Half of a House without a Bridegroom

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1980

Production year

1980

Premiere

20 March 1981

Runtime

82 min

Director

Hynek Bočan

Category

film

Genre

comedy, satire

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Půl domu bez ženicha

Czech title

Půl domu bez ženicha

English title

Half of a House without a Bridegroom

Summary

Hynek Bočan’s satirical comedy in 1980 provided the popular actor Vladimír Menšík with a superb acting opportunity. Menšík plays an energetic father, Mr Franc, whose efforts to secure his daughters’ future lead to him tyrannising the entire family. The film, shot according to Antonín Přidal’s screenplay and notable for its overlapping mix of comedy and satire, follows Mr Franc as he decides to build a villa no matter what the cost. His wife, daughters Olina and Jiřina and their boyfriends are given jobs on the construction site by the father. Naturally, under pressure from the self-appointed intruder in their lives, the young people change their ideas about a shared life. These become far removed from the original amorous plans... For this humorous portrait of the dominant head of a family forcing his outlook on the lives of others, Veronika Freimanová and Marta Malá were cast as the daughters. The sisters’ suitors are played by Václav Vydra and Ivan Vyskočil.

Synopsis

The Francs with their daughters Olina and Jiřina are building a villa in the village of Rezkovice. Father Franc doesn't allow himself a minute's respire and restlessly forces to work his wife, both daughters and Zdeněk, Jiřina's suitor. Zdeněk does not protest against it and, in addition, he is skilful. On the contrary, Olina's boyfriend Libor is worse at work. He studies at the Technical College and he does not succeed much in grasping the building handicraft. Franc, proud of his pursuits, decides that he will arrange the wedding for both daughters and then hand them over the key of the villa in which both pairs have luxuriously furnished flats. The girls do not like that their father decide their lives but in the end, they give up. In the day of a wedding Libor is frightened of the wedding and does not leave for Rezkovice. It is true, he is poor and does not bring to the marriage anything. In Rezkovice Franc endeavours to save face in front of the guests. He claims that Libor had to leave for an ill father. But his lie is soon disclosed. Libor's father has driven to his son a new car as a wedding present. When he gets to know a situation he sets out to look for his son. He finds him in a flat of his ex-wife and persuades him that he is now an equivalent bridegroom. Jiřina marries Zdeněk for she is with child. However, Olina runs away from home and does not want to return because Libor started behaving as Franc. Jiřina and Zdeněk move into the villa. Zdeněk does not want to work any more, he has toiled at it quite enough. The Francs start to suspect there is something wrong.

Film online

Cast

Blažena Holišová

Žofie, Francova žena

Veronika Freimanová

Olina, dcera Francových

Václav Vydra

student Libor, Olinin ženich

Marta Malá

Jiřina, dcera Francových

Ivan Vyskočil

Zdeněk, Jiřinin ženich

Dana Medřická

teta Heda, Aloisova sestra

Květa Fialová

Sámková, Liborova matka

Josef Somr

Sámek, Liborův otec

Karel Augusta

vesničan Čížek zvaný Zub

Renáta Doleželová

sousedka Růža

Mnislav Hofmann

soused, vrátný v továrně

Jan Kraus

motocyklista, Olinin kamarád

Milan Liška

motocyklista

Martin Velda

řidič náklaďáku

Oldřich Velen

řidič autobusu

Hana Vávrová

kamarádky Oliny

Robert Vrchota

vesničan Jeník

Marcela Loučímová

sousedka-tanečnice

Libuše Cincibusová

svatebčanka

Zdeňka Čochnařová

sousedka-kuchařka

Zuzana Slezáková

sousedka-kuchařka

Miloslava Císařová

sousedka

Jaroslav Tonar

soused

Stanislav Velebil

soused

Crew and creators

Director

Hynek Bočan

Second Unit Director

Lubomír Břinčil

Assistant Director

Josef Loučím

Continuity

Irena Klausová

Screenstory

Antonín Přidal

Shooting Script

Hynek Bočan

Director of Photography

František Uldrich

Second Unit Photography

Vladimír Smutný

Camera Operator

Jiří Pechar

Production Designer

Bohumil Nový

Assistent Production Designer

Václav Hlávka

Set Designer

Ivo Černý, Miloš Osvald, Jiří Rulík, Ladislav Rada

Costume Designer

Svatava Sophová

Film Editor

Zdeněk Stehlík

Assistant Film Editor

Erika Vojáčková

Sound Designer

Dobroslav Šrámek

Production Manager

Miloš Stejskal

Unit Production Manager

Pavel Mangl, Milan Brabec

Unit Production Manager

Luboš Kozák

Cooperation

Jitka Tošilová (klapka), Jaroslav Trousil (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Ladislav Štaidl

Selected Music

Antonín Dvořák (Čert a Káča /fanfáry/)

Music Performed by

Orchestr Ladislava Štaidla, Dechová hudba Závodního klubu Uranových dolů Permoník Příbram, Orchestr Moravanka

Songs

Nepůjdeme domů, až ráno

Singer Vladimír Menšíksbor

Hájku, háječku

Song Composer lidová píseň
Writer of Lyrics lidová píseň
Singer Vladimír Menšík

Ospalé ráno /Blízko jsem tvá ústa měl/

Song Composer Ladislav Štaidl
Writer of Lyrics Miroslav Černý
Singer Ladislav Štaidl

V Zalužanech na potoce

Když se ten Tálínskej rybník nahání

Production info

Original Title

Půl domu bez ženicha

Czech Title

Půl domu bez ženicha

English Title

Half of a House without a Bridegroom

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy, satire

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1980

Production Year

1980

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 21 January 1980
start of filming 12 February 1980
technical Screenplay approved 24 March 1980
end of filming 9 October 1980
projection approval 7 November 1980

Premiere

premiere 20 March 1981 /suitable for youths/

Studio

Hostivař

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Vladimíra Kaliny, Vladimír Kalina (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

82 min

Original length in metres

2 248 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech