The Night of the Emerald Moon
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1984Production year
1983—1984Premiere
1 August 1985Runtime
83 minDirector
Václav MatějkaCategory
filmGenre
drama, psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Noc smaragdového měsíceCzech title
Noc smaragdového měsíceEnglish title
The Night of the Emerald MoonSummary
Three estranged brothers meet in a typical mountain village at the funeral of their mother: local bus driver Cyril, biophysical institute director Jan, and criminologist Vojta. Scientist Jan is experiencing marital problems due to his cold, rational approach. While in his family home, he harks back to a youthful past. But such attempts at nostalgia only serve to open up old wounds between the three family members, who struggle to let bygones be bygones. This psychological drama, directed by Václav Matějka, and inspired by a story from author Jiří Křenek, stars Radoslav Brzobohatý, Jerzy Trela and Pavol Višňovský as the three troubled siblings. Božidara Turzonovová and Magda Vášáryová play two of the wives, accompanying the brothers on this funereal odyssey.
Synopsis
The old granny Kysučanová died in the seclusion of the mountains in the midst of winter. Her son Cyril, who lived at her cottage with his wife Marie, sends a telegram to his older brother Janek, the director of a biophysical institute, and his younger brother Vojta who is in prison for fighting. Professor Janek Kysučan is a dispassionate scientist totally immersed in his work. He decides to set off to the mountains and has a quarrel with his young wife Slávka because of that. He cannot find a way to those closest to him. This is why his first wife Jarmila and their student son Honza left him. The imprisoned Vojta receives a pass to attend the funeral. Janek, contemplating at the mother's coffin, casts his mind back to his childhood in the period of the Nazi occupation and is looking forward to talking to his brothers in the evening. But Vojta prefers to go to a pub. The stonecutters from a quarry, who also work as occassional gravediggers, have a quarrel with Janek and subsequently refuse to dig his mother's grave. Janek is at his father's grave and recalls his death in a quarry accident. The mother's only wish was to be buried next to her husband. She bequeathed the cottage to Vojta which makes Cyril angry. Marie moreover reproaches him for the abortion which he forced her into years ago and which resulted in her infertility. Janek's Slávka arrives unexpectedly and tries to get close to Vojta, sensing that they are both losers in a way. Janek contemplates some old photographs and sends Slávka away. Vojta and Janek then dig the mother's grave themselves. Janek learns that his son Honza often used to visit the grandmother, and he blames himself for not letting him know about her death. Cyril comes to the cemetery, bringing his brothers food. The entire family gathers at the funeral. The gravediggers wait for Vojta at a railway station and everything ends up in aby fight. Janek returns to an empty flat finding out that the young Slávka has left him. Marie wants to adopt a child but Cyril strongly objects and even hits her. Janek's son comes to visit his father.
Note
Jiří Křenek was awarded second prize for the film short story in the competition of the Czechoslovak Film and the Czech Literary Fund
Photos
Cast
Radoslav Brzobohatý
ředitel biofyzikálního ústavu profesor Janek Kysučan
Jerzy Trela
Voice by Karel Hlušička
řidič ČSAD Cyril, Jankův bratr
Božidara Turzonovová
Marie, Cyrilova manželka
Magda Vášáryová
Slávka, Jankova druhá manželka
Pavol Višňovský
Voice by Ladislav Mrkvička
Vojta, Jankův a Cyrilův bratr
Zlata Adamovská
maminka Tereza Kysučanová za mlada
Milena Dvorská
Jarmila, Jankova první manželka
Rudolf Hrušínský ml.
kameník Oskar
Pavel Nový
kameník Perleťák
Věra Kubánková
maminka Kysučanová ve stáří
Pavel Kříž
Honza, Jankův syn
Valerie Kaplanová
stařenka Boráková
Veronika Dostalová
Terka
Zdeněk Martínek
hostinský Lojza
Václav Helšus
Jankův otec
Oldřich Slavík
docent Mařák, profesorův asistent
Jiří Tomek
ředitel
Karel Vochoč
předseda JZD
Václav Kopta
Janek patnáctiletý
David Marvan
Janek devítiletý
Jan Novák
Janek šestiletý
Yvetta Blanarovičová
cikánka-servírka
Zora Božinová
hospodská
Stanislav Fišer
vrátný
Miloslav Homola
dělník
Ladislav Goral
dělník
Martin Kolár
voják s knírkem
Bohuslav Ličman
muž v placaté čepici
Miroslav Moravec
partyzán
Lucie Juřičková
spící studentka
Milan Bouška
důstojník v záloze
Stanislav Oubram
laborant
Daniela Vacková
laborantka
Martin Vedral
pihovatý kluk
Pavel Bílek
Cyril devítiletý
Jan Gottwald
Cyril pětiletý
Josef Grogůrek
Tomáš
Věra Novotná (2)
Tomášova žena
Milan Charvát
Fank
Zdeněk Jelínek
Prcek
Tomáš Blažek
kluk
Šárka Joklová
dívka
Jindřich Khain
Maťák
Ludvík Klunke
Vojta pětiletý
Václav Král
hostinský
Miloslav Kopečný
brýlatý muž
František Kreuzmann
student
Otto Liška
třicátník
Zdeněk Mlčoch
strážný
Simona Vrbická
Honzova dívka
Vojtěch Godla
Aladár
Iva Petříčková
žena v kuchyni
Pavel Půta
letec
Marta Richterová
servírka, dcera hostinského Lojzy
Emil Šnajdr
harmonikář
Libuše Štědrá
čtyřicetiletá žena
Čestmír Řanda ml.
řidič
Petr Hoštálek
posádka haklu
Jiří Hruška
posádka haklu
Martin Kordina
posádka haklu
Zdeněk Kouselka
posádka haklu
Katarina Janosyová
dělnice
Jar. Bína
hudebník-dechovka
Mir. Bláha
hudebník-dechovka
Josef Bobek
hudebník-dechovka
Stanislav Bolina
hudebník-dechovka
Jan Čihák
hudebník-dechovka
Jaroslav Mach (2)
hudebník-dechovka
Luboš Jerie
hudebník
Miroslav Kitler
hudebník
Josef Koutník
hudebník
František Maruška
hudebník
Miroslav Matějka
hudebník
František Okurka
hudebník
Miroslav Pažout
hudebník
Jiří Prokop
hudebník
Jaroslav Růta
hudebník
Karel Šimáně
hudebník
Josef Šulc (2)
hudebník
Jaromír Švarc (hudebník)
hudebník
Dubbing
Petr Pospíchal
hlas lékaře
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Based on
Jiří Křenek (Noc smaragdového měsíce – filmová povídka)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Karel Kracík, Miloš Sršeň, Milan Šefrna
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Jiří Šimunek, Ludvík Malý, Boris Masník
Stunts
Pavel Bělohradský, Arnošt Böhm, Václav Burkert, Pavel Cajzl, Pavel Cechl, Petr Drozda, Roman Eppert, Hana Forejtová, Jiří Houlík, Josef Hrubý, František Jákl, Petr Jákl, Miroslav Jíra, Jiří Kalenský, Jaroslav Klenot, Jiří Klenot, Ladislav Kocourek, Vladimír Koutek, Zbyněk Krákora, Antonín Kramerius, Jiří Kraus, Jan Kriesman, Jiří Kuba, Josef Pechanec, Zdeněk Plavec, Oldřich Semerák, Jiří Sládek, Miroslav Smolík, František Stupka, Jana Svašková, Hana Šachtová, Jaroslav Šanda, Jaroslav Špáňa, Květoslav Štora, Jaroslav Tomsa, Stanislav Tůma, Karel Vávrovec, Jaroslav Vlk, Pavel Želízko
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Martin Slavíček
Consultant
Zdeněk Karpfel, člen korespondent ČSAV, genpor. Ing. Juraj Ľaľo
Cooperation
Martina Petrů (klapka), Jaromír Komárek (fotograf)
Music
Songs
Když se buček zelená
Singer sbor
U našeho jazera
Production info
Original Title
Noc smaragdového měsíce
Czech Title
Noc smaragdového měsíce
English Title
The Night of the Emerald Moon
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama, psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1984
Production Year
1983—1984
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 31 August 1983
start of filming 21 November 1983
technical Screenplay approved 21 December 1983
end of filming 11 September 1984
projection approval 27 September 1984
withdrawal from distribution 1 January 1990
Premiere
premiere 1 August 1985 /unsuitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
5. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Miloslav Vydra (vedoucí 5. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
83 min
Original length in metres
2 377 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,66, 1:2,35
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
Jiří Křenek
Vítěz
Festival: 23. festival českých a slovenských filmů Praha
1985
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Václav Matějka
Vítěz
Event: Vyzývací soutěž Československého filmu a Českého literárního fondu na původní filmovou povídku
1982
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jiří Křenek
