Valentin the Kind
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1942Production year
1942Premiere
31 July 1942Runtime
101 minDirector
Martin FričCategory
filmGenre
comedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Valentin DobrotivýCzech title
Valentin DobrotivýEnglish title
Valentin the KindParallel title
Valentin der GütigeWorking title
Za omyl se neručíSummary
In 1942, the director Martin Frič and screenwriter Karel Steklý added a fresh comedy to their joint filmography whose atmosphere does not reflect the horrific reality of the time (the movie was premiered just a few weeks after the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, which sparked a vicious Nazi backlash). The naïve official Valentin Plavec, who falls victim to a practical joke by his colleagues, became a reliable guide for audiences in dark times. Under the impression that he has won a million in the lottery, he succumbs to profligacy as everyone around him begins sucking up to him. As soon as the truth comes out, Valentin find himself on his own again. The only person who remains loyal to him regardless of the fictional state of his wallet is his fiancée Helenka, played convincingly by the tried-and-trusted Hana Vítová. The roles of Valentin's crafty colleagues, who get their comeuppance in a refined way from him after he is cured of his naïveté, were played by Ladislav Pešek and Eman Fiala.
Synopsis
Insurance company clerk Valentin Plavec is a hard-working man but too naive for his own good. His colleagues Bejšovec and Voborník play practical jokes on him, but their last joke goes too far. They change the winning lottery number from 8456 to 18456 - the number Valentin has - and tell Valentin he has won a million. Because he can collect his winnings in three days, he takes out the twenty thousand crowns he and his fiancée have saved up and starts to spend lavishly, even on credit. He hires staff for his villa and orders a car. At work the new millionaire is promoted and a miserly uncle organises a banquet for him. When his colleagues tell him he has not won, all his new-found friends leave him. Only Helena stays with him and helps him cancel his rash purchases. The next day the newspapers report that the wrong winning number was published and that the real winner is in fact 18456. Valentin first checks this and then pays his joking colleagues back with a vengeance. He tears up an other lottery ticket before their eyes and throws the pieces out of the window. Bejšovec and Voborník are seen disappearing on the top of a lorry, having landed there when they jumped out after the pieces of the lottery ticket.
Photos
Cast
Oldřich Nový
úředník Valentin Plavec
Hana Vítová
Helena Bártová, Valentinova snoubenka
Milada Gampeová
matka Heleny
Ladislav Pešek
úředník Rudolf Bejšovec
Eman Fiala
úředník Eman Voborník
Jaroslav Marvan
přednosta kanceláře Bureš
Theodor Pištěk
Kudrna, Valentinův strýc
Zdeňka Baldová
Maruška, Kudrnova žena
Vojta Novák
ředitel pojišťovny Arnošt Kahoun
Růžena Šlemrová
Kahounova manželka
Lilli Hodáčová
Julie Kahounová, dcera
Jiřina Sedláčková
agentka prodejny automobilů
Jaroslav Průcha
kancelářský zřízenec Jindřich Biebr
Anna Letenská
manželka zřízence Biebra
Marie Blažková
Troníčková, Valentinova bytná
Bolek Prchal
policejní komisař
Karel Černý
vrchní ředitel pojišťovny
Karel Dostal
prezident banky
Miloš Šubrt
zřízenec Vosátka
Ota Motyčka
úředník
Jindřich Láznička
úředník Hora
Jan Černý
úředník
Meda Valentová
majitelka módního salonu Dousková
Emanuel Hříbal
číšník
Marie Hodrová
domovnice
Milada Smolíková
správcová
Vladimír Řepa
pan domácí
Josef Kemr
kolportér
Bohuš Záhorský
pokladník v bance
Blažena Slavíčková
slečna z módního salónu
František Paul
pojišťovací agent
Antonín Jirsa
stěhovák
Míla Spazierová-Hezká
zpěvačka v restauraci Sakura
Josef Bělský
ředitel restaurace Sakura
Vladimír Štros
řidič
Jan W. Speerger
zahradník Příhoda
Milka Balek-Brodská
zahradníkova manželka
Emanuel Kovařík
zástupce automobilové továrny
Josef Hořánek
Králíček, majitel vily
Karel Roden
bankéř s panem Králíčkem
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Screenstory
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Production Designer
Set Designer
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Václav Dražil, Karel Feix (ředitel výroby)
Consultant
Alois Raušer (jazykový poradce)
Cooperation
Antonín Frič (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Josef Stelibský, František Svojík (instrumentace)
Music Performed by
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Miloš Smatek), členové Orchestru Národního divadla (Music Conducted by Miloš Smatek), Orchestr Karla Vlacha (Music Conducted by Miloš Smatek), František Svojík /klavír/
Songs
Zpívám květům
Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav MottlKarel Melíšek
Singer Míla Spazierová-Hezká
Modrý měsíc /Dlouhý je měsíc.../ (fox)
Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Production info
Original Title
Valentin Dobrotivý
Czech Title
Valentin Dobrotivý
English Title
Valentin the Kind
Parallel Title
Valentin der Gütige
Working Title
Za omyl se neručí
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
comedy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1942
Production Year
1942
Production specifications
start of filming 23 April 1942
end of filming 06/1942
date of censorship 24 July 1942 (kulturně-výchovný)
projection approval 07/1945 (konec povolení k promítání 31. 12. 1946)
withdrawal from distribution 12/1946
Premiere
premiere 31 July 1942 /suitable for youths/ (kina Adria /3 týdny/, Lucerna /3 týdny/ a Phönix /3 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 11 August 1945 /suitable for youths/
Production
With support
Copyright Holders
Studio
Laboratories
Distribution
Nationalfilm (původní 1942), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1945)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
101 min
Original length in metres
2 864 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
black & white
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
Tobis – Klang
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech, German
