Men Offside

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1931

Production year

1931

Premiere

11 September 1931

Runtime

95 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Muži v offsidu

Czech title

Muži v offsidu

English title

Men Offside

Summary

Karel Poláček´s humoristic novel enjoyed a great deal of popularity that arose from the moment it was published. The idea that this story of passionate football fans should be adapted for the silver screen was turned into a reality in 1931 under the direction of the experienced Svatopluk Innemann. Despite the fact that the successful silent movie director was only in the process of familiarising himself with the technical trickiness of the “talkie”, a timeless comedy was created. It truly grants Poláček’s heroes and his humour an eternal life on the silver screen. Hugo Haas is radiant in the role of Žižkov district shopkeeper Načeradec who prizes loyalty to “his” football club S. K. Slavie above both his family and his work duties. Tailor Habásek who, together with his adult son, follows S. K. Viktorie football club is embodied by Jindřich Plachta. A year later, Gustav Machatý created a comedy feature based on Poláček’s work entitled Načeradec, král kibiců (Načeradec, King of the Kibitzers), in which Haas re-emerges in the leading role.

Synopsis

Clothes-shop owner Richard Načeradec from Žižkov is a great fan of the Slavia football team and, despite resistance from his wife, he goes to watch them play every Sunday. The tailor Emanuel Habásko lives alone with his grown-up son Eman. The tailor is constantly pursued by widow Ouholičková but he bravely resists her attentions. The Habásko family will not recognise the existence of any other football club except Viktoria. One day Načeradec comes face to face with Eman during a Slavia-Viktoria football match. Their stormy debate has to be stopped by a policeman. He gives them both a disciplinary fine. Eman, who is unemployed, does not have the money to pay the fine. Načeradec pays it for him and offers him work in his shop. In his new position, Eman falls in love with Emilka Šefelínová from Nusle. Emilka's father, however, tries his best to put an end to this acquaintance. Despite this, Šefelín grows fond of Habásko senior for his jovial character and the story ends with Eman and Emilka's wedding in the church of St Ludmila.

Note

For a free sequel see Načeradec, King of the Kibitzers (1932).

Cast

Hugo Haas

obchodník Richard Načeradec

Jožka Vanerová

Hedvika, Načeradcova žena

Felix Kühne

strýc Ignác Kauders, vyrovnávací správce

Jindřich Plachta

krejčí Emanuel Habásko

Eman Fiala

obchodní příručí Eman, syn krejčího Habáska

Betty Kysilková

vdova Ouholičková

Theodor Pištěk

holič Alois Šefelín

Ella Nollová

Kateřina, Šefelínova žena

Jiřina Štěpničková

švadlena Emilka, dcera Šefelínových

Jaroslav Vojta

fotbalový fanoušek Antonín Hátle

Růžena Šlemrová

Šmalfusová, majitelka módního salonu

Josef Laufer

on sám, sportovní redaktor

František Říha

fotbalový fanoušek Sádlo, odhadce v zastavárně

Jan Richter

vrchní Patera

Jaroslav Marvan

policejní komisař

Emanuel Trojan

fotbalový fanoušek/host v hostinci

Jindřich Adolf

fotbalový fanoušek/karbaník v kavárně/host v hostinci

F. X. Mlejnek

fotbalový fanoušek

František Haller

fotbalový fanoušek

Jaroslav Bráška

fotbalový fanoušek

Emil Dlesk

fotbalový fanoušek

Julius Vegricht

fotbalový fanoušek

Ada Dohnal

zpívající fotbalový fanoušek

V. A. Vlasák

zpívající fotbalový fanoušek

Darja Hajská

fotbalová fanynka

Marie Häusslerová

fotbalová fanynka

Marie Hallerová

fotbalová fanynka

Václav Menger

karbaník v kavárně

Viktor Nejedlý

host v kavárně

Josef Kytka

host v hostinci

Karel Šilhánek

číšník Franc

Vladimír Smíchovský

muž s gramofonem v okně

Ladislav Kolda

muž na horské dráze

František Jerhot

muž na horské dráze

Josef Oliak

příbuzný pana Načeradce

Robert Ford

příbuzný pana Načeradce

Arnold Reimann

příbuzný pana Načeradce

Marie Oliaková

příbuzná pana Načeradce

Mariana Hellerová

příbuzná pana Načeradce

R. A. Dvorský

zpěvák na svatební hostině

Karel Vacek

hudebník na svatební hostině

Václav Bláha

hudebník na svatební hostině

Melody Boys

hudebníci na svatební hostině

František Plánička

brankář na archivních záběrech

Crew and creators

Assistant Director

František Jerhot

Based on

Karel Poláček (Muži v offsidu – román)

Director of Photography

Václav Vích

Production Designer

Hanuš Gödert, Vladimír Vrána

Production Manager

Ladislav Kolda

Music

Music Composed by

Eman Fiala

Selected Music

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (Svatební pochod)

Music Performed by

Melody Boys (Music Conducted by R. A. Dvorský)

Songs

Šijem, pořád šijem

Song Composer Eman Fiala
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Mottl
Singer Bajo trio

Cizinec se vrací do vlasti

Singer Jindřich Plachta

Production info

Original Title

Muži v offsidu

Czech Title

Muži v offsidu

English Title

Men Offside

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1931

Production Year

1931

Production specifications

date of censorship 25 July 1931
date of censorship 30 March 1932 (němá verze)
projection approval 23 September 1946 (konec povolení k promítání 23. 9. 1951)
projection approval 11/1968

Premiere

premiere 11 September 1931 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Kotva /6 týdnů/ a Lucerna /6 týdnů/, Praha)
renewed premiere 04/1932 /unsuitable for youths/ (němá verze)
renewed premiere 27 September 1946 /suitable for youths/
renewed premiere 7 March 1969 /suitable for youths/

Production

AB

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Paramount (původní 1931 a obnovená 1932), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1946), Ústřední půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1969)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

95 min

Original length in metres

2 700 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,19

Colour

black & white

Sound

silent, sound

Sound system/format

Tobis – Klang

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Intertitles languages

Czech, without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech