Happiness For Two

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1940

Production year

1940

Premiere

16 August 1940

Runtime

83 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy, operetta

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Štěstí pro dva

Czech title

Štěstí pro dva

English title

Happiness For Two

Parallel title

Glück für zwei

Working title

Venuše na indexu

Synopsis

Famous operetta soubrette Soňa Jansová is presented as a miss according to her contract with the theatre. In fact she is married and has a four-year-old daughter, Evička, whom she claims is her niece. Her husband, the lawyer Karel Svoboda, represents her. This role becomes harder and harder for him: he would prefer not to cover up the real state of affairs. He insists Soňa terminate the contract and leaves Prague to give her two days to make up her mind to do so. After his departure Soňa discovers Evička is missing. She had crept out through half-open doors, later finding herself in the police station where she spent the night. Soňa suspects Karel took Evička with him and does not report the child as missing. The next day, while singing on the radio, her nerves fail her and over the microphone she begs Karel to return her child. He returns as soon as he reads a sensationalist newspaper story about the married Mrs Jansa and her child. The result is not that Soňa loses popularity, as the theatre director fears, but that her forthcoming performances all sell out. The chief of police brings the child to the desperate parents in the theatre. Soňa, overjoyed, sings for the audience a favourite song about Prague.

Note

The furniture was loaned by the United UP Company, Lucerna, Prague II. Stanislav Neumann is listed in the role of the dog stealer Sadílek, but in fact in both his scenes he plays Kafuněk. He played the car thief Kafuněk in the film Merry Poverty. The first performance of the film was held on the 4th of July 1940 on festival Filmové žně in Zlín.

Cast

Jarmila Kšírová

operetní subreta Soňa Jansová

Jan Pivec

JUDr. Karel Svoboda, Sonin manžel

Eva Vandasová

Evička, dcera Svobodových

Jiří Vondrovič

mladokomik Jiří Hájek

Hana Vítová

Helena, Jiřího snoubenka

Dano Živojnovič

tenorista Valenta

Vlasta Hrubá

zpěvačka Marta

Jindra Hermanová

Anežka, komorná u Soni Jansové

Karel Hašler

ředitel Komorní operety

Ferenc Futurista

vrátný v divadle Vrána

Jindřich Plachta

policejní inspektor Pěnička

Stanislav Neumann

zloděj psů Kafuněk

Miroslav Homola

Ing. Jareš

Dora Martinová

úřednice Jiřina

Jan W. Speerger

strážník

Bohuš Záhorský

Nosek, Jarešův přítel

Ladislav Janeček

inspektor Soukup

Antonín Zacpal

host na premiéře

Jaroslav Sadílek

divadelní sluha

Vladimír Štros

strážník

Bohumil Langer

zákazník v gramofonovém závodě

Crew and creators

Assistant Director

Antonín Kubový, Rudolf Stahl

Director of Photography

Josef Střecha

Camera Operator

Jaromír Holpuch

Production Designer

Jan Zázvorka

Set Designer

František Nestler

Film Editor

Antonín Zelenka

Sound Designer

Josef Zora

Titles Designed by

Arno Pařík

Production Manager

Jan Sinnreich

Cooperation

Jaroslav Balzar (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Josef Stelibský

Music Performed by

Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Josef Stelibský)

Choreographer

Rudolf Macharovský

Danced by

Taneční skupina Rudolfa Macharovského, Eliška Slancová, Táňa Černá, Rudolf Macharovský, Viktor Malcev, Jan Regal, Jaroslav Pelc, Jaroslav Jaroš (2), Jan Nosek

Songs

Láska hvězdy snáší s oblaků

Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav MottlKarel Melíšek
Singer Jarmila Kšírová

Když je u mne Josefína

Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav MottlKarel Melíšek
Singer Jiří Vondrovič

Máme tak rádi píseň o mládí

Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav MottlKarel Melíšek
Singer Dano Živojnovič

Štěstí je to, co rádi máme

Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav MottlKarel Melíšek
Singer Vlasta HrubáJiří Vondrovič

Tys' má pohádka

Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Mottl
Singer Jarmila Kšírová

Zpívám hvězdám

Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav MottlKarel Melíšek
Singer Dano ŽivojnovičJarmila Kšírová

Čekám jen na tebe /Já vím/

Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav MottlKarel Melíšek
Singer Vlasta HrubáJiří Vondrovič

Praha je krásná

Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Karel MelíšekJaroslav Mottl
Singer Jarmila Kšírová

Production info

Original Title

Štěstí pro dva

Czech Title

Štěstí pro dva

English Title

Happiness For Two

Parallel Title

Glück für zwei

Working Title

Venuše na indexu

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy, operetta

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1940

Production Year

1940

Production specifications

start of filming 28 February 1940
end of filming 29 March 1940
date of censorship 25 April 1940 (kulturně-výchovný)
projection approval 01/1946 (konec povolení k promítání 11. 7. 1947)

Premiere

festival premiere 4 July 1940 (1. Filmové žně 1940 Zlín)
premiere 16 August 1940 /suitable for youths/ (kina Lucerna /3 týdny/ a Na Příkopě /2 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 11 January 1946 /suitable for youths/

Production

Lucernafilm

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Lucernafilm (původní 1940), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1946)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

83 min

Original length in metres

2 350 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

Exhibition: 1. Filmové žně 1940 Zlín

1940
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Lucernafilm