From Saturday to Sunday

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1931

Production year

1931

Premiere

1 May 1931

Runtime

72 min

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Ze soboty na neděli

Czech title

Ze soboty na neděli

English title

From Saturday to Sunday

Working title

Cesta kolem štěstí / Noc splnění

Summary

Gustav Machatý’s melodrama From Saturday to Sunday is being mentioned in the author’s work less often than his more famous erotic drama’s Eroticon (1929) and Ecstasy (1932). Despite this fact the film has comparable qualities. Machatý surrounded himself again with a crew of reliable collaborators (Vítězslav Nezval collaborated with him on the theme and script, Václav Vích was behind the camera, Jaroslav Ježek composed the music and Alexander Hackenschmied was the architect). The film stands out for its realistic view of a nightlife in Prague at the turn of the 1920s and 1930s. However, it is spiced up with a poetic look, some avant-garde techniques and a play with symbols, associations, and implications. At the same time, it is a rare example of how in the early days of sound film production was it possible to work with sound, music, and movement, using counterpoint to the image. Apart from Jiřina Šejbalová and the debuting Magda Maděrová, what is particularly striking is the sympathetic acting of L. H. Struna, who was regularly cast in negative roles, especially during the silent film period. – Digitally restored picture brought back the National Film Archive in 2017 after eighty-six years since the original premiere in 1931. The festive renewed premiere took place in Prague’s Kino Pilotů on 8 March 2017, and the film was also screened as part of the Czech film exhibition Ecstasy and Irony: Czech film 1927-1943 at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York in April 2017. With financial support from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, and the partnership of the National Library of Norway and CESNET, the restoration was carried out in 2016 at the Magyar Filmlabor in Budapest. Due to its condition, the preserved rare original negative could not be used for digitisation. At the same time, no original copy from the 1930’s has survived. The digitization of the image was therefore carried out from the best-preserved copy (made in the 1960s). Based on tests, a duplication positive was selected for the sound digitisation. In addition to the original negative of the image, the archive also holds a French dubbed copy. Upon request, the film was distributed with English subtitles, and a short lecture and presentation on digital film restoration with demonstrations could also be arranged.

Synopsis

Two young girlfriends, the typists Máňa and Nany, live and work together, but they have different natures. Nany persuades Máňa to go with her to a bar Saturday evening. She lends her clothes. In the bar are the skirt-chaser Ervín and his friend Pavel. The naive Máňa, unused to alcohol, gets drunk. When Ervín begins to accost her, she repulses him and does not notice that he has placed a thousand-crown note in her purse. She eventually runs off. A violent rain destroys her clothes. The girl, in a wretched state, is taken on by Karel Benda, who lets her spend the night in his apartment. Máňa gratefully accepts his offer that he bring from her apartment new clothing. Karel returns with a note from Nany in which she informs her roommate that Ervín has demanded that his thousand crowns be returned. Máňa in genuine surprise finds the money in her purse. She feels shamed in front of the kind Karel and she leaves without giving an explanation. Karel runs after her with her purse she has forgotten and is detained by a police officer who thinks that Karel has stolen the purse. He manages to arrive at Máňa's apartment at the last possible moment to save her from suiciding. After a time he calls the recovered girl at work and they agree to meet for a date.

Note

The French-speaking copy KK-A 1836,5 m is preserved in the NFA.

Film online

Cast

L. H. Struna

sazeč Karel Benda

Magda Maděrová

písařka Máňa

Jiřina Šejbalová

písařka Nany

Karel Jičínský

továrník Ervín

R. A. Dvorský

Pavel, Ervínův přítel

F. X. Mlejnek

rozhlasový hlasatel

Mimi Erbenová

návštěvnice baru

Jan Richter

opilec v kavárně

František Sauer

opilec v kavárně

Miloslav Svoboda

opilec v kavárně

František Říha

opilec v kavárně

Václav Menger

policejní komisař

Leo Marten

tanečník v baru

Milada Matysová

tanečnice v baru

Ludvík Hradský

tanečník v baru

Aša Vašátková

tanečnice v baru

Josef Kobík

kočébr

Jindřich Adolf

návštěvník v kavárně

Josef Klapuch

strážník

Jaroslav Gradwohl

zpěvák v baru

Václav Pata

číšník v baru

Crew and creators

Director of Photography

Václav Vích

Production Designer

Alexander Hackenschmied

Make-Up Artist

Josef Kobík

Film Editor

Gustav Machatý

Production Manager

František Horký

Cooperation

Willy Ströminger (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Jaroslav Ježek

Selected Music

Bedřich Smetana (Prodaná nevěsta /Proč bychom se netěšili/)

Music Performed by

Melody Boys (Music Conducted by R. A. Dvorský)

Songs

Teď ještě ne

Song Composer Jaroslav Ježek
Writer of Lyrics Vítězslav Nezval
Singer Jaroslav GradwohlR. A. DvorskýJiřina ŠejbalováMagda Maděrovámužský hlas

Slovník lásky

Song Composer Jaroslav Ježek
Writer of Lyrics Vítězslav Nezval
Singer R. A. DvorskýMagda Maděrovámužský hlassbor

Na tý louce zelený

Production info

Original Title

Ze soboty na neděli

Czech Title

Ze soboty na neděli

English Title

From Saturday to Sunday

Working Title

Cesta kolem štěstí / Noc splnění

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1931

Production Year

1931

Production specifications

date of censorship 24 April 1931

Premiere

premiere 1 May 1931 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Fénix /2 týdny/ a Lucerna /2 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 2 March 2017 /unsuitable for children under 15/

Production

AB

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Lloyd (původní 1931), Národní filmový archiv (obnovená 2017)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

72 min

Original length in metres

2 050 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm, DCP 2-D, BRD

Aspect ratio

1:1,19

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

Tobis – Klang

Versions

Czech, French

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Anketa Českého rozhlasu – Kánon100 (nejoblíbenější umělecká díla posledních 100 let)

2018
Praha / Czech Republic