This 1985 psychological drama from screenwriter-director Jiří Svoboda explores the notion of the doctor as a moral authority, who within the framework of their everyday work must face questions of life and death. The film is adapted from a novel by Valja Stýblová, in which the author draws upon her personal experiences as a former neurosurgeon. But the professional dilemmas of Svoboda’s lead character transcend ethics and touch upon wider questions of morality. The protagonist of this drama is an ageing professor, based at a Prague neurological clinic, who is haunted by issues concerning his own principles and values, and also by the case of a young patient, Víťa, afflicted with an inoperable tumour. The professor’s colleagues are also faced with a number of serious issues: Doctor Volejníková caused the death of a patient; and associate professor Krtek’s only daughter is dying of leukaemia. When Krtek decides to operate on little Víťa despite the prognosis, the old professor adopts his colleague’s optimism that the boy’s life might be saved after all. And so the ultimate lesson is that despite the obstacles, a life of devoted service to others is enough to produce a sense of hope … Svoboda’s professionally crafted classic drama adds flesh to the lead character through personal recollections and scenes from the experienced physician’s private life involving wife Jitka and son Ondřej. The director provides considerable space to the performers, especially to experienced leading actor Miroslav Macháček as the professor. Macháček also appeared in director Jiří Svoboda’s Jen o rodinných záležitostech (Family Matters, 1990). Jana Brejchová (Jitka) previously starred in the director’s Schůzka se stíny (An Encounter of Shadows, 1982) and Zánik samoty Berhof (The Downfall of the Secluded Berhof, 1983). The collaboration between Radoslav Brzobohatý (Krtek) and Radovan Lukavský (patient Mikeš), who acted alongside Brejchová in An Encounter of Shadows, illustrates Svoboda’s ability to utilise proven performers. Young actor Zdeněk Jakub also appears in Svoboda’s Prokletí domu Hajnů (The Curse of the Hajns’ House, 1988).
A Prague neurosurgery clinic enjoys an excellent reputation. It is headed by a professor, a renowned professional who has much understanding and empathy for his patients, even after many decades spent at the clinic. His greatest support is his wife Jitka, who is a physician, too. A young village doctor brings the young Vítek Uzel (Knot in English) to the clinic. The boy has a tumour. The professor and his team find out that the tumour is too big and cannot be removed surgically. The boy's grandfather takes Vítek, nicknamed Knottie, home, firmly convinced that the boy is going to die soon. But the professor and his colleagues, as well as the students, keep thinking of the little boy, even though the entire clinic must keep on working. The professor performs an operation on his old friend Mike, and is successfull even despite great complications. The professor's best colleague, associate professor Krtek, learns that his only daughter is suffering from incurable, acute leucosis. Doctor Volejníková performs an operation on Mrs Benediktová but the patient dies. The colleagues uncompromisingly blame her for using a wrong procedure but the professor stands up for her, recommending her to choose another discipline. The Gypsy Carda unhopefully says goodbye to the professor, reconciled with his imminent death. Krtek decides to operate on the little Vítek. The surgery day is scheduled after the boy's preoperative tests. Krtek's daughter dies and the docent yields to depression. The surgery is thus left up to the professor. But the night before, he must perform a demanding operation on a patient who survived a car accident. The professor returns home and makes some coffee. He is, however, tired to death and the water boils over. Jitka, who returned earlier from her symposium, saves him from gas poisoning. The exhausted professor starts the boy's surgery but is gradually running out of strength. At a critical moment, associate professor Krtek appears in the operating theatre and successfully finishes the procedure. Vítek will live.
The film was dedicated to the 17th assembly of the Czechoslovak Communist Party and filmed under the patronage of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Socialist Republic.
profesor
lékařka Jitka, profesorova žena
Voice by Libuše Švormová
asistentka MUDr. Volejníková
docent František Krtek
Ondra, profesorův syn
Helena Vyskočilová, Ondrova milenk
asistentka MUDr. Hladká
MUDr. Jirka Zelený
pacient Míťa Mikeš
sekretářka Růžková
lesník Josef Uzel
Uzlův vnuk Vítek zvaný Uzlík
docent Růžička
primář MUDr. Ruml
mladá lékařka
televizní redaktorka
sálová sestra Zita
generální ředitel, otec pacientky
vrchní sestra Elvíra
Jana, Krtkova dcera
syn starého cikána Cardy
syn starého cikána Cardy
syn starého cikána Cardy
příbuzná starého cikána Cardy
příbuzná starého cikána Cardy
Velecký
vedoucí převozového vozu
zdravotní sestra
neuroložka
MUDr. Voráček
pacientka Benediktová
manžel Benediktové
řidič sanitky
opilý řidič Čapek
student
studentka
kameraman
patolog
anesteziolog
anesteziolog
mladý pacient s leukémií
hudebník
hudebník
hudebník
tanečnice
tanečnice
tanečník
tanečník
tanečník
tanečnice
tanečník
tanečnice
tanečnice
tanečnice
tanečník
hlas starého cikána Cardy
Zora Vondráčková
Valja Stýblová (Skalpel, prosím – román)
Karel Kracík, Milan Šefrna, Miloš Sršeň
Josef Štambach, Hana Jarošová
Vláčil František ml.
prof. MUDr. Vladimír Beneš, CSc., MUDr. Ing. Jaroslav Plas, MUDr. Vladimír Zábrodský
Jarmila Holubová (klapka), Zdeněk Vávra (fotograf)
Skalpel, prosím
Skalpel, prosím
Scalpel, Please!
film
featuretheatrical distribution
drama
Czechoslovakia
1985
1984—1985
literary Screenplay approved 27 June 1984
technical Screenplay approved 6 September 1984
start of filming 5 October 1984
end of filming 13 May 1985
projection approval 29 May 1985
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1992
gala premiere 25 November 1985 (Palác kultury, Praha)
gala premiere 16 January 1986 (kino Světozor, Praha)
premiere 1 March 1986 /suitable for youths/
5. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Miloslav Vydra (vedoucí 5. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)
feature film
114 min
3 252 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,37
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Festival: 12. mezinárodní festival zdravotnických filmů a filmů Červeného kříže Varna
1987
Varna / Bulgaria
Festival: 37. filmový festival pracujících – léto ´86
1986
75 měst / Czechoslovakia
Valja Stýblová
Festival: 37. filmový festival pracujících – léto ´86
1986
75 měst / Czechoslovakia
Jiří Svoboda
Festival: 37. filmový festival pracujících – léto ´86
1986
75 měst / Czechoslovakia
Festival: 13. celostátní festival zdravotnických filmů Podbořany
1986
Podobřany / Czechoslovakia
Festival: 24. festival českých a slovenských filmů Mariánské Lázně
1986
Mariánské Lázně / Czechoslovakia
Festival: 14. mezinárodní filmový festival Moskva
1985
Moskva / Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Jiří Svoboda
Festival: 14. mezinárodní filmový festival Moskva
1985
Moskva / Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Event: Československá nominace na Cenu americké Akademie filmových věd a umění Oscar 1985
1985
Praha / Czechoslovakia