Prelude
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1941Production year
1941Premiere
25 December 1941Runtime
87 minDirector
František ČápCategory
filmGenre
melodramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
PreludiumCzech title
PreludiumEnglish title
PreludeProtectorate parallel title
PräludiumSynopsis
Theatre props man Karel Vajgant is married to young Magda and they have two children, seven-year-old Pavlík and eleven-year-old Pepička. Magda is an anxious mother but senses that her husband puts his work and his comfort first. In a weak moment, Magda is unfaithful to her husband. Vajgant receives an anonymous letter which informs him of his wife's infidelity. His friend, the curtain-drawer Tonda, advises him to throw away the letter and instead spend more time with his wife. Karel invites his wife to a winebar. Magda is weighed down by her conscience and decides to admit her infidelity to Karel. Karel is greatly shocked by this and is determined to part with his wife and later divorce her. Magda has no choice but to propose that Pepička will keep house for him and she will look after Pavlík. During the few days left before Magda's departure, Vajgant realises that his wife deeply regrets her actions. Karel's pious old friend Zikmund reminds him that even a desecrated church can be consecrated once more. When his daughter begs him to let her leave with her mother, Karel chooses to forgive Magda.
Photos
Cast
Zdeněk Štěpánek
divadelní rekvizitář Karel Vajgant
Jiřina Štěpničková
Magda, Vajgantova žena
Nataša Tanská
Pepička, dcera Vajgantových
Miroslav Červený
Pavlík, syn Vajgantových
Terezie Brzková
šatnářka v divadle, Magdina matka
Jan Pivec
Tonda, oponář v divadle
František Kovářík
Zikmund, pasíř v divadle
Míla Pačová
herečka Holmová
František Roland
policejní komisař
Jan W. Speerger
policejní inspektor
Vladiimír Paclt
strážník
Václav Pecián
strážník
Růžena Gottliebová
herečka
Darja Hajská
herečka
Vladimír Řepa
herec
Otto Rubík
herec
Hermína Vojtová
klepna
Antonie Langrová
klepna
Lola Skrbková
klepna
Marie Ježková
guvernantka
Jiří Krchňavý
Toník, Pavlíkův kamarád
František Paul
asistent scény
František Milič
inspicient
Anna Steimarová
Klepetářová
Antonín Jirsa
muž Klepetářové
Jiří Fiala
varhaník
Marie Nademlejnská
prostitutka
Miloš Šubrt
chodec v sadech
Stanislava Strobachová
animírka ve vinárně
Slávka Doležalová
animírka ve vinárně
Elsa Vetešníková
animírka ve vinárně
Jiří Eliáš
pianista ve vinárně Pepek
Viktor Socha
číšník ve vinárně
Jarmila Smejkalová
květinářka v restauraci
Antonín Šolc
statista v divadle
Oleg Reif
kluk
Dubbing
Eduard Kohout
hlas Magdina svůdce
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Screenstory
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Set Designer
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Karel Šilhánek, Vilém Brož (ředitel výroby)
Consultant
Miroslav Rutte (jazykový poradce)
Cooperation
Jaroslav Balzar (fotograf), Karel Hájek (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Otakar Jeremiáš, Jiří Fiala (dokomponování)
Music Performed by
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Jiří Fiala), Jiří Eliáš /sólo na klavír/
Songs
Ještě já se na tě podívám
Production info
Original Title
Preludium
Czech Title
Preludium
English Title
Prelude
Protectorate Parallel Title
Präludium
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
melodrama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1941
Production Year
1941
Production specifications
start of filming 2 October 1941
end of filming 13 November 1941
date of censorship 19 December 1941 (kulturně-výchovný)
date of censorship 31 March 1943 (kulturně-výchovný /16mm verze/)
date of censorship 1943 (predikáty „umělecky hodnotný film“ a „film pro Den hrdinů“ /35mm a 16mm verze/)
withdrawal from distribution 18 May 1945
date of censorship 11 June 1945 (konec povolení k promítání 11. 6. 1947)
date of censorship 1949 (neschváleno do distribuce)
withdrawal from distribution 30 November 1949
Premiere
premiere 25 December 1941 /inaccessible for youths/ (kina Aleš /3 týdny/ a Lucerna /3 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 04/1943 /inaccessible for youths/ (16mm verze)
renewed premiere 28 July 1945 /inaccessible for youths/
Production
With support
Copyright Holders
Studio
Laboratories
Distribution
Lucernafilm (původní 1941), ČMÚ (obnovená 1943 /16mm verze/), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1945)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
87 min
Original length in metres
2 611 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 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
