White Paradise
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1924Production year
1924Premiere
1 August 1924Runtime
67 minDirector
Karel LamačCategory
filmGenre
melodramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Bílý rájCzech title
Bílý rájEnglish title
White ParadiseSummary
Karel Lamač, one of the most prominent filmmakers of the early days of Czechoslovak cinema, had a great success with his melodrama White Paradise. The story and the craftsmanship of the film show inspiration from American cinema. The main character, Nina is an orphan, whose life is interfered with by an escaped prisoner who wants to visit her dying mother one last time. Made with a modest budget of 90,000 crowns, the film received positive feedback from Czech and foreign audiences. The financing for its production was provided by the company Kalosfilm (Karel–Anny–Lamač–Ondra–spol), founded by film enthusiast Alfréd Baštýř. In addition to Karel Lamač, two other very important individuals of Czech cinema – Gustav Machatý and Martin Frič – contributed to the film.
Synopsis
Jakub Rezek and his ward Nina work at a traveller's inn. Rezek finds out about an escaped prisoner, Ivan Holar, against whom he had testified in court and he now fears Holar's revenge. Holar wishes to visit his dying mother and brings her some medicine. He is, however, pursued by the police and hides in the cellar of the inn. There he meets Nina and asks her to take the medicine to his mother. He follows her at his mother's where the police catch up with him. All are moved by the sight of the sick mother and her son. The distraught mother dies without knowing that Ivan has again been captured. Nina returns to the evil Rezek and, from the wandering puppeteer Tomáš, she finds out that her parents used to own the inn. The documents proving that Nina is the heiress are found as well as the papers declaring Ivan's innocence and he is released from prison. He is invited to a reopening of the inn where he meets the desperate Nina who has seen him in the company of Yvetta the niece of the prison's director and thus she does not believe in his love. Finally everything is explained and even old Tomáš is witness to the happy reunion.
Note
In 2016 the film was reconstructed by National Film Archive.
Photos
Cast
Karel Lamač
Ivan Holar
Vladimír Majer
hostinský Jakub Rezek
Anny Ondráková
sirotek Nina Mirelová
Josef Rovenský
loutkář zvaný tatík Tomáš
Saša Dobrovolná
Ivanova matka Holarová
Jan W. Speerger
četník
Karel Schleichert
četník
Karel Fiala
ředitel věznice
Lo Marsánová
ředitelova neteř Yvetta Karenová
Přemysl Pražský
vězeňský dozorce
Mario Karas
soudní úředník
Martin Frič
lékař
Anna Lamačová-Karinská
dáma z dobročinného spolku
Gustav Machatý
snoubenec Yvetty, člen dobročinného spolku
Marie Veselá
sousedka paní Holarové
František Zöllner
host v zájezdní hospodě
Crew and creators
Director
Screenstory
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Production Designer
Set Designer
Film Editor
Cooperation
Jaroslav Balzar (fotograf)
Production info
Original Title
Bílý ráj
Czech Title
Bílý ráj
English Title
White Paradise
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
melodrama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1924
Production Year
1924
Premiere
premiere 1 August 1924 /suitable for youths/ (kina Lucerna a Beseda, Praha)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
67 min
Original length in metres
1 900 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,33
Colour
tinting, black & white
Sound
silent
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
without dialogue
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Intertitles languages
Czech
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
