An Exceptional Situation

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1985

Production year

1985

Premiere

1 February 1986

Runtime

87 min

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Výjimečná situace

Czech title

Výjimečná situace

English title

An Exceptional Situation

Working title

Motory

Summary

This inspirational 1986 documentary-style drama from director Václava Bork is based on a true event – a fire, which engulfed a Prague locomotive factory of engineering firm ČKD. The film recounts the subsequent attempts at securing alternative production. Despite the fact that the blaze is threatening the manufacturing of export goods destined for the Soviet Union, other companies are reluctant to heed a call to step up and help get production back on track. Manager Landa from Karlov decides to help out his Prague colleagues. But nothing goes quite as smoothly as the viewer might imagine – for assistant Marenčík sets about sabotaging the efforts, and even directly opposes Landa. But the honest manager decides not to play the vengeance game... Many noted actors partake in this ideologically-oriented “Building a better future” film. Landa is played by František Řehák; the communist secretary is played by Josef Větrovec; and the police officer by Zdeněk Hradilák. The role of the crooked Marenčík goes to Polish actor Jerzy Zelnik.

Synopsis

A night fire destroyed a locomotive factory mainly producing railway motors EM 310 which were exported to the Soviet Union and other countries. The director general urges the directors of other individual factories to take over the motor production and fulfill the export obligations. But no one is willing to accept the task. František Landa heads a factory producing boat motors in Karlov. The motors are, however, outdated and nobody from abroad wants them. Landa thus decides to start producing modern motors. He summons a management meeting and turns down all opposing proposals. His deputy Marenčík cannot leave for a vacation - the solution of various issues including spatial and employment ones must be prepared. The director calls off the common vacation at a factory meeting. A recruitment of workers to work in Karlov is held in Prague. Marenčík's family leaves for their vacation and the man spends nights with his lover Eva. He is afraid of the possible consequences if the entire operation fails. He gets in contact with the trade union leader, Jakobec, and the deputy Ulman, while the latter invites a public health officer to the factory. He also sabotages the preparations of the lodging facilities by entrusting the work to an incompetent clerk called Hromádka. Various people begin to threaten Landa anonymously on the phone, also throwing stones at his windows and even slashing his car tyres. An open quarrel breaks out between Landa and Marenčík and the latter accuses Landa of economic criminality. But the inspection's results are negative and Marenčík loses Landa's trust. The detectives find the arsonist. Eva breaks up with Marenčík because she disagrees with his dirty tricks against Landa. All troubles are eventually solved and the production is launched. Marenčík hands in his notice but Landa does not accept it, still viewing him as his successor. The first series of motors is exported to the Soviet Union. Marenčík finds himself at the centre of media attention as the future director of the factory.

Note

The film is based on a true story – the fire on the Prague locomotive factory ČKD and the subsequent arrangement of tha alternative production. The subjcet was originally conceived by the authors and script co-writers as a four-sequel factual radio drama. It was a contrubution of the Film Studio Barrandov to the 17th Congress of the Czechoslovak Communist Party.

Cast

František Řehák

ředitel továrny František Landa

Jerzy Zelnik

Voice by Boris Rösner
náměstek Leoš Marenčík

Věra Bublíková

Mařenka, Landova žena

Lucie Žulová

inženýrka Eva Benešová, místopředsedkyně ZV ROH

Miroslav Zounar

předseda ZO KSČ Ledecký

Adolf Filip

ředitel lokomotivky Vávra

Milan Riehs

náměstek Ulman

Květoslava Houdlová

sekretářka Anička Krátká

Václav Neužil

důchodce Arnošt Pacina

Lída Plachá

Pacinova žena

Stanislava Bartošová

Irena, Marenčíkova žena

Svatopluk Matyáš

generální ředitel Ertl

Zdeněk Kutil

dílenský mistr Josef

Miroslav Středa

závodní požárník Zítek

Jan Schánilec

předseda ZO ROH Jakobec

Alois Švehlík

montér Martínek

Josef Větrovec

tajemník KV KSČ Navrátil

Pavel Pípal

dílenský mistr Arnošt Šťovíček

Zdeněk Hradilák

kapitán VB Machata

Jan Hartl

hygienik František Kalivoda

Tomáš Töpfer

montér Zdeněk Lenfeld

Ladislav Šimek

kádrovák na generálním ředitelství

Antonín Hardt

kádrovák lokomotivky

Jan Teplý

Syrový

Oldřich Vlach

Steiner, Landův zeť

Miluše Šplechtová

Michaela, Landova dcera

Jan Novotný

vyšetřovatel Adamec

David Doktor

Jirka, syn Marenčíkových

Marian Holub

Pavel, syn Marenčíkových

Jana Kasanová

sekretářka u Ertla

Stanislav Junek

vyšetřovatel hospodářské kriminálky Trojan

Jan Kmuníček

dělník

Jan Kotva

úředník Hromádka

Martin Sedláček

Martin, Landův vnuk

Petra Němečková

Petra, Landova vnučka

Josef Šebek

dělník

Vladimír Divecký

Voice by Jan Pohan
náměstek generálního ředitele Bárta

Jan Víšek

ředitel energetických závodů

Věra Farová

matka Ledeckého

Hana Militká

sekretářka Marenčíka

Jana Altmannová

sekretářka Vávry

Josef Jarolímek

vyšetřovatel

Petr Veselý

montér

Josef Záluský

montér

Václav Dušek

muž s knírem

Jiří Němeček

zástupce ÚV KSČ

Jan Okrouhlík

řidič u Vávry

Vladimír Pospíšil

předseda KSČ

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Ondřej Balík

Assistant Director

Jiří Novotný (2)

Continuity

Irena Klausová

Shooting Script

Jaromír Borek, Martin Benoni, Ondřej Balík

Director of Photography

Martin Benoni

Second Unit Photography

Roman Pavlíček

Camera Operator

Tomáš Hampl

Production Designer

Ludvík Široký

Assistent Production Designer

Jaroslav Řeřicha

Set Designer

Lubomír Kafka, Petr Matouš, Richard Staněk

Costume Designer

Šárka Váchová

Sound Designer

Vojtěch Voráček

Production Manager

Miroslav Smrček

Unit Production Manager

Ivan Helcl, Olga Zelenská

Unit Production Manager

Karel Lupoměský

Consultant

Vladimír Divecký, mjr. Ing. Ladislav Čadský

Cooperation

Marika Wasserbauerová (klapka), Josef Řezáč (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Ivan Kašlík

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens)

Production info

Original Title

Výjimečná situace

Czech Title

Výjimečná situace

English Title

An Exceptional Situation

Working Title

Motory

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1985

Production Year

1985

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 6 June 1984
start of filming 15 April 1985
technical Screenplay approved 26 April 1985
end of filming 14 November 1985
projection approval 21 November 1985
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1990

Premiere

premiere 1 February 1986 /suitable for youths/

Creative Group

2. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Josef Císař (vedoucí 2. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

87 min

Original length in metres

2 494 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 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

Awards

Vítěz

Festival: 24. festival českých a slovenských filmů Mariánské Lázně

1986
Mariánské Lázně / Czechoslovakia