Career

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1984

Production year

1983—1984

Premiere

1 June 1985

Runtime

89 min

Category

film

Genre

psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Kariéra

Czech title

Kariéra

English title

Career

Summary

The books of Jiří Švejda were the inspiration for three films of the 1980s that explored ethical dilemmas that faced workers during the reality of socialism. The psychological drama Kariéra (Career, 1984) was preceded by Požáry a spáleniště (Fires and Burnt Out Places, 1980) and followed by Havárie (Accident, 1985). The main character of Kariéra, directed by Július Matula and inspired by Švejda’s 1973 book Dva tisíce světelných let (Two Thousand Light Years), is chemistry drop-out Tomáš, returning home to northern Bohemia following the completion of his military service. He successfully applies for a job in a local chemical factory that he is neither qualified nor skilled enough to perform. He progressively clashes with his parents and his wife before finally realising that life requires a more solid foundation than excessive self-confidence… The environs of a northern Bohemian chemical plant unwittingly depict the gloomy reality of the time; it was a location also used six years later by Tomáš Vorel in his generational musical (or “rhythmical” picture) Kouř (Smoke, 1990). The film has an appealingly talented cast, led by Martin Stropnický and Kateřina Lojdová.

Synopsis

Karel Kubát, the successful director of the Globus printing works, discovers on his fiftieth birthday that he has a serious heart defect. This dismal news causes him to take stock of his life. In his thoughts he returns to key situations in which he gradually changed his character and life orientation. After the First World War he found a steady job at Globus in a subordinate position. When, after a time, he was given his first real opportunity, he decided to take it without hesitation. He made an unprosperous filial company much more efficient which, however, also led to the suicide of the branch head. Kubát was promoted nevertheless and his steep rise in the company began. It came first before everything else and ultimately cost him his marriage to the principled Pavla. Kubát married again, this time the daughter of the managing director of Globus, and after some time he found himself in his father-in-law's place. He became the head of the company and now does what he chooses, but he is alone, without friendship or love. He suffers a crisis and when he chances upon the house of his first wife, he is crushed by the memories this evokes. He dies in the environment which he once abandoned for the sake of his career.

Cast

Martin Stropnický

chemik Tomáš Bayer

Kateřina Lojdová

Voice by Jarmila Švehlová
Ivona, Tomášova manželka

Marek Vašut

automechanik Petr Prouza

Martina Gasparovičová

gymnastka Miluška

Jana Štěpánková

Bayerová, Tomášova matka

Josef Langmiler

Jan Bayer, Tomášův otec

Jiří Tomek

zelinář František Grešl, Ivonin otec

Jaroslava Tichá

Grešlová, Ivonina matka

Helga Matulová

inženýrka Horáčková

Ladislav Mrkvička

inženýr Šítek, bývalý manžel Horáčkové

Alois Švehlík

mistr Bodlák

Adolf Filip

mistr Viktor Dusil

Břetislav Slováček

hudebník Dušan

Ondřej Vetchý

dělník Tonda

Věra Budilová

starší referentka osobního oddělení

Vlastimil Čaněk

vedoucí osobního oddělení Procházka

Karel Urbánek

náměstek Plechatý

Jindřich Hinke

praporčík Olda Rajšner

Radka Dulíková

mladší referentka Maruška

Jana Kulendová

prodavačka Majka

Hana Packertová

sekretářka

Věra Hájková (2)

Dana

Karel Greif

šermíř

Jan Bártů

šermíř Honza

Karel Bártů

trenér

Romana Kvapilíková

učnice

Petra Koželuhová

učnice

Miloslav Homola

soused Václav

Lena Birková

Václavova žena

Jan Balzer

doktor, Petrův zákazník

E. Blažíčková

hudebnice

Jaroslav Devera

hudebník

Vojtěch Gadžor

hudebník

Laco Gejza

hudebník

Petr Kolář (2)

hudebník

Andrea Říhová

hudebnice

Indira Smékalová

hudebnice

A. Vondráčková

hudebnice

E. Walter

hudebník

Karel Jaroš

rozhodčí šermu

Tomáš Lochman

kluk šermíř

Pavel Myslík

přiopilý mladík

Josef Vršecký

trenér Dukly

Vladimír Kaisr

rváč

Tomáš Tintěra

muž v obleku

Jiří Kraus

dubl za Martina Stropnického

Dubbing

Vlastimil Zavřel

hlas historického šermíře

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Tomáš Tintěra

Assistant Director

Vít Horálek, Zdeněk Podhola

Based on

Jiří Švejda (Dva tisíce světelných let – román)

Shooting Script

Julius Matula

Director of Photography

František Uldrich

Production Designer

Bohumil Pokorný

Assistent Production Designer

Petr Pištěk

Set Designer

Bedřich Čermák, Rudolf Beneš, Jaroslav Lehman

Costume Designer

Šárka Hejnová

Film Editor

Dalibor Lipský

Assistant Film Editor

Erika Vojáčková

Sound Designer

Karel Jaroš

Production Manager

Jan Balzer

Cooperation

Hana Suchá (klapka), Jiří Kučera (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Dežo Ursiny

Music Performed by

Dežo Ursiny

Songs

Stavěli jsme dům

Song Composer Dežo Ursiny
Writer of Lyrics Vladimír Poštulka
Singer Dežo UrsinyMartin Stropnický

Bílá královna

Song Composer Pavel Vaculík
Writer of Lyrics Jan Krůta
Singer Petr KotvaldStanislav Hložek

Holky z naší školky

Song Composer Karel Vágner
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Žák
Singer Petr KotvaldStanislav Hložek

Snad jsem to zavinil já

Song Composer Petr Janda
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Chrastina
Singer OlympicPetr Janda

Boršická polka

Song Composer Josef Řepa
Writer of Lyrics Josef Řepa
Singer kapela Moravanka

Production info

Original Title

Kariéra

Czech Title

Kariéra

English Title

Career

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1984

Production Year

1983—1984

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 17 August 1983
start of filming 29 September 1983
technical Screenplay approved 21 October 1983
end of filming 24 April 1984
projection approval 8 June 1984
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1990

Premiere

premiere 1 June 1985 /unsuitable for youths/

Creative Group

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

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

89 min

Original length in metres

2 470 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: 23. festival českých a slovenských filmů Praha

1985
Praha / Czechoslovakia