They Come from the Dark

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1953

Production year

1952—1953

Premiere

18 June 1954

Runtime

59 min

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionmedium

Original title

Přicházejí z tmy

Czech title

Přicházejí z tmy

English title

They Come from the Dark

Synopsis

It is 1951. The inhabitants of a southern Bohemian village are preparing to found an agricultural cooperative. One of the most active of the young men, Václav Kovář, receives threatening letters which he ignores. One night farmer Junek's son Ladislav sets fire to a haystack and the fire spreads to the neighbouring houses. The villagers selflessly help to put out the fire and offer accommodation in their cottages to those who lost their homes. Policeman Jaroslav Martinec and his colleague Votava set off on the trail of the arsonist and, in the dusky light of the woods, young Junek shoots him. That very day kulak Junek returns home from the work camp where he has been serving a sentence. He beats up Ladislav for selling the horses and drinking his way through the money but he praises him for the arson. Růžena, Junek's daughter, is unhappy. She loves Václav Kovář but does not want to inform on her brother. Rudolf, Junek's eldest son, returns secretly from abroad to assist the saboteurs in the murder of any inhabitants of the village who are troublesome for their cause. During a strike on the Martinec family's secluded home, he wounds their old mother. The police attack the terrorists and arrest them, however. The villagers, firmly resolved to found their cooperative, participate in a joyful peace march.

Note

In distribution, the film was released with the title A Tailor's Tale (1953, directed by Jindřich Puš).

Cast

Jarmila Kurandová

vdova Anežka Martincová

Josef Mixa

kapitán SNB Jaroslav, syn Martincové

Adolf Král

dělník Karel, syn Martincové

Jiřina Švorcová

dělnice Tonička, dcera Martincové

Jaroslav Lišata

školák Frantík, nejmladší syn Martincové

Soběslav Sejk

zemědělec Václav Kovář

Jaroslav Vojta

předseda MNV Alois Plavec

Helena Kružíková

dělnice Krista, Plavcova dcera

Petr Skála

nadporučík SNB Jindřich Votava

Vilém Besser

strážmistr SNB Antonín Hudeček

Josef Kemr

zemědělec Štěpán Tomek

Alena Kautská

chalupnice Svobodová

Gustav Hilmar

statkář Ferdinand Junek

Miroslav Doležal

agent Rudolf, Junkův syn

Dana Medřická

Růžena, Junkova dcera, Kovářova milá

Eduard Cupák

Ludvík, zvaný Svatý Ludvík, Junkův syn

Rudolf Hrušínský

diverzant Ladislav, Junkův syn

Blanka Skalická

Gwendolyna, Willyho společnice

Vladimír Řepa

hostinský a řezník Josef Záhora

Bohuš Záhorský

podúředník na penzi Vincenc Řehoř

Marta Májová

matka Václava Kováře

Josef Najman

starý vesničan

Karel Pavlík

vesničan

Crew and creators

Assistant Director

Štěpán Skalský, Milada Řeháková

Screenstory

Miloslav Fábera

Shooting Script

Václav Gajer

Director of Photography

Václav Huňka

Camera Operator

Jiří Šafář

Production Designer

Chrudoš Uher

Set Designer

Franta Novák, Chrudoš Uher

Make-Up Artist

Miloslav Jandera

Production Manager

Josef Ouzký

Unit Production Manager

Vratislav Innemann

Consultant

ppor. Václav Forejt, František Veselý, MUDr. Vilém Zoubek

Cooperation

Josef Janoušek (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Jiří Srnka

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Milivoj Uzelac)

Songs

Andulko, mé dítě

Singer sbor

Production info

Original Title

Přicházejí z tmy

Czech Title

Přicházejí z tmy

English Title

They Come from the Dark

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1953

Production Year

1952—1953

Production specifications

start of filming 9 March 1952
the first film copy approved 28 February 1953
projection approval 6 May 1954
withdrawal from distribution 28 February 1964

Premiere

premiere 18 June 1954 /suitable for youths/ (kina Lucerna /2 týdny/, Armádní /1 týden/, Oko /1 týden/ a Kyjev /25. 6./, Praha)

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Technical info

Duration typology

medium length film

Duration in minutes

59 min

Original length in metres

1 690 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech