Watchman No. 47

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1937

Production year

1937

Premiere

3 December 1937

Runtime

86 min

Director

Josef Rovenský, Jan Sviták (dokončení)

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Hlídač č. 47

Czech title

Hlídač č. 47

English title

Watchman No. 47

Parallel title

Hlídač číslo čtyřicet sedm

Synopsis

Young village shopkeeper Ferda Zuska wants to throw himself in front of a train because his girl has married another man. At the last moment he is saved by the railway watchman Douša and his wife Anna. Ferda soon forgets his sorrow and begins to court this Anna. The unsuspecting Douša is the object of laughter for the entire village. In addition, in saving Ferda he slipped on the railway tracks and since that time he has had poor hearing. One day he even discovers to his horror that he has become completely deaf and for this reason he must leave his job. After some time his hearing returns. Douša decides to pretend further that he is deaf to find out what people think of him. Ferda urges Anna to run away with him, and he wants to kill Douša. The broken woman confides in her husband unaware that he is able to hear her. Douša orders her to leave the house, but on the pleas of their child he reverses his decision. The next day he returns to work and forgives his wife, for he realizes that he has neglected her and has paid attention only to his own personal interests. Ferda, in a drunken state, tragically perishes under the tracks of an express train.

Note

After shooting practically the entire film, director Josef Rovenský took ill and Jan Sviták finished the work on the film.

Cast

Jaroslav Průcha

hlídač trati František Douša

Marie Glázrová

Anna, Doušova žena

Karel Veselý

Karel, synek Doušových

Ladislav Boháč

kramář Ferda Zuska

František Kovářík

hrobník Zuska, Ferdův otec

Alois Dvorský

truhlář Bertík

Slávka Holakovská

nevěsta Anča Trunečková

Václav Menger

host v hospodě

Karel Němec

host v hospodě

Fráňa Vajner

host v hospodě

Jaroslav Bráška

člen lékařské posudkové komise

Jan Černý

člen lékařské posudkové komise

Alois Peterka

člen lékařské posudkové komise

Josef Sládek

železničář

Antonín Šolc

Doušův přítel

Vladimír Smíchovský

Doušův přítel

Viktor Nejedlý

Doušův přítel

Ferdinand Kohout

Doušův přítel

Bedřich Frank

Doušův přítel

Josef Oliak

Doušův přítel

Crew and creators

Director

Josef Rovenský, Jan Sviták (dokončení)

Assistant Director

Rudolf Stahl

Based on

Josef Kopta (Hlídač č. 47 – román)

Director of Photography

Karel Degl

Production Designer

Ferdinand Fiala

Film Editor

Marie Bourová

Production Manager

Karel Šilhánek

Cooperation

Antonín Frič (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Josef Dobeš

Music Performed by

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

Songs

Tam u Královýho Hradce

Singer Jaroslav Průchamužský sbor

Production info

Original Title

Hlídač č. 47

Czech Title

Hlídač č. 47

English Title

Watchman No. 47

Parallel Title

Hlídač číslo čtyřicet sedm

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1937

Production Year

1937

Production specifications

start of filming 07/1937
end of filming 08/1937
date of censorship 12/1937
projection approval 6 June 1945 (konec povolení k promítání 6. 6. 1946)
projection approval 27 May 1946 (konec povolení k promítání 31. 12. 1946)
projection approval 15 November 1957

Premiere

premiere 3 December 1937 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Avion /1 týden/ a Metro /1 týden/, Praha)
renewed premiere 13 July 1945 /unsuitable for youths/
renewed premiere 06/1952 /unsuitable for youths/
renewed premiere 18 July 1958 /unsuitable for youths/

Production

Elekta (zadavatel), Foja

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Elekta (původní 1937), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1945), Rozdělovna filmů Československého státního filmu (obnovená 1952), Ústřední půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1958)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

86 min

Original length in metres

2 447 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: Čestné diplomy časopisu Filmové listy

1938
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Elekta

Vítěz

Event: Státní záruky Československé vlády na výrobu filmů

1937
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Elekta