The Second Move of the Pawn
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1984Production year
1984Premiere
1 November 1985Runtime
78 minDirector
Vít OlmerCategory
filmGenre
spyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Druhý tah pěšcemCzech title
Druhý tah pěšcemEnglish title
The Second Move of the PawnSummary
The 1980s even saw directors as distinguished as Vít Olmer unable to escape their “duty” to produce “politically engaged” films. And so, alongside his noted genre works such as Co je vám, doktore? (What’s the Matter With You, Doctor?, 1984), Jako jed (Like Poison, 1985) and Antonyho šance (Anthony’s Chance, 1986), we also find this 1984 spy drama about members of the Czechoslovak counter-intelligence services. Druhý tah pěšcem (The Second Move of the Pawn) relies on an enticing backdrop, similarly to other Olmer movies which offer well-crafted criminal themes. Jan Prokop, the central character, uncovers a plot contrived by Western spies, but he is forced to also battle his envious and incompetent colleague Libor. Also in the game are winsome colleague Petra and skilled scientist Jonáš – a man whom foreign intelligence services are seeking to recruit for a capitalistic arms firm. Karel Heřmánek assumes the lead role of communist spy Prokop. Jonáš is played by Olmer’s colleague, actor and director Karel Smyczek.
Synopsis
The officer of the Czechoslovak counter-intelligence, Jan Prokop, is a passionate chess-player and one can always find a chessboard with an open game in his office. Prokop and his subordinate Libor pursue the suspicious American Ramskey who is suspected of espionage but has not been caught yet. Prokop must leave for Brno to investigate another case and entrusts Ramskey to Libor. Libor contacts the American preliminarily which results in an international scandal. Prokop keeps Libor only after the intercession of his girlfriend Petra, with whom he is also in love. The two men are charged with another case. An unknown pickpocket sent the police a stolen wallet containing important espionage materials. Regular investigative methods lead nowhere. Prokop's only hope is a scrap of an envelope with a Canadian postage stamp and the word "Czech" written on it. Prokop decides to check on all correspondence mailed from Canada. Libor does not like the meticulous work, and uncomradely reports him for reportedly useless activity. But Prokop's effort brings results. It takes him to a young talented scientist Jonáš who works in the field of electronics. During further investigation Prokop finds out that Jonáš is not a spy but, on the contrary, a victim of a ploy which should have made him emigrate and work for an American armaments company. Prokop also reveals the real spy and his testimony moreover helps him convict Ramskey. He thus resolved the complicated case between two moves of a pawn. It seems that he may also gain Petra who broke up with Libor for his unscrupulous behaviour.
Film online
Photos
Cast
Karel Heřmánek
důstojník kontrarozvědky Jan Prokop
Ondřej Pavelka
poručík Libor, Prokopův podřízený
Jana Paulová
Petra, pracovnice dešifrovacího oddělení
Jiří Samek
náčelník kontrarozvědky
Tomáš Töpfer
Milda, příslušník kontrarozvědky
Stanislava Bartošová
Anna Klánová
Karel Brožek
Voice by Dalimil Klapka
vedoucí krejčovství Richard Hofman
Vladimír Huber
knihkupec Sergio Lombardi
Karel Smyczek
inženýr Jonáš
Věra Vlčková
Frankelová, spojka z Vídně
Alena Kreuzmannová
sekretářka Lída
Veronika Jeníková
sekretářka Daniela
Oldřich Ortinský
Voice by Gene Deitch
Američan Ramskey
Jaroslav Kára
Karel
Zora Božinová
Prokopova matka
Eva Kudláčková
Michaela, Prokopova dcera
Jan Bartoš
náměstek ministra
Josef Bárta
ředitel výzkumného ústavu
Josef Hajdučík
náčelník kriminální služby
Ivo Helikar
nadstrážmistr VB
Radúz Chmelík
náměstek
Petr Pospíchal
strážmistr VB
Petr Popelka
vyšetřovatel Jirka
Jaroslav Someš
docent elektroniky
Barbora Štěpánová
Voice by Vlasta Žehrová
recepční v Mikulově
Sylva Žáčková
rakouská turistka/Ramskeyova dívka
Vladimír Švabík
rakouský turista
Jan Křížek
kriminalista
Jitka Loužecká
tanečnice
Jan Hartmann
tanečník
Michaela Hoťková
tanečnice
Anna Chrapková
tanečnice
Jan Kolomazník
tanečník
Eva Králová-Hoffmanová
tanečnice
Jiří Krytinář
tanečník
Libor Mika
tanečník
Renata Schmiedtmajerová
tanečnice
Ivana Šeflová
tanečnice
Zdena Uhlířová-Thunová
tanečnice
Pavel Vondruška
krejčí
Bohumil Vávra
kriminalista
Eduard Pavlíček
kriminalista
Ludvík Pozník
kriminalista
Jaromír Soušek
kriminalista
Miloslav Homola
Voice by Mirko Musil
laborant
Zdena Rulcová
průvodkyně
Elen Michajlová
průvodkyně
Zdena Lukášová
filatelistka
Soňa Novotná
prodavačka v knihkupectví
Martin Arendáš
kluk
Jiří Počta
diskžokej
Eva Čepická
tlumočnice
Jiří Prager
Láďa
Milan Vágner
starý Vídeňák
Jarmila Holubová
mladá Rakušanka
Regina Křínková
mladá Rakušanka
Anna Šimonová
mladá Rakušanka
Josef Kůrečka
sklepník
Jan Komosný
bodrý Moravan
Alena Karešová
Jonášova kolegyně
Valerie Kaplanová
uklízečka v salónu
Karel Riegel
mladík ve sklípku
Karel Engel
řidič
Iva Petříčková
mladá žena
Václav Křístek
filatelista
Dubbing
Blanka Waleská
hlas Magdaleny Maříkové /mimo obraz/
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Tomáš Hampl
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Ivan Ernyei, Jiří Libánský, Dana Smržová, Miloš Sršeň
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
František Pilný, Zdenka Prchlíková, Dana Karpfingerová
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Stunts
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Ondřej Sláma
Consultant
pplk. Jaroslav Beneš, kpt. JUDr. Josef Rambousek
Cooperation
Martina Petrů (klapka), Věra Varadyová (klapka), Jaromír Komárek (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Studiová skupina Ondřeje Soukupa (Music Conducted by Ondřej Soukup), Ondřej Soukup
Songs
Ulice Váci
Song Composer Eduard Parma
Writer of Lyrics Miroslav Černý
Singer Jiří Korn
Někdo nám do toho vlez
Song Composer Ondřej Soukup
Writer of Lyrics Boris Janíček
Singer Jitka ZelenkováMiloš SkalkaJakub Jakoubek
Po potoce chodila
Song Composer lidová píseň
Dvanáctá
Song Composer Ondřej Soukup
Writer of Lyrics Václav Křístek
Singer mužský hlas
Production info
Original Title
Druhý tah pěšcem
Czech Title
Druhý tah pěšcem
English Title
The Second Move of the Pawn
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
spy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1984
Production Year
1984
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 5 April 1984
technical Screenplay approved 6 July 1984
start of filming 13 August 1984
end of filming 1 November 1984
the first film copy approved 22 November 1984
projection approval 7 January 1985
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1990
Premiere
premiere 1 November 1985 /suitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
2. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Josef Císař (vedoucí 2. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
78 min
Original length in metres
2 195 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
colour
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech, English, German
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Exhibition: 4. soutěžní přehlídka filmů a televizních pořadů s bezpečnostní tematikou Terezín
1985
Terezín / Czechoslovakia
