The Horse Ryn

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1981

Production year

1981

Premiere

26 March 1982

Runtime

81 min

Category

film

Genre

children

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Divoký koník Ryn

Czech title

Divoký koník Ryn

English title

The Horse Ryn

Summary

Several of the works of writer Bohumil Říha have been filmed. This novel by the pro-regime writer also inspired a children’s film, which was directed in 1981 by the experienced family filmmaker Václav Gajer. The story takes place in 1947 and it is based on the popular model of the relationship between a human hero and an indomitable animal protagonist. The tale of the freedom necessary for life, is, of course, beholden to the standards of the time: the Hucul horse that heals an old villager, has remained in the small village in Šumava after the Soviet soldiers have left. This is a pleasing movie that engages with the acting performance of Zdeněk Řehoř and the depiction of the indisputable beauty of the Šumava landscape as shot by cameraman Jan Němeček.

Synopsis

It is the summer of 1947. The Carpathian pony Ryn which was left to Antonín Jakub by Soviet soldiers is a thorn in the eye of some villagers because he causes chaos in the village. He, for example, demolished the garden of the neighbour Daniela Spudilová several times. And when the chairman of the local National Committee falls from a motorcycle because of Ryn's fault, the horse must go. Jakub leaves his granddaughter Karolínka in the care of Spudilová and sets off with Ryn to his cousin whom he helps pick pears every year. The horse, however, is not used to wearing a collar and he shies on the way. Jakub and Ryn cannot stay even at the cousin's. On their way back, the stampeding horse again causes a motorcycle accident and Jakub must spend his last money on the fine. The village children plead for Ryn with the national committee's chairman and he promises to help. Somebody sets Jakub's house on fire. Everything testifies against a horse trader who moreover robbed the widow Spudilová of all her savings and then disappeared from the village. The children offer Jakub their island hayloft where they wanted to establish a small ZOO. The fire results in many changes in the village. The local constable resigns and also the weak national committee's chairman must leave his post. No one pursues Ryn any more. He runs freely in the meadows, and when the old Jakub is in a good mood, he lets his granddaughter ride the horse.

Cast

Zdeněk Řehoř

Antonín Jakub

Miloš Nedbal

Antonínův bratranec

Bedřich Prokoš

předseda MNV Stočes

Miloslav Štibich

obecní strážník

Jan Faltýnek

Václav Turek

Jaroslava Tichá

Turkova žena

Veronika Gajerová

Daniela, dcera Spudilky

Jiří Hálek

přednosta stanice

Otto Lackovič

majitel klisny

Martina Králová

Karolínka, Jakubova vnučka

Pavel Zajíc

Ondra Turek, Karolínčin kamarád

Miloslav Pelikán

Tomík, Ondrův bratr

Jan Skopeček

příslušník SNB

Ladislav Potměšil

příslušník SNB

Tomáš Vacek

mladík s motocyklem

ochotníci z Prachatic

kůň Jurášek

divoký koník Ryn

Commentary

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Josef Jarolímek

Assistant Director

Václav Křístek

Based on

Bohumil Říha (Divoký koník Ryn – román)

Shooting Script

Václav Gajer

Director of Photography

Jan Němeček

Second Unit Photography

Karel Hejsek

Camera Operator

Martin Grošup

Production Designer

Karel Lier

Assistent Production Designer

Libuše Jahodová

Set Designer

Jiří Forst, Miloslav Dvořák, Václav Kalous, Pavel Svoboda

Costume Designer

Marta Kaplerová

Film Editor

Petr Sitár

Assistant Film Editor

Růžena Hejsková, Eva Horázná

Sound Designer

Ladislav Hausdorf

Stunts

Jaroslav Klenot, Jiří Klenot, František Ledecký

Production Manager

Jaroslav Řeřicha

Unit Production Manager

Evelyna Jarolímková, Milana Melcerová

Unit Production Manager

Jan Bílek

Consultant

František Michálek (jezdectví), Čestmír Pekař

Cooperation

Eva Marková (klapka), Miroslav Pešan (fotograf), Hucul klub Praha

Music

Music Composed by

Luboš Sluka

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens)

Songs

Divoký koník Ryn

Song Composer Luboš Sluka
Writer of Lyrics Michal Černík
Singer dětský sbor

Production info

Original Title

Divoký koník Ryn

Czech Title

Divoký koník Ryn

English Title

The Horse Ryn

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

children

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1981

Production Year

1981

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 03/1981
technical Screenplay approved 04/1981
start of filming 4 May 1981
end of filming 6 November 1981
projection approval 2 December 1981

Premiere

premiere 26 March 1982 /suitable for youths/

Creative Group

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

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

81 min

Original length in metres

2 309 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: 22. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov

1982
Zlín / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 20. festival českých a slovenských filmů Ústí nad Labem

1982
Ústí nad Labem / Czechoslovakia