Novelette
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1980Production year
1979—1980Premiere
27 March 1981Runtime
87 minDirector
Jaroslav SoukupCategory
filmGenre
biographyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
RomanetoCzech title
RomanetoEnglish title
NoveletteSummary
Following his feature-film debut Drsná planina (Rough Life at Planina, 1979), about the difficult lives of Czechoslovak border guards, writer-director Jaroslav Soukup threw himself into a romantic drama bringing to life the personality and works of writer Jakub Arbes (1840–1914). The film tells the story of the young journalist Arbes who partakes in an unjust trial against three demonstrating workers. At the same time, he joins the oddball Xaverius in studying an altarpiece, which is supposed to point to great fortunes. In Romaneto (Novelette, 1980), the Czech writer and journalist is presented as a progressive author, but also as the creator of dark, compelling works, with his Svatý Xaverius (Saint Xaverius, 1873) serving as a template. This stylised film sees Viktor Preiss in the lead role. Xavier is portrayed by Pavel Pavlovský. To maximise authenticity, Soukup filmed in various interiors within Prague’s Old Town.
Synopsis
The seventies of the nineteenth century. A young journalist Jakub Arbes from the newspaper Národní listy follows unwillingly a trial with three workers who were running from a demonstration place and despite the call of the police they did not stop. The senior police councillor Dedera denies that the police officers shot in the participants. Arbes has had already several disputes with the arrogant officer and he decides to convict him of a perjury. Arbes meets a young eccentric Xaverius who explores a picture of his saint namesake in the Saint Nicolas Church. A former revolutionary and an able journalist Rainer offer to Arbes his articles. A newspaper publisher Dr Grégr agrees only on condition that Rainer will write under another name. Arbes knows well the miserable life of poor people in Prague and he always tries to do something for them. The city is hit by cholera epidemics and in many streets burns fires in which property of the dead are burnt. Dedera's police officers remove all witnesses for defence. Arbes learns from the prostitute Fryna that Rainer is Dedera's agent. Arbes goes with the seriously ill Xaverius outside of the city to dig out a treasure to which a trace was found by Xaverius on the picture. In the meantime Dedera captures papers of Arbes in an unruly house search. Grégr sacks Arbes, as this is a condition for a financial loan provided to him by a Dedera's friend - a banker. Xaverius is dying without finding out that the treasure has no value. The writer Neruda recommends to his friend Arbes to elaborate his eccentric friend's story in a literary form. He even finds a name for the new genre - novelette.
Note
The film was made at the occasion of the 140th birth anniversary of Jakub Arbes. The director used for shooting in the interiors some realistic locations of the basements and ground floors of various houses in the Prague Old Town where the Řempo company warehouses used to be. The part of opera singer, singing the aria "Ombra mai fu", was performed with great enthusiasm by an extra whose name is uknown to the director.
Photos
Cast
Viktor Preiss
spisovatel Jakub Arbes, redaktor Národních listů
Pavel Pavlovský
Xaverius
Radovan Lukavský
novinář Josef Rainer alias Janus
Petr Kostka
spisovatel Jan Neruda
Radoslav Brzobohatý
vydavatel JUDr. Julius Grégr, majitel Národních listů
Jana Riháková
Josefina, Arbesova žena
Jana Gýrová
prostitutka Fryna
Jana Šulcová
Amálie Bellmannová
Jiří Pleskot
vrchní policejní rada Dedera
Vladimír Ráž
nakladatel Bellmann, strýc Amálie
Alois Švehlík
zámečník Stankovský
Rudolf Jelínek
učitel kreslení František Novopacký
Jan Skopeček
dělník Čihák
Karel Šebesta
bankéř Wiedermann, Dederův přítel
Jiří Tomek
JUDr. Čížek
Karel Urbánek
tajný policista Jedlička
Jan Řeřicha
redaktor Tůma
Ota Sklenčka
nakladatel Šimůnek
Vilém Besser
redaktor Heller, Arbesův kolega
Zdeněk Dítě
kabaretiér Castelli
Ferdinand Krůta
sazeč Hurych
Jiří Samek
policejní komisař
Gustav Opočenský
hostinský Franc
Zdeněk Hodr
kostelník u sv. Mikuláše
Karel Augusta
vrchní žalářník
Vladimír Krška
předseda soudu
Josef Chvalina
žalobce Jarosch
Ladislav Šimek
tajný/kočí
Zdeněk Barták
tajný
Pavel Rubeš
tajný
Bohumil Vávra
hostinský Josef
Václav Mareš
MUDr. Michl
Lena Birková
starší herečka/dáma se závojem
Bohuslav Ličman
postřelený dělník Josef Kerbr
Luisa Kollingerová
prodavačka pečených kaštanů
Dalimil Klapka
písař na notářství
Viktor Maurer
vetešník
Ladislav Navrátil
dozorce Koubek
Růžena Smolíková
tlustá Dona Isabella
Oto Ševčík
leutnant Koller, Frynin zákazník
Jaroslava Tichá
Rainerova žena
Jaroslav Konečný
hostinský
Zdeňka Vanišová
klavíristka
Rudolf Klouda
houslista
Jiří Vlček
tetovaný muž
Oldřich Vlach
strážník Kouba
Pavel Jiras
strážník
Karel Knechtl
strážník
Vlastimila Vlková
žena v hospodě
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Hana Hanušová, R. Volný
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Michal Krob
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Karel Krejčí, Eva Slívová, Karel Vaňásek
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Tomáš Baloun, Vlasta Synkulová
Unit Production Manager
Miloš Zajdl
Cooperation
Irena Neubertová (klapka), Zdeněk Dukát (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Georg Friedrich Händel (Xerxes /árie Ombra mai fu/)
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens), skupina Zdeňka Bartáka ml.
Songs
Ombra mai fu
Song Composer Georg Friedrich Händel
Writer of Lyrics Nicolo Minato
Production info
Original Title
Romaneto
Czech Title
Romaneto
English Title
Novelette
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
biography
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1980
Production Year
1979—1980
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 13 October 1978
start of filming 16 November 1979
technical Screenplay approved 2 January 1980
end of filming 14 July 1980
projection approval 12 August 1980
Premiere
premiere 19 March 1981 /suitable for youths/ (kino Lucerna, Praha)
premiere 27 March 1981 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Miloše Brože, Miloš Brož (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
87 min
Original length in metres
2 493 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: 32. filmový festival pracujících – léto ´81
1981
62 měst / Czechoslovakia
Richard Valenta
Vítěz
Festival: 19. festival českých a slovenských filmů Kladno
1981
Kladno / Czechoslovakia
Vítěz
Festival: 18. filmový festival mladých Trutnov
1981
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia
Richard Valenta
Vítěz
Festival: 18. filmový festival mladých Trutnov
1981
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslav Soukup
