Pelikán Has an Alibi

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1940

Production year

1940

Premiere

4 October 1940

Runtime

89 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Pelikán má alibi

Czech title

Pelikán má alibi

English title

Pelikán Has an Alibi

Protectorate parallel title

Pelikan hat ein Alibi

Synopsis

Street photographers Máček and Kalabis happen to take a photograph of a robber stealing from a jeweller's store. The man and his accomplice disappear. When the thief realises that he was photographed, he sends his accomplice for the negative and waits in the confectioner's shop. He does not respond to the meaningful looks he gets from the young shop assistant Jarmila who recognises in him the man she met on a Sunday outing. The girl does not realise that this robber Sláma is identical to her boyfriend Pelikán. Thanks to his similarity Pelikán is interrogated by the police and has a hard time explaining his alibi. The two photographers find themselves embroiled in the case in the role of amateur sleuths. Sláma lures Pelikán to his flat and ties him up. He then goes to Pelikán's aunt's flat to get the ticket for the left-luggage office where the spoils are being stored. Sláma's accomplice had given Pelikán the ticket by mistake. His aunt, however, knows that this is not her nephew and the real perpetrator is finally arrested. Pelikán is rewarded with Jarmila's love.

Cast

Miroslav Homola

Karel Pelikán/lupič Sláma

Růžena Nasková

Klára Urbánková, Pelikánova teta

František Kreuzmann

Dufek, Slámův společník

Marie Glázrová

prodavačka v cukrárně Jarmila

Jaroslav Marvan

revírní inspektor Moudrý

Gustav Nezval

vrchní komisař dr. Moudrý, inspektor

Jindřich Plachta

fotograf Máček

Stanislav Neumann

fotograf Ferda Kalabis

Vlasta Hrubá

prodavačka v cukrárně Vlasta

Vlasta Podrabská

Mimi Černá, Slámova společnice

Eman Fiala

vetešník Tokal

Miloš Nedbal

policejní komisař

Anna Letenská

sousedka tety Kláry

Bolek Prchal

klenotník Adam

Jožka Koldovská

zákaznice klenotnictví Svobodová

Marie Vildová

majitelka cukrárny

Alois Dvorský

nahluchlý dědeček

M. Labuťová

číšnice

Adolf Marek

vrchní strážmistr

Miroslav Rudlof

tajný

Ladislav Janeček

strážník na motorce

Ada Dohnal

strážník

Jan W. Speerger

strážník

Antonín Frič

policejní fotograf

Crew and creators

Assistant Director

František Milič

Director of Photography

Josef Střecha

Production Designer

Alois Mecera

Set Designer

Ina Žáková

Film Editor

Marie Bourová

Sound Designer

Emanuel Formánek

Production Manager

Karel Šilhánek, Karel Feix (ředitel výroby)

Consultant

Miroslav Rutte (jazykový poradce)

Cooperation

Antonín Frič (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Eman Fiala, Josef Stelibský

Music Performed by

Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by František Svojík)

Songs

Sedím na větvi a zpívám (fox)

Song Composer Eman Fiala
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Mottl
Singer Stanislav NeumannJindřich Plachta

Production info

Original Title

Pelikán má alibi

Czech Title

Pelikán má alibi

English Title

Pelikán Has an Alibi

Protectorate Parallel Title

Pelikan hat ein Alibi

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1940

Production Year

1940

Production specifications

start of filming 19 June 1940
end of filming 07/1940
date of censorship 2 October 1940 (kulturně-výchovný)
date of censorship 1943 (predikát „uznáníhodný film“)
withdrawal from distribution 18 May 1945
date of censorship 10/1945 (konec povolení k promítání 31. 12. 1947)
withdrawal from distribution 16 December 1947
withdrawal from distribution 2 July 1959

Premiere

premiere 4 October 1940 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Blaník /2 týdny/ a Světozor /2 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 18 November 1945 /suitable for youths/

Production

Nationalfilm

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Laboratories

Grafo

Distribution

Nationalfilm (původní 1940), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1945)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

89 min

Original length in metres

2 543 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

Visatone

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech, German