The Odd Friendships of the Actor Jesenius
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1985Production year
1985Premiere
1 June 1986Runtime
88 minDirector
Karel SteklýCategory
filmGenre
historical, psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Podivná přátelství herce JeseniaCzech title
Podivná přátelství herce JeseniaEnglish title
The Odd Friendships of the Actor JeseniusWorking title
Podivné přátelství herce JeseniaSummary
This 1985 adaptation of Ivan Olbracht’s 1919 novel became the last title in the vast filmography of director Karel Steklý (1903–1987). The novelist’s elaborately crafted work takes to task “malevolent reclusiveness” through the performances of two actor-characters of opposite temperaments – unrestrained, free-thinking anarchist Veselý and temperate humanist Jesenius. The ethical victory in this drama, set in the era of the First World War, goes to Veselý. He is willing to give up his life for socially progressive ideals of his time… The feature film, which Steklý also informed as the screenwriter, turns on the traditional conflict between active and passive attitudes in life. Olbracht´s stance and the contemporary ideology of the 1980s vindicate Veselý, rendered in this formally conservative feature by Pavel Trávníček. Alfred Strejček stars as Jesenius.
Synopsis
A famous actor, Jiří Jesenius, has problems with his vocal cords. Upon the recommendation of his physician, Doctor Vyín, he leaves for the countryside to stay with his friend upich. Here he meets a very young piano player, Klárka, who secretly loves him. In the evening, they all attend a performance of a wandering theatre ensemble. Jesenius is captivated by the temperamental young actor Jan Veselý and when the performance is over, he offers to help find him an engagement in Prague. But Jan pays more attention to Klárka. In the evening, Klárka visits Jesenius and wants him to kiss her. She is offended by the actor's moment of hesitation and runs away from his room. Veselý visits Jesenius in Prague after all. Jesenius gets him the title role in the theatre play Faun. Jan meets Klárka by accident, and when he later visits her at home, he declares his love for her. He is very successful in the theatre but the rehearsal for the next, more significant part, ends in a fiasco due to his lack of discipline. News about the Sarajevo assassination spreads like lightning. Jan immediately drops his theatre engagement and disappears. Klárka leaves for an engagement in Bad Gastein, and Jesenius is left alone. One day, returning from the upichs with some food supplies, he meets Jan on the train. Jan is on his way to Berlin, having a conspirative mission, but he is killed in a shooting with the military control. The same night, Klárka returns to Jesenius who does not conceal his love this time.
Photos
Cast
Alfred Strejček
herec Jiří Jesenius
Pavel Trávníček
herec Jan Veselý
Jiří Štěpnička
správce hřebčince Ing. František Šupich
Martina Hudečková
konzervatoristka Klára Brožková
Monika Hálová
Marta, Šupichova žena
Rudolf Jelínek
herec Kratochvíl
Stanislava Bartošová
herečka Skřivanová
Milan Riehs
divadelní ředitel Multrus
Jiří Lír
herec Dominik
Václav Štekl
ředitel kočovné herecké společnosti Břetislav
Jaroslava Obermaierová
herečka Burdová
Václav Sloup
ježatý sluha
Veronika Jeníková
herečka Lípová
Viktor Vrabec
herec Kareš
Ferdinand Krůta
nápověda a sluha Baráček
Miloš Nesvadba
choreograf
Oldřich Velen
herec Mestek
Karel Šebesta
major
Zdeněk Kutil
šikovatel
Jaroslav Mareš
Brtek
Vladimír Navrátil
kaprál Reif
Karel Hovorka
domovník Pára
Karel Hovorka ml.
rekvizitář
Miloslav Homola
inspicient v pražském divadle
Milan Mach
MUDr. Vyšín
Jitka Zelenohorská
služka
Jan Schánilec
vrchní
Dimitrij Kadrnožka
číšník
Gustav Jankovský
posluha
Alena Karešová
nalíčená holka
Vítězslav Černý
vrátný Mráz
Petr Drozda
portýr
Jaromír Klempíř
korepetitor
Václav Mareš
podezřelý frajer
Libuše Pavlíková
poštmistrová
Vladimír Pospíšil
policajt
Oto Ševčík
Ďoubal
Josef Lakatos
hudebník
Karel Turnovský
hudebník
Vladimír Tymich
hudebník
Richard Mihula
herec
Marcela Pavlastová
herec
Rudolf Papežík
herec
Luděk Špáta
herec
Helena Valentová
herečka
Eduard Pavlíček
voják
Jiří Kraus
dubl za Pavla Trávníčka
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Based on
Ivan Olbracht (Podivné přátelství herce Jesenia – román)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Bohumil Vlach, Olga Zelenská
Unit Production Manager
Cooperation
Ivana Kačírková (klapka), Miroslav Pešan (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Ludwig van Beethoven, E. F. Burian, Petr Iljič Čajkovskij (Evžen Oněgin), Erwin Schulhoff
Music Performed by
Songs
Každý čert je s ďáblem v spolku /ze hry Zmoudření Dona Quijota/
Writer of Lyrics Viktor Dyk
Singer Pavel Trávníček
Zastesknutí /Zastesklo se mi v zázračném městě/
Song Composer E. F. Burian
Writer of Lyrics Vítězslav Nezval
Singer Alfred Strejček
Production info
Original Title
Podivná přátelství herce Jesenia
Czech Title
Podivná přátelství herce Jesenia
English Title
The Odd Friendships of the Actor Jesenius
Working Title
Podivné přátelství herce Jesenia
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
historical, psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1985
Production Year
1985
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 13 September 1984
technical Screenplay approved 19 December 1984
start of filming 28 December 1984
end of filming 2 July 1985
projection approval 13 September 1985
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1990
Premiere
premiere 1 June 1986 /suitable 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
88 min
Original length in metres
2 518 meters
Distribution carrier
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
