Heart on Rails

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1937

Production year

1937

Premiere

27 April 1937

Runtime

87 min

Director

Jan Sviták

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Srdce na kolejích

Czech title

Srdce na kolejích

English title

Heart on Rails

Parallel title

Semafor

Synopsis

Eva, daughter of Doubrava the engine-driver, is marrying the engine-driver Pavel Skála. On the day of the wedding Doubrava receives notification of his compulsory retirement; his beloved locomotive passes to his son-in-law. The first time Pavel drives it he saves a young girl, Marta, who had stepped onto the tracks to commit suicide. The good-hearted young man starts to take care of Marta. The embittered Doubrava makes use of this and causes problems for Pavel at work and in his family. Pavel is temporarily suspended from his position, and after a row with Eva he leaves home in search of Marta. His kindness has led Marta to recover an interest in life. But because she knows that Pavel, in his heart of hearts, loves Eva, Marta says goodbye to the young man with a heavy heart. It is New Year's Eve: Pavel is sad and gladly stands in for an engine-driver whose child has fallen ill. Doubrava and signalman Borský pull Eva off the tracks just in time, she too having decided to do away with herself. But in the excitement Borský forgets to switch the signals and Pavel's express train crashes. Pavel is injured, and some passengers are killed. The guilt is borne by Borský and the others too; the first link in the chain of culpable people was Marta.

Note

The film ends with a discussion of guilt. The promotional material issued during the making of the film netions a final scene in which the body of a crash victim is borne by – Marta, who thus tragically atones for her guilt. Pavel leads his wife away from the scene.

Cast

Otomar Korbelář

strojvůdce Pavel Skála

Nancy Rubensová

Eva, Skálova žena

Jaroslav Vojta

strojvůdce Josef Doubrava, otec Evy

Jiřina Šejbalová

cirkusačka Marta

Čeněk Šlégl

přednosta stanice

Jiří Dohnal

topič Jiří Zeman

Raoul Schránil

železniční revident Kolár

František Kovářík

hradlař František Borský

Theodor Pištěk

majitel hotýlku

Jaroslav Marvan

topič Marek

Hermína Vojtová

stará cirkusačka

Jan W. Speerger

syn staré cirkusačky

Josef Kotalík

šéf výtopny

Karel Veverka

železničář

Fráňa Vajner

železničář

Ferdinand Jarkovský

železniční posel

Josef Klapuch

strážník

Ferry Seidl

četník

František Beranský

dirigent kapely

Jiří Dědek

hostinský

Karel Němec

host na tancovačce

Václav Menger

host na tancovačce

Josef Sládek

host na tancovačce

Nita Romanečová

host na tancovačce

Bobina Prošková

host na tancovačce

Vladimír Smíchovský

host na tancovačce

Emanuel Kovařík

úředník v dopravní kanceláři

Jiří Kratina

telegrafista

Jaroslav Tryzna

telegrafista

Gill Sedláčková

host v sále hotýlku

Emil Dlesk

host v sále hotýlku

Filip Balek-Brodský

host v sále hotýlku

Marie Vildová

host v sále hotýlku

Vokounová

Kostka

František Sádek

host v sále hotýlku

Crew and creators

Director

Jan Sviták

Assistant Director

František Milič (adept režie)

Screenstory

Ferdinand Fencl

Director of Photography

Julius Vegricht

Production Designer

Bohumil Heš

Set Designer

Ferdinand Kliment

Make-Up Artist

Gustav Hrdlička

Film Editor

Marie Bourová

Sound Designer

Jaroslav Čechura, Oskar Souček, J. Hartley

Titles Designed by

Lorenc

Cooperation

Jaroslav Krampera (vrchní osvětlovač), Jaroslav Kraus (fotograf), Willy Ströminger (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Josef Dobeš

Music Performed by

Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Josef Dobeš)

Songs

Nech bláhové touhy a snění

Song Composer Josef Dobeš
Writer of Lyrics Daisy Jelenová
Singer Jiřina Šejbalová

Dneska mám já od mašiny chlapce

Song Composer Josef Dobeš
Writer of Lyrics Daisy Jelenová
Singer Jiřina Šejbalová

Pryč a pryč je všecko

Production info

Original Title

Srdce na kolejích

Czech Title

Srdce na kolejích

English Title

Heart on Rails

Parallel Title

Semafor

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1937

Production Year

1937

Production specifications

start of filming 5 March 1937
date of censorship 04/1937
end of filming 19 April 1937

Premiere

premiere 27 April 1937 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Juliš /1½ týdne/, Metro /1½ týdne/ a Praha /1½ týdne/, Praha)

Production

Espo

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Espo

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

87 min

Original length in metres

2 489 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

Visatone

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Státní záruky Československé vlády na výrobu filmů

1937
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Espo

Vítěz

Event: Soutěž Filmového studia na původní filmové drama

1936
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Ferdinand Fencl