Flowers for Algernon
Category
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featurenon-theatrical distributionstudent filmshortOriginal title
Růže pro AlgernonCzech title
Růže pro AlgernonEnglish title
Flowers for AlgernonSynopsis
The mentally retarded Viktor Delmer works as a toilet cleaner but does his best to learn reading and writing properly, even though his IQ does not exceed 58. His strong motivation makes a young female teacher recommend him to a physician who is looking for an appropriate object for his experimental brain surgery. The previous experiment, carried out on a white mouse called Algernon, turned out well. The mouse is increasingly able to run through a test labyrinth. Viktor, on the contrary, struggles with the test, passing through the same labyrinth with a pencil on paper. He is very good-hearted and does not realize that his colleagues laugh at him; he only patiently sweeps the floor which they intentionally trample with dirt. They moreover misuse Victor as a clown to entertain their escorts in a pub and they even let him pay a fine for them. The feeble-minded man does everything gladly because he considers them his friends. He then undergoes the surgery and begins to read and study hastily. He declares his love to the teacher who, however, was kind to the child in him but is scared of the adult man. Viktor eventually wins in the test over the mouse Algernon. He has a special relationship with the animal: it is his colleague in the experiment after all. Viktor becomes more and more educated but he shocks all the people around him because he is not the simpleton any more. But then, Algernon’s health quickly withers and the animal eventually dies. Viktor, too, feels like losing the swiftly acquired intelligence. Quickly running out of his powers, he can only leave a message asking that flowers be put on Algernon’s grave.
Photos
Cast
Jaroslav Kaňkovský
Viktor Delmer
Daniela Kolářová
učitelka slečna Kyniová
Miroslav Moravec
lékař
Jan Faltýnek
kolega
Ladislav Gerendáš
kolega
Zuzana Skalická
mladá žena v hospodě
Valerie Zawadská
mladá žena v hospodě
Crew and creators
Director
Based on
Daniel Keyes (Růže pro Algernon /Flowers for Algernon/ – povídka)
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production
Eva Langmilerová
Unit Production Manager
Martin Zaradička
Consultant
PhDr. Marie Procházková, CSc., Ing. Želimír Procházka
Pedagogical management
Ludvík Ráža (režie), Zuzana Zemanová, Jan Kališ (kamera), Alois Fišárek (střih), Hana Dvořáková
Cooperation
Ivan Arsenjev, Barbora Hucková, Jana Mašíková, Klára Stránská
Music
Selected Music
Bernhard Flies (Ukolébavka /Schlafe, mein Prinzchen/)
Songs
I Really Loved Harold
Song Composer Melanie Safka
Writer of Lyrics Melanie Safka
Singer Melanie Safka
Princi, můj malinký, spi /Schlafe, mein Prinzchen/ (ukolébavka)
Song Composer Bernhard Flies
Writer of Lyrics Ema Destinnová
Singer Daniela Kolářovásbor
Production info
Original Title
Růže pro Algernon
Czech Title
Růže pro Algernon
English Title
Flowers for Algernon
Category
film
Typology
featurenon-theatrical distributionstudent film
Genre
drama
Student film
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1987
Production Year
1987
Production
Technical info
Duration typology
short film
Duration in minutes
16 min
Original length in metres
434 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
