Holiday for a Dog

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1980

Production year

1980

Premiere

10 July 1981

Runtime

78 min

Category

film

Genre

children, comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Prázdniny pro psa

Czech title

Prázdniny pro psa

English title

Holiday for a Dog

Summary

This family comedy made by Jaroslava Vošmiková turned out to be another hit film featuring child star Tomáš Holý. The young actor, very much in demand and 12-years-old at the time, was cast in a movie that follows a story model successfully delivered by the “little Vašek in Šumava” film trilogy directed by Václav Gajer (Pod Jezevčí skálou [Beneath Badger Rock, 1978], Na pytlácké stezce [On the Poacher’s Path, 1979], Za trnkovým keřem [Behind the Blackthorn, 1980]). Once again a little boy from Prague, named Petr in this case, is spending his holidays at his grandparents’ place in the country. And once again there is a loyal canine friend, with a Welsh Terrier named Blek this time landing the part. It is indeed the inquisitive dog that becomes the driving force behind the boy’s adventures. They include an encounter with the money-grubbing Mr. Plavec (Oldřich Navrátil), who even steals Blek. And his efforts to win acceptance from a group of local boys led by the competitive Jarda (Pavel Stránský)... Prázdniny pro psa (Holiday for a Dog) would become the last film to feature Holý. After its completion, the boy terminated his acting career.

Synopsis

The Mráz family is preparing for holidays. Parents are travelling to the spa and little Petr is going to the country to his grandparents. In addition, to the chaotic preparations, mother's friend is bringing a dog Blek. She wants Petr to look after it. Grandfather welcomes Petr and the dog with pleasure because he needs the ally against strict grandmother. Grandfather is not very skilful and thus grandmother often experiences troubles with his ideas. That is why she sells grandfather's gun to the miserly Plavec. Petr has troubles with the gang of village children which is led by Jarda. The boys are at first a little malicious but gradually they become friends with Petr. Jarda feels Petr to be a threat to him, revengefully lets Blek free from the lead and it runs away to the woods, in which the children look for it in vain. The point is that in the meantime the dog was caught by Plavec and Plavec passes it off as his own. Grandmother changed her mind as for the sale; she gave back money to Plavec and asked for the gun. The robust driver Drtikol wants to intervene but meanwhile the dog ran away from Plavec. Drtikol forces Plavec into giving him money, which he obtained from Petr's grandmother, so as to give it to grandfather for stolen dog. Parents have brougt Petr as a present a dog of the same race but Petr will have to give it in return for Blek to the owner. While returning home in a car the boy takes a glance of the lost dog and runs out for it. Drtikol caught up the Mrázs and gives them money from Plavec. They refuse it and the sudden gust of wind lifts the banknotes to the air. Grandfather at the small courtyard is surprised by hundred-crown notes falling down from the sky.

Note

In one the scene from Prague’s street spoke Vladimír Hrabánek six sentences in postsynchronizations instead of the deceased Jiří Hrzán.

Film online

Cast

Tomáš Holý

Petr Mráz

Bohumil Vávra

dědeček Sláma

Věra Tichánková

babička Slámová

Jiří Hrzán

Voice by Vladimír Hrabánek /v exteriérové scéně/
tatínek Milan Mráz

Hana Maciuchová

maminka Jaruška Mrázová

Naďa Konvalinková

Máňa, Plavcova žena

Vladimír Kratina

řidič Vrabec zvaný Drtikol

Pavel Stránský

vůdce party Jarda

Roman Šmalcl

Zdeněk

Jakub Heglas

Voice by David Strupek
Jirka

Jana Břežková

Alice Jirsová, Jaruščina přítelkyně

Ludmila Marečková

babička Plavcová

Valentin Kryštof

dědeček Plavec

Helena Růžičková

sousedka Krásová

Vlastimil Venclík

švagr Rosťa

Jarmila Derková

dáma se psem

Magda Dolejšová

dáma se psem

Jindřich Bílek

závozník s plnovousem

Marie Holá

žena v okně

Daniel Netušil

Dan, chlapec z kempu

Barbora Vošmiková

děvče z kempu

pes Alton

pes Blek

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Dobroslav Zborník

Assistant Director

Jan Dolejš

Screenstory

Antonín Máša

Screenplay

Antonín Máša

Shooting Script

Jaroslava Vošmiková

Director of Photography

Andrej Barla

Second Unit Photography

Karel Dobřichovský

Camera Operator

Jiří Knotek

Production Designer

Aleš Voleman

Assistent Production Designer

Miloš Preclík

Set Designer

Jiří Cvrček, Jaroslav Chytrý, Jiří Cvrček ml., Bohumil Kadlec

Costume Designer

Lída Novotná

Assistant Film Editor

Anna Mejtská

Sound Designer

Roman Hloch

Assistant Sound Designer

Adolf Werner

Stunts

Antonín Hausknecht (autokaskadér)

Production Manager

Václav Rouha

Unit Production Manager

Václav Dobeš, Václav Petr, Zdeňka Černá

Cooperation

René Michalička (vrchní osvětlovač), Josef Vítek (fotograf), Marie Holá

Music

Music Composed by

Petr Skoumal

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)

Songs

Léto bože léto /Lásko, bože, lásko/

Song Composer Petr Skoumal
Writer of Lyrics Petr SkoumalPavel Šrut
Singer Marie Rottrová

Nemelem, nemelem

Singer Hana Maciuchová

Já jsem ten zajíček nešťastný

Singer ženský sbor

Production info

Original Title

Prázdniny pro psa

Czech Title

Prázdniny pro psa

English Title

Holiday for a Dog

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

children, comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1980

Production Year

1980

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 26 January 1979
start of filming 8 April 1980
technical Screenplay approved 30 April 1980
end of filming 11 November 1980
projection approval 3 December 1980

Premiere

premiere 10 July 1981 /suitable for youths/

Studio

Hostivař

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Oty Hofmana, Ota Hofman (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

78 min

Original length in metres

2 224 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

Awards

Vítěz

Festival: 21. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov

1981
Zlín / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 19. festival českých a slovenských filmů Kladno

1981
Kladno / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslava Vošmiková

Vítěz

Festival: 21. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov

1981
Zlín / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 32. filmový festival pracujících – léto ´81

1981
62 měst / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslava Vošmiková

Vítěz

Festival: 3. festival československé filmové veselohry Nové Město nad Metují

1981
Nové Město nad Metují / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslava Vošmiková

Vítěz

Festival: 32. filmový festival pracujících – léto ´81

1981
62 měst / Czechoslovakia