The White Disease
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1937Production year
1937Premiere
21 December 1937Runtime
105 minDirector
Hugo HaasCategory
filmGenre
drama, anti-war, allegory, political, psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Bílá nemocCzech title
Bílá nemocEnglish title
The White DiseaseSummary
This top work of art by actor and director Hugo Haas is a film adaptation of an allegorical play by Karel Čapek, which he had mastered as a then 36-year-old artist already on the theatre stage. As a screenwriter and director, Haas fulfilled a humanistic concept that in 1937 strongly resonated in a Europe engulfed by Nazi aggression. In the allegorical narrative, Haas plays the accomplished physician Galén, who discovers a cure for a disease known as "the white sickness". But he refuses to reveal the cure to the malicious Marshal (Zdeněk Štěpánek), who is waging a war of conquest on a neighbouring country... Unlike Čapek's novel, the film adaptation has a happy ending, connected to the figure of an ally of Galén's country – Dr. Martin (Jaroslav Průcha). Moreover, Haas's contemporary finale further emphasises the moral responsibility and redemptive role of intellectuals during dramatic, historic times.
Synopsis
The marshal provokes the men of his land to a war of aggression against the neighbouring country. The inhabitants accept his plans with enthusiasm, for according to the marshal's promises they will win fame and fortune in the war. In the meantime an incurable disease, called the white sickness, is spreading across the land. Dr. Galén, who treats the poor, discovers a cure and tests it in the clinic of Dr. Sigelius, the marshal's favorite. The results are excellent and Dr. Sigelius shamelessly accepts the credit for Galén's cure. But Galén will give out the process for preparing the cure only with the condition that preparations for the war be halted. The marshal refuses the condition and declares war. Thus Galén treats only the poor patients who have no share in the war. The marshal is stricken with the white sickness and only then is he willing to put an end to the fighting. He summons Galén, who hastens to the marshal's palace with the medication only to be killed by a militant throng. During the clash the ampule of medicine is broken. Nevertheless the marshal signs an order to end the fighting and speaks to the people about peace. The dead Galén is remembered by his friend, a doctor from the neighbouring country that was attacked. Before his death Galén had confided in him the secret of his cure and so the country can be saved.
Photos
Cast
Hugo Haas
MUDr. Galén
Zdeněk Štěpánek
maršál
Karla Oličová
maršálova dcera Aneta
Bedřich Karen
dvorní rada profesor MUDr. Sigelius
Václav Vydra st.
baron Olaf Krog
Ladislav Boháč
Krogův synovec Pavel, maršálův pobočník
Jaroslav Průcha
MUDr. Martin, lékař z malé sousední země
Karel Dostal
ministr propagandy
Rudolf Deyl st.
vysoký úředník ministerského kabinetu
František Smolík
otec, účetní ředitel u Kroga
Helena Friedlová
matka, manželka účetního ředitele
Eva Svobodová
dcera účetního ředitele
Vítězslav Boček
syn účetního ředitele
Otto Rubík
maršálův pobočník
Vladimír Šmeral
první asistent kliniky
Miroslav Svoboda
druhý asistent kliniky
Marie Nademlejnská
matka druhého asistenta
Karel Jičínský
vysoký úředník ministerského kabinetu
Eduard Blažek
člen maršálovy družiny
Vilém Pruner
asistent na klinice
Frank Rose-Růžička
asistent na klinice
Vladimír Smíchovský
vrátný ve zbrojovce
Karel Jelínek
novinář
Vladimír Hlavatý
novinář
Jaroslav Tryzna
novinář
Jaroslav Vojta
pacient doktora Galéna
Emil Dlesk
pacient doktora Galéna
Fráňa Vajner
pacient doktora Galéna
Antonín Šolc
pacient doktora Galéna
Karolína Vávrová
pacientka doktora Galéna
Marie Bibikoffová
ošetřovatelka na klinice
Erna Ženíšková
ošetřovatelka na klinice
František Filipovský
pacient na klinice
Julius Baťha
muž z baronovy suity
Marie Holanová
zfanatizovaná žena z davu
Anči Pírková
zfanatizovaná žena z davu
Jan Šebor
zfanatizovaný mladík z davu
Jindřich Adolf
zfanatizovaný muž z davu
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Based on
Karel Čapek (Bílá nemoc – divadelní hra)
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Production Designer
Set Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Cooperation
Willy Ströminger (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Ludwig van Beethoven (Symfonie č. 9 d moll /1. věta/)
Music Performed by
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Karel Ančerl)
Locations
bez exteriérů
Production info
Original Title
Bílá nemoc
Czech Title
Bílá nemoc
English Title
The White Disease
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama, anti-war, allegory, political, psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1937
Production Year
1937
Production specifications
start of filming 6 October 1937
end of filming 1 November 1937
date of censorship 12/1937 (kulturně-výchovný)
projection approval 7 March 1946 (konec povolení k promítání 7. 3. 1947)
Premiere
premiere 21 December 1937 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Alfa /3½ týdne/, Praha)
renewed premiere 5 April 1946 /suitable for youths/ (kino Moskva /4 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 22 August 1958 /suitable for youths/ (kino Jalta, Praha)
renewed premiere 29 September 2016 /suitable for all ages without limit/
Production
With support
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Moldavia (původní 1937), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1946), Ústřední půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1958), Národní filmový archiv (obnovená 2016)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
105 min
Original length in metres
3 110 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm, DCP 2-D, BRD
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
black & white
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
Tobis – Klang
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: Festival Cannes 1939 Orléans
2019
Orléans / France
historické uznání
Vítěz
Festival: Festival restaurovaných a nalezených filmů s tematikou tolerance UNESCO Paříž
1995
Paříž / France
Národní filmový archiv
Revue
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