Kristian

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1939

Production year

1939

Premiere

8 September 1939

Runtime

96 min

Director

Martin Frič

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Kristian

Czech title

Kristian

English title

Kristian

Summary

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.

Synopsis

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.

Note

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.

Film online

Cast

Oldřich Nový

úředník Alois Novák alias pan Kristian

Nataša Gollová

Mařenka, Novákova žena

Adina Mandlová

Zuzana Rendlová, Fredova snoubenka

Jára Kohout

úředník cestovní kanceláře Josef Nový

Anna Steimarová

Mařenčina tetička

Jaroslav Marvan

ředitel cestovní kanceláře Král

Čeněk Šlégl

elegán s kapesníčkem

Josef Bělský

ředitel Orient baru

František Paul

vrchní Robert

Aša Vašátková

šatnářka Lída

Václav Mlčkovský

vrátný v baru

Miroslava Hromková

mixérka v baru

Přemysl Pražský

číšník v Orient baru

Doďa Pražský

číšník v Orient baru

Jaroslav Sadílek

číšník v Orient baru

Václav Piskáček

číšník v Orient baru

Ada Dohnal

číšník v Orient baru

Sláva Grossmann

host v baru

Jarmila Holmová

sekretářka ředitele Krále

František Filipovský

advokát JUDr. Dvořáček

Alois Dvorský

bankéř Votický

Antonín Zacpal

lékař bankéře Votického

Vojta Merten

taxikář

Jindřich Láznička

zákazník v cestovní kanceláři

R. A. Strejka

novomanžel

Blažena Slavíčková

novomanželka Miluška

Jindřich Fiala

závozník s minerálkou

Marie Hrdličková

host v Orient baru

R. A. Dvorský

dirigent a zpěvák

Crew and creators

Director

Martin Frič

Based on

Yvan Noé (Christian – divadelní hra)

Director of Photography

Ferdinand Pečenka

Production Designer

Jan Zázvorka

Set Designer

František Nestler

Film Editor

Jan Kohout

Sound Designer

Stanislav Vondraš

Titles Designed by

Arno Pařík

Production Manager

Jan Sinnreich

Cooperation

Willy Ströminger (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Sláva Eman Nováček

Music Performed by

Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Sláva Eman Nováček), Orchestr R. A. Dvorského (Music Conducted by R. A. Dvorský)

Songs

Jen pro ten dnešní den (slow-fox)

Song Composer Sláva Eman Nováček
Writer of Lyrics Josef Gruss
Singer Oldřich Nový

Nečekej

Song Composer Sláva Eman Nováček
Writer of Lyrics Josef Gruss
Singer R. A. Dvorský

Production info

Original Title

Kristian

Czech Title

Kristian

English Title

Kristian

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1939

Production Year

1939

Production specifications

start of filming 2 May 1939
end of filming 25 May 1939
date of censorship 08/1939

Premiere

premiere 8 September 1939 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Lucerna /5 týdnů/, Praha)

Production

Lucernafilm

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

AB

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

96 min

Original length in metres

2 746 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: Ceny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností

1939
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Adina Mandlová

Vítěz

Event: Ceny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností

1939
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Martin Frič