The Motive for Murder

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1974

Production year

1974

Premiere

4 April 1975

Runtime

87 min

Category

povídkový film

Genre

crime, short-story

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Motiv pro vraždu

Czech title

Motiv pro vraždu

English title

The Motive for Murder

Working title

Jediná stopa

Summary

In 1973, Tomáš Svoboda’s attempt at debuting within a film of short stories, Maturita za školou (When the Leaving Examination is Truancy),, was thwarted. His contribution failed to make the final cut. One year later, however, Svoboda took the opportunity to participate in “debutants’” crime genre triptych Motiv pro vraždu (The Motive for Murder). Svoboda’s story Kapsář (Pickpocket), based on a screenplay by Karel Štorkán, recounts the efforts of a streetwise habitual offender – with a polished performance by Petr Čepek – to better his life and start anew. The audience is also treated to director Július Matula’s story, Víkend (Weekend), which describes a terrible mistake made by a thuggish owner of a weekend cottage, played by Ilja Prachař. In his bid to silence a victim, he murders the wrong woman. Multi-talented Jiří Svoboda wrote the screenplays for Víkend and also for his own contribution, Rukojmí (Hostages). This mini-thriller sees a drug addict (Jiří Hálek) terrorise a team of obstetricians during an operation to get his hands on a shot of morphine.

Synopsis

Three short stories.

Film online

Production info

Original Title

Motiv pro vraždu

Czech Title

Motiv pro vraždu

English Title

The Motive for Murder

Working Title

Jediná stopa

Category

povídkový film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

crime, short-story

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1974

Production Year

1974

Production specifications

withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986

Premiere

premiere 4 April 1975 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 10 April 1975 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino 64 U Hradeb, Praha)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

87 min

Original length in metres

2 476 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech