Božena Němcová´s fairytale Čertův švagr (The Devil´s Brother-in-Law) has inspired several film adaptations. As well as two films for television (a 1969 production directed by Věra Jordánová and a 1984 outing by Vlasta Janečková), its storyline was also used to create S čerty nejsou žerty (Don’t Play Around with Devils, 1984), a diabolic comedy directed by Hynek Bočan. The screenplay, written in collaboration with Jiří Just, derives much of its comedy from an appealing depiction of Hell and its fiendishly entertaining inhabitants. The mightiest figure in the underworld is Prince Lucifer XIV. He uses his dark powers to help the young hero of the tale, Petr the miller, find happiness. In doing so, he must vanquish the greedy Dorota, who tries to take over the old mill, and then punish the rapacious governor who has ruined the princedom. He also helps his young protégé to become rich and to obtain the love of Adélka, the beautiful daughter of a local prince… In Bočan’s successful reworking of the fairytale, the devils do not merely serve as agents of darkness or comical fools but also as custodians of justice who help the people stand up against their evil and greedy adversaries. However, the true hero of this merry tale is the young miller Petr, who achieves happiness not only by means of a magical coat producing an endless supply of gold coins, but also because of his bravery and cunning. Don’t Play Around with Devils was a popular fantasy film among children thanks to intelligent humour that did not underestimate its audience. The narrative employs a traditional fairytale morality unhampered by considerations of age, sex, social status or background. Cameraman Jaromír Šofr and composer Jaroslav Uhlíř also made significant contributions to the film’s success. The versatile Vladimír Dlouhý starred as Petr. Karel Heřmánek (Lucifer XIV) and Ondřej Vetchý (Janek) played the devils with obvious zeal. Petr Nárožný also stole a scene as the nettlesome corporal who tries in vain to turn Petr and Janek into soldiers.
The miller Máchal lives in a principality with his family. But then, war breaks out and lasts for ten years. The miller is left a widower and tends to the mill with his son Petr. The reigning prince is suddenly impoverished. What the wars have not consumed was stolen by the greedy administrator or wasted by the pretty but selfish princess Angelika on her dresses. Her sister Adéla is pretty, too, but she is modest and kind. The château cook Dorota wooes the caretaker who advises her to marry the wealthy miller. The aging man gets fooled and indeed marries the greedy Dorota. She then immediately fires all the mill helpers in spite of Petr's protests and moreover forces the worn out miller to dance at a village hop. The man collapses and dies. Dorota even tries to get rid off the heir to the mill, Petr. The administrator gets her a warrant to arrest Petr based on false accusations. The Prince of Darkness, Lucifer XIV, has had enough of Dorota's sins and sends out the devil Black Horse to kidnap her to his kingdom. Dorota protects herself with feathers which the devils fear and also lets Petr's grandmother be kidnapped instead of herself. On his escape from the soldiers, Petr saves the life of the princesses whose horses stampeded. He is arrested and sentenced to military service in no time. The innocent grandmother must meanwhile work off the mistake of the confused devil whom she named Janek (Mulish). Janek returns to the world upon her intercession, but he fails once again. He gets drunk in a pub and a corporal recruits him into the army. Petr and Janek become friends and help each other against the bullying of the evil corporal. The ball where Angelína is to pick up a rich bridegroom does not turn out well and the offended wooers moreover threaten the prince with war. Petr helps Janek get the miller Dorota to hell. The grandmother gets back to earth in return and Petr gains the old coat which can create golden coins by magic. But as soon as the young miller puts the coat on, he acquires a dirty and devilish look. He distributes money to the poor and even the disguised prince comes to get support. Petr, however, recognizes him, promising him the the missing thousands in exchange for the princess's hand. Janek takes both the evil corporal and the sinful administrator to hell. Angelína rejects marrying the tattered Petr. But he saves up some spare money by his magic and takes off the coat which thus loses its magic powers. He then visits the château as a handsome youth. Angelína does not disdain him this time, but Petr prefers to marry Adéla. Angelína becomes the bride of the very Lucifer.
The suggestive scenes from hell were filmed in a cave resulting from mining sandstone which, at the time, served as a potatoe cellar for the Soviet occupation army. The soldiers, however, agreed to the filming and temporarily removed the potatoes.The place was relatively small and the sense of space was achieved by using a wide-angle lens.
mlynář Petr Máchal
čert Vraník zvaný Janek
Anna Máchalová, Petrova babička
mlynář František Máchal, Petrův otec
kuchařka Dorota, mlynářova žena
správce
pekelný kníže Lucifer XIV.
kníže Josef Sličný
Angelína, starší dcera knížete
Voice by Naďa Konvalinková
Adéla, mladší dcera knížete
kaprál
princ strašpytel
čert Drápal
čert Myš
čert Kočka
čert Netopýr
Voice by Radan Rusev
čert Medvěd zvaný Bachor
čert Pes degradovaný na králíka
čert Osel
čert
čert
čert
čert
čert
čert
čert
čert
čert
čert
čert
dráb
rychtář
rychtářka
Voice by Mirko Musil
hospodský
starý lokaj
tlustý lokaj
malý princ
růžový princ
princ
zrzavý princ
učitel
učitelová
čeledín
šermíř
šermíř
chasník
chasník
chasník
chasník
kuchtík
pomocnice v kuchyni
mladý lokaj
matka
Voice by Radan Rusev
vesničan v hospodě
poddůstojník
poddůstojník
poddůstojník
rada
chasník
hudebnice
hudebník
hudebník
hudebník
hudebník
šermíři
Magdalena Mikešová
Božena Němcová (Čertův švagr – pohádka)
Pavel Dvořáček (nástěnné malby), Jaromír Franta (nástěnné malby)
Karel Kočí, Jaroslav Česal, Miroslav Fára, Jaroslav Čermák
Helena Vondrušková (vedoucí kostymérka), Ivana Vyhnalová, Iveta Trmalová
Petr Rychetský (pyrotechnik), Karel Pánek
Miloš Zajdl, Vlasta Synkulová
Luděk Blažek
Zbyšek Svoboda, Václav Luks (šerm), František Michálek (jezdectví)
Alice Ronovská (klapka), Jindřich Aleš (vrchní osvětlovač), Miloš Schmiedberger (fotograf)
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)
Václav Štádler, Václav Luks (šerm)
Song Composer Jaroslav Uhlíř
Writer of Lyrics Zdeněk Svěrák
Singer Monika Pelcová [dab]Ivana Andrlová
Song Composer Jaroslav Uhlíř
Writer of Lyrics Zdeněk Svěrák
Singer Ondřej Vetchýmužský sbor
S čerty nejsou žerty
S čerty nejsou žerty
Don’t Play Around with Devils
Čertův švagr
film
featuretheatrical distribution
fairytale
Czechoslovakia
1984
1984
literary Screenplay approved 2 February 1984
start of filming 20 February 1984
technical Screenplay approved 23 March 1984
end of filming 23 November 1984
projection approval 6 December 1984
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1995
premiere 1 October 1985 /suitable for youths/
renewed premiere 27 May 2021 /suitable for all ages without limit/
Ústřední půjčovna filmů (původní 1985), Národní filmový archiv (obnovená 2021)
4. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Stanislav Rudolf (vedoucí 4. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)
feature film
95 min
2 584 meters
16mm, 35mm, DCP 2-D, BRD
1:1,37
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Festival: 16. mezinárodní festival filmů pro děti Chicago
1986
Chicago / United States of America
Festival: 7. mezinárodní filmový festival pro děti a mládež Tomar
1986
Tomar / Portugal
Festival: 11. mezinárodní festival filmů pro děti Frankfurt nad Mohanem
1985
Frankfurt nad Mohanem / Federal Republic of Germany
Exhibition: 17. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov nad Ohří
1985
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Festival: 23. mezinárodní festival filmů pro děti a mládež Gijón
1985
Gijón / Spain
Festival: 25. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov
1985
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Exhibition: 17. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov nad Ohří
1985
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Festival: 25. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov
1985
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Exhibition: 17. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov nad Ohří
1985
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Ondřej Vetchý