubová

Unit Production Manager

Dalibor Fiksa

Consultant

Oskar Andrysek, Eliška Fučíková

Cooperation

Zuzana Čvančarová (klapka), Karel Ješátko (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Zdeněk Pololáník

Selected Music

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Figarova svatba)

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens)

Songs

Gaudeamus igitur

Singer sbor

Sám s děvčetem v dešti

Song Composer Kamil Běhounek
Writer of Lyrics Karel Kozel
Singer R. A. Dvorský

Production info

Original Title

Prodloužený čas

Czech Title

Prodloužený čas

English Title

Extended Time

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

tragicomedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1984

Production Year

1984

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 4 January 1984
start of filming 13 February 1984
technical Screenplay approved 16 February 1984
end of filming 24 October 1984
projection approval 31 October 1984
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1990

Premiere

premiere 1 October 1985 /suitable for youths/

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

5. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Miloslav Vydra (vedoucí 5. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

85 min

Original length in metres

2 424 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. celostátní festival zdravotnických filmů Podbořany

1985
Podbořany / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 23. festival českých a slovenských filmů Praha

1985
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Miloš Kopecký