The Mermaid
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1939Production year
1939Premiere
1 December 1939Runtime
91 minDirector
Václav KubásekCategory
filmGenre
comedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Mořská pannaCzech title
Mořská pannaEnglish title
The MermaidSynopsis
Three well-to-do friends, Hrdý, Sojka and Machač, go off on holiday together to a seaside spa. Gábinka, Hrdý's anxious wife, comes to the station to see him off. The men are hoping to live a little in the casino, on the beach and perhaps indulge in a little flirting. In a different hotel the young and beautiful Klára has just discovered that her lover has abandoned her and also stolen all her things, including her clothes. He had recommended to her that she find herself a rich man while she is still young. Klára, however, cannot think like this; it was not for money that she had loved the adventurous Robert. She now welcomes the simple and sincere company of Emanuel Hrdý who becomes a good friend. Klára has no financial difficulties because in the hotel where the three friends are staying, she is erroneously considered as a countess travelling incognito. Robert is mistaken about the relationship between Klára and Emanuel and, with a pistol in his hand, he robs him of his money and diamond buttons. Emanuel, feeling cheated, believes Klára to be a bait. The girl responds by sending a telegram to Gábinka asking her to come to the spa. She then uses her cunning to get back the stolen possessions and finally goes off in search of a new life.
Note
This theme had already been treated in a Czech film under the same title (Dir: Josef Medeotti-Boháč, 1926).
Photos
Cast
Jiřina Štěpničková
Klára
Bedřich Veverka
statkář Emanuel Hrdý
Vladimír Řepa
Karel Machač
Jára Kohout
obchodník Josef Sojka
František Salzer
dobrodruh Robert
Anna Letenská
Emanuelova žena Gábinka
Růžena Šlemrová
kněžna Witkónská
Eliška Pleyová
Machačova přítelkyně v baru
Eva Prchlíková
Sojkova přítelkyně v baru
Gabriel Hart
společník kněžny Witkónské
R. A. Strejka
společník kněžny Witkónské
Adolf Horálek
společník kněžny Witkónské
Josef Příhoda
cestující ve vlaku/ospalý muž v restauraci
František Paul
muž na pláži
Míla Pačová
obstarožní světačka
František Haller
barman
Bedřich Bozděch
hotelový host s dětmi
Josef Waltner
hotelový vrátný
Karel Černý
ředitel hotelu
Emanuel Kovařík
vrchní v hotelu
Oldřich Kovář
zpěvák
Jiří Hron
hotelový host
Josef Bělský
kožišník
Marie Vildová
host v lázních
Ota Motyčka
Richard
Slávka Rosenbergová
Richardova žena
Emanuel Hříbal
listonoš
Wanda Vodičková
přítelkyně Gábinky
Přemysl Pražský
detektiv v herně
Václav Mlčkovský
zástupce sirotčince
Josef Krejčí
zástupce sirotčince
Adolf Marek
host v herně
Jiří Schreinzer
host v herně
Sláva Grossmann
host v herně
F. X. Mlejnek
host v herně
Michel Elaguine
host v herně
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Based on
Josef Štolba (Mořská panna – divadelní hra)
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Production Designer
Set Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Cooperation
Antonín Frič (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Josef Stelibský)
Songs
Sám nevím, proč svému stínu závidím
Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Karel Melíšek
Singer Oldřich Kovář
Production info
Original Title
Mořská panna
Czech Title
Mořská panna
English Title
The Mermaid
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
comedy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1939
Production Year
1939
Production specifications
start of filming 21 August 1939
end of filming 5 September 1939
date of censorship 11/1939
Premiere
premiere 1 December 1939 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Metro /1 týden/, Blaník /1 týden/ a Ráj /3 týdny/, Praha)
Production
With support
Copyright Holders
Studio
Laboratories
Distribution
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
91 min
Original length in metres
2 610 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
Awards
Vítěz
Event: Státní záruky Československé vlády na výrobu filmů
1939
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Zdar
