The Dead are Living

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1922

Production year

1922

Premiere

28 July 1922

Runtime

81 min

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Film state

lost film

Original title

Mrtví žijí

Czech title

Mrtví žijí

English title

The Dead are Living

Parallel title

Tajemný pražský doktor

English parallel title

The Mysterious Doctor of Prague

Synopsis

Dissolute Abel Beer, with the help of his debt collector friends - usurers, swindles a Prague Doctor Jakub Hlohovský out of a quiet house in Malá Strana. Jakub, familiar with the secrets and effects of various medicines, uses them to make himself look dead. He leaves his adopted daughter Roza with his neighbour Mrs. Grundová and goes abroad. There, he lives under the pseudonym of Dr. Sirius and soon achieves fame with his medical arts. He also saves the life of Jiljí Dubín who had been devastated by the death of his lover Cesarina. Dubín is revived when he meets Hlohovský's daughter Roza who has matured into a beautiful young woman. However, Abel Beer is also in love with Roza, and has fallen further into trouble in the hands of the debt collectors. He sees a way out with a double murder. He first kills one of his relatives and then one of the most notorious usurers. However, it is the appearance of the allegedly dead Jakub Hlohoský in the house which causes him to go mad and take a knife to his own throat. Hlohovský gives his daughter Roza away to Dubín and is able to give them the quiet Malá Strana house as a wedding gift. (According to an article appearing in the press at the time the film was made.)

Note

The film materials are believed lost. Working shots are included in the film How films were made in our country (put together by Bohumil Veselý, 1954).

Cast

Karel Fiala

Jakub Hlohovský/dr. Sirius/Petrus Quidan

Theodor Pištěk

lichvář Abel Beer

Ludvík Veverka

lichvář Saul Kranz

Růžena Šlemrová

doňa Therezita, Beerova milenka

Ella Buddeusová

Roza jako dítě

Nataša Cyganková

Cesarina d'Adorani alias Roza Hlohovská

Josef Šváb-Malostranský

notář JUDr. Rulík

Růžena Maturová

vdova Grundová

Ita Krasava

Josefinka, dcera vdovy Grundové

Karel Lamač

dr. Jiljí Dubín

Joe Jenčík

přízrak

Mája Krákorová

Václav Skákal

Crew and creators

Based on

Karel Dewetter (Mrtví žijí – román)

Screenplay

Jan S. Kolár

Director of Photography

Otto Heller

Production Designer

Julius Fischer

Production info

Original Title

Mrtví žijí

Czech Title

Mrtví žijí

English Title

The Dead are Living

Parallel Title

Tajemný pražský doktor

English Parallel Title

The Mysterious Doctor of Prague

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Film state

lost film

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1922

Production Year

1922

Production specifications

date of censorship 6 June 1922

Premiere

premiere 28 July 1922 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Lucerna, Praha)

Production

AB

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Biografia

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

81 min

Original length in metres

2 310 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