This tragicomedy from 1939, directed by Martin Frič, is among the most popular Czech films of all time. The reason behind this is the intriguing protagonist – Alois Novák, the seemingly banal married office clerk. Novák works in a travel agency, but once a month he spends an evening in the luxurious Orient Bar playing the seducer Kristian, always to disappear for ever at the key moment when his enticed female prey is about to fall for his charms. Alois/Kristian has become an integral part of Czech popculture and one iconic depiction of the country’s national character. The film was inspired by a play from 1936 by French author Yvan Noé – in the Czech staging of this play, the part of the beauty who refuses to be left behind by Kristian is played by Nataša Gollová. In Frič’s outstanding film, on the other hand, Gollová is given the part of Mařenka, the principal character’s diffident wife. The mondaine but somewhat embittered Zuzana is performed by Adina Mandlová, while an ideal rendering of Alois/Kristian is given by Oldřich Nový.
Alois Novák, a minor clerk in a travel agency and the husband of a dowdy housewife, lives a run-of-the-mill, dull life. In his soul, however, there resides an inextinguishable desire for adventure. And so once a month he poses as a playboy. As the mysterious and wealthy Mr. Kristian he goes to the exclusive Orient Bar where he does not skimp on generous tips and where he platonically seduces beautiful and elegant women. In the salon he speaks of love and the magnificence of exotic lands, which he has supposedly come to know on his wanderings abroad. In reality he has read all of this in the travel agency's brochures. The women succumb to the enchantment of his velvety voice and on his request obediently close their eyes. Kristian then hurriedly and alone leaves the bar, that after another month he may repeat his game with another woman. He leads this double life till the time he meets the intelligent Zuzana in the bar. Zuzana scrutinizes his dealings and returns Kristian to his real life at the side of his faithful wife Mařenka, who under the direction of her aunt has been transformed into an elegant, modern woman.
The title of the film in the original version is Kristian. In the descripitons of the film at the time, on the posters and in other written literature the tittle is given as Kristián. The appartment was furnished by the United UP Company.
úředník Alois Novák alias pan Kristian
Mařenka, Novákova žena
Fred
Petr
Zuzana Rendlová, Fredova snoubenka
úředník cestovní kanceláře Josef Nový
Mařenčina tetička
ředitel cestovní kanceláře Král
elegán s kapesníčkem
ředitel Orient baru
vrchní Robert
barman
šatnářka Lída
vrátný v baru
mixérka v baru
číšník v Orient baru
číšník v Orient baru
číšník v Orient baru
číšník v Orient baru
číšník v Orient baru
host v baru
host v baru
sekretářka ředitele Krále
advokát JUDr. Dvořáček
bankéř Votický
lékař bankéře Votického
taxikář
taxikář
zákazník v cestovní kanceláři
novomanžel
novomanželka Miluška
závozník s minerálkou
host v Orient baru
dirigent a zpěvák
barový orchestr
Yvan Noé (Christian – divadelní hra)
Willy Ströminger (fotograf)
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Sláva Eman Nováček), Orchestr R. A. Dvorského (Music Conducted by R. A. Dvorský)
Song Composer Sláva Eman Nováček
Writer of Lyrics Josef Gruss
Singer Oldřich Nový
Song Composer Sláva Eman Nováček
Writer of Lyrics Josef Gruss
Singer R. A. Dvorský
Kristian
Kristian
Kristian
film
featuretheatrical distribution
comedy
Czechoslovakia
1939
1939
start of filming 2 May 1939
end of filming 25 May 1939
date of censorship 08/1939
premiere 8 September 1939 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Lucerna /5 týdnů/, Praha)
feature film
96 min
2 746 meters
35mm
1:1,37
black & white
sound
Tobis – Klang
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Event: Ceny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností
1939
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Adina Mandlová
Event: Ceny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností
1939
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Martin Frič