Using his own novel Odcházeti s podzimem (Leaving with Autumn) as a foundation, Václav Krška wrote a screenplay that he set out to turn into a film in 1939 together with another debutant Frantíšek Čáp. This romantic story turns on a stirring infatuation that takes hold of three young people under the influence of Šimon, a Prague student. After the study year, 18 year-old Julio returns to his parental home, a little chateau on the Otava river. There he converges with his childhood friend Petr and the young boatman's daughter Klárka. Sharing her beguilement with Šimon, who has quickly turned a tranquil summer atmosphere into a relationship drama, is Julio’s cousin Rosa... Alongside Václav Sova – his part as Julio represented his only fling with the film scene – Lída Baarová shines as Rosa. Svatopluk Beneš plays Šimon while the part of Klárka is taken by the then 18 year-old Zorka Janů – Baarová’s younger sister who in 1946 committed suicide because she could not bear the persecution of her family.
After eight years of studying, Julio, the eighteen-year-old son of a lord of the manor, now lately deceased, returns home. He is warmly welcomed by his old nurse Paulina and his cousin Rosa. However, he receives only cold stares from Rosa's mother, Julio's aunt. The ageing woman keeps her distance from everyone and does not wish the young people to mix with the local youths. The temperamental Rosa has bewitched the timid Julio and he finally has to runs away from her. He meets Petr, his friend from childhood who works at the manor as a gardener. Petr takes him to meet his friends and they spend their leisure time in the romantic environment of the river. One night, the old ferryman tends the wounds of a young man named Šimon, a student from Prague who causes unease among the friends. The ferryman's granddaughter Klárka falls in love with him but he only treats her like a child. Šimon has eyes only for Rosa, who returns his feelings. Klárka's jealousy drives her to attempt suicide. She is saved, but at the cost of Petr's life. The summer ends, Šimon goes back to Prague and says farewell to Rosa. Rosa tells him she is expecting his child and so Šimon takes her with him.
Julio
Juliova teta
Rosa, dcera tety
student Šimon
chůva Paulina
Červená Klárka
zahradník Petr
Střevlík, Petrův kamarád
starý převozník, Klárčin dědeček
železničář
komorník
mladík skákající do vody
Václav Krška (Odcházeti s podzimem – román)
Willy Ströminger (fotograf)
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Jiří Srnka), Český pěvecký sbor (Music Conducted by Jiří Srnka)
Song Composer Jiří Srnka
Writer of Lyrics K. M. Walló
Singer Lída Baarová
Singer Český pěvecký sbor
Singer Český pěvecký sbor
Singer ženský hlas
Singer mužský hlas
Song Composer Jiří Srnka
Song Composer Jiří Srnka
Ohnivé léto
Ohnivé léto
Fiery Summer
Lodernder Sommer
A valčík hrál...
film
featuretheatrical distribution
film-poem
Czechoslovakia
1939
1939
start of filming 07/1939
end of filming 09/1939
date of censorship 17 October 1939
date of censorship 11/1941 (kulturně-výchovný)
date of censorship 1943 (predikáty „uznáníhodný film“ a „film pro Den hrdinů“)
withdrawal from distribution 18 May 1945
premiere 20 October 1939 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Lucerna /3 týdny/, Praha)
feature film
91 min
2 600 meters
35mm
1:1,37
black & white
sound
Tobis – Klang
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Event: Anketa deníku Večer – O nejlepší český film roku 1939 a o nejoblíbenější českou filmovou herečku a herce
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Event: Národní ceny za umění filmové
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jiří Srnka
Event: Anketa deníku Večer – O nejlepší český film roku 1939 a o nejoblíbenější českou filmovou herečku a herce
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Event: Národní ceny za umění filmové
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Karel Degl
Event: Ceny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Lucernafilm s.r.o.
Event: Národní ceny za umění filmové
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Václav Krška
Event: Anketa deníku Večer – O nejlepší český film roku 1939 a o nejoblíbenější českou filmovou herečku a herce
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Lída Baarová
Event: Národní ceny za umění filmové
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
František Čáp