A Sleeping Partner
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1988Production year
1988Premiere
1 August 1989Runtime
88 minDirector
Zdeněk FlídrCategory
filmGenre
psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Tichý společníkCzech title
Tichý společníkEnglish title
A Sleeping PartnerSummary
Small-town newspaper editor František Staněk is unable to overcome a sense of indolence both about his work and his relationship with adolescent son Filip. Forty-year-old Staněk – a role that widened the filmography of Jiří Schmitzer in 1988 – is appointed editor-in-chief of a provincial paper in this motion picture from Zdeněk Flídr. But he soon clashes with local developers over an article justifiably critical of their environmental practices. Staněk fears for his job, and neglects to properly look after his 14-year old son, the target of bullying by the construction company director’s son. The “sleeping partner” of the film is Staněk’s own conscience… Jiří Schmitzer is joined in the cast by Radovan Lukavský (Staněk’s father) and Tomáš Jánský (Filip). Veronika Žilková takes on the role of the protagonist’s girlfriend, flute player Heda.
Synopsis
The fourty-year old editor of a regional newspaper, Frantiek Staněk, is appointed editor-in-chief of the editorial office. He enjoys his new position which is due to the severe illness of his former boss. Frantiek is divorced and his fourteen-year old son Filip lives with his mother. Frantiek lives in a detached house with his father and secretly dates a flautist by the name of Heda. He soon has to face numerous problems, due especially to the justified criticism of environmental devastation by an industrial construction, published in the newspaper. The paper is attacked by both the Communist Party and the regional authorities. The article's writer, Hybnerová, the old photographer Antoch and the editor Joná want to continue the criticism. But Frantiek, fearing for his position and the benefits ensuing from it, turns cautious and changes his hitherto views. He also must take care of his son who is an inconvenience to his mother's young lover. The teacher seats Filip next to the classroom's leader, Ale Berka - the son of the construction's director and a local celebrity. The boy is a victim of bullying, headed by the conceited Ale. He fortunately has his granddad with whom he gets along very well, contrary to his father. Frantiek fires Antoch and indirectly causes the death of the former editor-in-chief. The grandfather dies in an attempt to save Filip's pigeons before a storm. Filip throws a party at home in Frantiek's absence. Ale puts a drug in the drinks and many of the participants end up in hospital. Ale gutlessly blames Filip for it. Staněk, for the sake of his career, forces Filip to plead guilty and bear the unjust punishment. Filip runs away and his father follows him. They both get on the same train.
Photos
Cast
Jiří Schmitzer
redaktor František Staněk
Radovan Lukavský
Staněk, Františkův otec
Tomáš Jánský
Voice by Jan Klíma
Filip Staněk, Františkův syn
Milan Vágner
stavební ředitel Berka
Gabriela Štěpánková
Andy, dcera ředitele Berky
Veronika Žilková
flétnistka Heda, Františkova přítelkyně
Martin Kysela
Aleš, syn ředitele Berky
Rudolf Hrušínský
fotograf Antoch
Oldřich Vlach
šéfredaktor Brož
Jan Hrušínský
primář MUDr. Houdek
Zdeněk Mucha
vedoucí autoservisu Vilda
Adolf Kohuth
ředitel gymnázia Karel
Ivana Chýlková
redaktorka Irena Hybnerová
Vlastimil Fišar
profesor Konáč, přítel Františkova otce
Lubor Tokoš
lesák
František Čužna
nádražák
Otto Hradecký
invalida
Jana Vychodilová
ředitelka základní školy
Dana Bartůňková
Dáša, Františkova bývalá žena
Marta Hrachovinová
třídní učitelka
Karel Fiala
redaktor Trnka
Karel Červený
redaktor Jonáš
Barbora Besserová
Alešova přítelkyně
Jana Hermachová
redaktorka Beranová
Hana Packertová
sekretářka redakce
Irena Hahnová
sekretářka
Petra Špalková
žákyně Pácalová
Jan Schmid
nápadník-šachista
Josef Charvát
řezník Janeček
Rafael Pražák
Petr, Dášin milenec
Antonín Punčochař
harmonikář
Jiří Radotínský
redaktor
Zdeněk Skalický
vedoucí čističky
Hana Svěráková
lékařka
J. Tampierová
chemigrafka
Jaroslav Tomsa
metér
Ivan Mareš
strojní sazeč
Vladimír Majer (2)
sportovní redaktor
Hana Bauerová
žena z ulice
Andrea Hudáková
spolužačka
Miroslava Němečková
spolužačka
Zuzana Vosátková
spolužačka
Martin Morch
spolužák
Jan Novák (4)
spolužák
Petr Štěpánek (3)
spolužák
Vojtěch Smíšek
spolužák
Vladimír Zahrádka
spolužák
Jan Zrzavý (3)
spolužák
H. Malá
zdravotní asistentka
Igor Kačírek
muzikant
Mikuláš Malhocký
muzikant
Pavel Malhocký
kapelník
Petr Ries
muzikant
Karel Tampier
muzikant
Miroslav Veselý
muzikant
Vladimír Kozák
Karel Šulda
Václav Rachač
Josef Buble
Zdeněk Martinec
Zuzana Králová
Zdena Kováčová
Lucie Němcová
Jan Olšakovský
Michal Semera
Pavel Špachman
Zbyšek Němec
Petr Zeman
Helena Šťastná
Petr Jesenský
Josef Dvořák (4)
Ervín Müller
Blanka Müllerová
Lída Müllerová
Stanislav Hackel
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Josef Basakin
Continuity
Based on
Ladislav Langpaul (Před branami – novela)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Lubomír Moravec
Camera Operator
Bohumil Vodička, Oldřich Eichler (steadicam)
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Michal Erazim, Jiří Matějka, Karel Plaňanský, Eva Slívová, Karel Vaňásek
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Jarmila Benešová (2), Karel Lupoměský, Ivan Helcl, Patrik Vágner
Unit Production Manager
Božena Novotná
Consultant
Karel Čepička, Vladimír Majer (2), PhDr. Jindřich Pecka
Cooperation
Marcela Bernardová (klapka), Jana Nečasová (klapka), Miroslav Jirsa (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Musica Bohemica (Music Conducted by Jaroslav Krček)
Songs
bez názvu
Song Composer Jaroslav Krček
Writer of Lyrics Jindřich Pecka
rockové skladby
Song Composer Jiří Schmitzer
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Schmitzer
Singer Jiří Schmitzer
My jsme žáci 8. B /parafráze úvodní písně animovaného seriálu Mach a Šebestová/
Song Composer Luboš Fišer
Writer of Lyrics Miloš Macourek
Singer dětský sbor
Production info
Original Title
Tichý společník
Czech Title
Tichý společník
English Title
A Sleeping Partner
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1988
Production Year
1988
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 16 June 1987
technical Screenplay approved 5 February 1988
start of filming 10 February 1988
end of filming 30 May 1988
the first film copy approved 17 November 1988
projection approval 22 December 1988
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1991
Premiere
premiere 1 August 1989 /suitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
5. tvůrčí skupina, Miloslav Vydra (vedoucí 5. tvůrčí skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
88 min
Original length in metres
2 550 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
