Man from the Unknown
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1939Production year
1939Premiere
22 December 1939Runtime
84 minDirector
Martin FričCategory
filmGenre
drama, psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Muž z neznámaCzech title
Muž z neznámaEnglish title
Man from the UnknownSynopsis
The American industrialist Graigs is reported missing during a trip to Bohemia. In Prague a man with a striking resemblance to Graigs, but with no identification on him, is held by the police. The doctor, secretary and employees of the hotel claim that this man is the industrialist, but the man refuses this statement. Then he discovers that the man is notorious for his hard and despotic charakter. He agrees to travel to London where he begins to carry out extensive social changes in favour of the workers at the plants. He also discovers that Graigs is currently going through a divorce. The beautiful Mrs Graigs, however, notices the changes in her husband and begins to fall in love with him again. The real Graigs is now recovering after a long period spent nursing a serious injury which he suffered in the mountains. When his health returns to normal he goes back to London. Graigs meets his double and tries to shoot him during an argument. Unawares, a worker at his factory discourages him from abandoning the changes at the plant when he says that employee satisfaction is much more productive than exploitation. Graigs' wife already knows that she loves "the other one". Fortunately, his gunshot wounds are not serious and they are finally able to leave together.
Note
The furniture used in the film was supplied by Company UP in Brno. The film was presented at the 8th Venice Film Festival, 1940.
Photos
Cast
Zdeněk Štěpánek
muž z neznáma/John Graigs, americký průmyslník
Jiřina Štěpničková
Helena, Graigsova žena
Zvonimir Rogoz
Graigsův tajemník Clifford
Karel Černý
vrchní ředitel oceláren Black
Karel Dostal
viceprezident Northon
Jaroslav Průcha
lékař MUDr. White
Božena Šustrová
Nelly Wernerová, Graigsova milenka
František Kreuzmann
Američan Bob
Jarmila Holmová
Bobova žena
Vladimír Šmeral
pacient Dvořáček
Jaroslav Vojta
dělník v ocelárnách
Marie Burešová
děvče z přístavu
Bolek Prchal
policejní komisař
Vladimír Hlavatý
reportér
Rudolf Hrušínský st.
redaktor
Hermína Vojtová
sousedka
Libuše Rogozová
sekretářka
Jaroslav Hladík
ředitel hotelu
Vladimír Smíchovský
mluvčí dělníků
Otto Čermák
primář nemocnice
Antonín Kandert
Helenin právní zástupce Goodman
Jindra Hermanová
komorná paní Graigsové
Doďa Pražský
komorník u Graigse
Josef Hořánek
člen správní rady
Jaroslav Sadílek
člen správní rady
Antonín Strnad
člen správní rady
Karel Šott
člen správní rady
Miloš Šubrt
člen správní rady
František Roland
člen správní rady
Karel Roden st.
člen správní rady
Marie Nademlejnská
členka správní rady
Růžena Kurelová
členka správní rady
Antonín Zacpal
tajný
Josef Kraus
tajný
Emanuel Kovařík
tajný
Václav Mlčkovský
strážník
Jan W. Speerger
strážník
Václav Menger
šofér
Karel Němec
šofér
Jiří Hron
zaměstnanec hotelu
Karolína Vávrová
sousedka
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Screenstory
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Production Designer
Set Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Cooperation
Věra Pečenková (vedoucí dialogu), Willy Ströminger (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Miloš Smatek)
Production info
Original Title
Muž z neznáma
Czech Title
Muž z neznáma
English Title
Man from the Unknown
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama, psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1939
Production Year
1939
Production specifications
start of filming 20 November 1939 (ateliéry)
end of filming 9 December 1939 (ateliéry)
date of censorship 18 December 1939
projection approval 22 August 1945 (konec povolení k promítání 22. 8. 1947)
projection approval 1947 (neschváleno do distribuce)
Premiere
premiere 22 December 1939 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Blaník /2 týdny/ a Světozor /2 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 15 September 1945 /suitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Lloyd (původní 1939), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1945)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
84 min
Original length in metres
2 400 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm
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, German
Awards
Vítěz
Event: Stuhy časopisu Český filmový zpravodaj
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Martin Frič
Vítěz
Event: Národní ceny za umění filmové
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Alois Mecera
