The Organist at St. Vitus' Cathedral

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1929

Production year

1929

Premiere

30 August 1929

Runtime

96 min

Director

Martin Frič

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Varhaník u sv. Víta

Czech title

Varhaník u sv. Víta

English title

The Organist at St. Vitus' Cathedral

Synopsis

An old organist involuntarily becomes a witness to a suicide of an unknown man. Before he dies he gives a packet with money in it for his daughter who is living in a convent. The organist does not report this case to the authorities but, instead, hides the body in the cellar. He does not know, however, that his actions are being observed by his spineless neighbour, a shoe-polisher who later blackmails him threatening to tell the authorities that he had committed a murder. The organist is gripped by a strong paternal feeling for the girl. She has fallen in love with a young artist and flees the convent. The organist considers this ingratitude and betrayal. He becomes paralysed in his grief and can no longer carry out his duties. In the end the girl realises her mistake; she returns to the organist and he recovers from his illness.

Cast

Karel Hašler

varhaník

Oskar Marion

malíř Ivan

Suzanne Marwille

varhaníkova schovanka Klára

L. H. Struna

vyděrač Josef Falk

Otto Zahrádka

Klářin otec

Josef Kobík

prodavač ryb

Milka Balek-Brodská

služebná u malíře Ivana

Roza Schlesingerová

žena na lavičce v chráma

Václav Wasserman

nový varhaník

Crew and creators

Director

Martin Frič

Assistant Director

Rudolf Stahl

Director of Photography

Jaroslav Blažek

Production Designer

Hanuš Gödert

Make-Up Artist

Josef Kobík

Cooperation

Jan Roth (vrchní osvětlovač), Willy Ströminger (fotograf)

Production info

Original Title

Varhaník u sv. Víta

Czech Title

Varhaník u sv. Víta

English Title

The Organist at St. Vitus' Cathedral

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1929

Production Year

1929

Production specifications

date of censorship 08/1929
projection approval 09/1946 (jako retrospektiva)

Premiere

premiere 30 August 1929 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Beránek /3 týdny/ a Světozor /2 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 09/1946 /suitable for youths/

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Lloydfilm (původní 1929), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1946)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

96 min

Original length in metres

2 746 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

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Zlatá medaile časopisu Filmový kurýr

1930
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Martin Frič