The Missing Letters

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1920

Production year

1920

Premiere

25 February 1921

Runtime

63 min

Category

film

Genre

adventure

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Setřelé písmo

Czech title

Setřelé písmo

English title

The Missing Letters

Parallel title

Tajemství staré knihy

English parallel title

The Mystery of the Old Book

Synopsis

Sculptor and collector of old manuscripts Šalda acquires part of a medaeival manuscript which describes the whereabouts of hidden treasure. He does not possess the other part of the manuscript, however, which is stored at the museum. He tells this secret to his lover and model, Olga. Šalda is preparing a new work of art and he decides to seek another model for the painting. Olga leaves him in her anger. The unemployed sculptor Randa seeks work with Šalda and his first assignment is to find a model, a fragile blonde. Randa fulfils this task and brings the flower-seller Enna back to the studio. Šalda tries to win her favour any way he can, even with the aid of hypnosis. Randa, in love with Enna, intends to leave with the girl but Šalda abuses the feelings he has for her and gives him a condition: he asks Randa to steal the other half of the manuscript from the museum. A gang of thieves, led by Greeman, is also preparing to steal it. He has been informed of the manuscript's existence and Šalda's plans by the vengeful Olga. Suspicious goings on at the museum bring the police to investigate and they succeed in overcoming Greeman's gang. Randa frees Enna from captivity at Šalda's house. Šalda is punished by fate when he is killed when one of his own statues falls on him.

Note

The film Palimpsest from 1919 was completed a year later in Vienna and Berlin and shown under the new title The Missing Letters (The Mystery of the Old Book).

Cast

Anny Ondráková

prodavačka květin Enny /v titulcích Enni/

Karel Lamač

sochař Šalda

Josef Rovenský

sochař Randa

Joe Jenčík

mezinárodní podvodník Greeman

Hana Jenčíková

Šaldova modelka Olga

Karel Schleichert

profesor a člen muzea

Josef Šváb-Malostranský

profesor a člen muzea

Josef Košák

profesor a člen muzea

Josef Neuberg

člen Greemanovy bandy

František Tichý

člen Greemanovy bandy

Frank Rose-Růžička

člen Greemanovy bandy

Crew and creators

Director of Photography

Otto Heller

Production info

Original Title

Setřelé písmo

Czech Title

Setřelé písmo

English Title

The Missing Letters

Parallel Title

Tajemství staré knihy

English Parallel Title

The Mystery of the Old Book

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

adventure

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1920

Production Year

1920

Premiere

premiere 25 February 1921 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Lido bio, Praha)

Production

Globusfilm

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Rexfilm

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

63 min

Original length in metres

1 780 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,33

Colour

black & white

Sound

silent

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

without dialogue

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Intertitles languages

Czech

Opening/End credits languages

Czech