Another Way of Life

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1963

Production year

1963

Premiere

20 December 1963

Runtime

81 min

Category

film

Genre

psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

O něčem jiném

Czech title

O něčem jiném

English title

Another Way of Life

English parallel title

Something Different

Working title

Hořké vavříny

Summary

In 1963 Věra Chytilová debuted with this feature film based on her own story idea. It simultaneously tells the stories of two thirtysomething women who have never met but who at different levels have to grapple with the same problem. Feeling squeezed between the monotony of their everyday lives, and their desire for change, are Eva, a female gymnast, and Věra, an ordinary housewife. Eva is determined to round off her career as a top sports woman with some very substantial contests, while Věra grants herself some “respite” from caring for her husband and son through a love affair which, ultimately, requires a solution. In the end, however, neither of the protagonists take advantage of the chance that presents itself to them... The then 34 year-old Chytilová explores what would go on to long endure as her beloved theme: women’s emancipation. In the process, she combines, true to the spirit of the New Wave of Czechoslovak cinema, performances by both professional and amateur actors. Whereas the sports woman’s storyline approaches the documentary format – thanks to a cast that includes real-life gymnast Eva Bosáková and her fellow athletes – Věra’s story is purely fictitious and is grounded in the acting skills of Věra Uzelacová, Josef Langmiler and Jiři Kodet.

Synopsis

Eva is a gymnast, training for an important competition after which she wants to drop the career of professional sportswoman. Věra is a housewife caring for a four-year old son and a husband. The two women do not know each other, but still have many things in common - they both are in their thirties, and both have found themselves in the whirligig of day-to-day stereotypes which make them worn out and disgusted. Věra tries to solve her dissatisfaction with life by finding a lover, Eva is forced by her husband, her coach and a ballet master to carry on with her endless training for competition. Eventually she manages to learn even the feared backwards salto. After some time, Věra realizes she does not have anything in common with her lover, and splits with him. Eva wins the competition. Now, she will have enough time to indulge in her hobbies and to realize her dreams. She, however, is unable to leave the gym and becomes a coach herself. Věra does not change her life either, although fate offers her a chance: her husband tells her he wants to get divorced. Only then does she begin to fight for her marriage and eventually manages to get her husband to stay with her and the child.

Cast

Eva Bosáková

gymnastka Eva

Josef Langmiler

Josef, Věřin manžel

Jiří Kodet

Jirka, Věřin milenec

Milivoj Uzelac ml.

Milda, syn Věry a Josefa

Jaroslava Matlochová

trenérka

Luboš Ogoun

baletní mistr, Evin trenér

Vladimír Bosák

dr. Bosák, Evin manžel

Dagmar Cejnková

Dada, Věřina přítelkyně

Jiří Cejnek

Dadin manžel

Oldřich Červinka

novinář

Rudolf Kyznar

klavírista

František Filipovský

František Filipovský, on sám, mezi diváky

Antonín Bahenský

fotoreportér

Helena Štvánová

prodavačka

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Jiří Menzel

Assistant Director

Mojmír Ticháček

Screenstory

Věra Chytilová

Shooting Script

Věra Chytilová

Director of Photography

Jan Čuřík

Second Unit Photography

František Uldrich

Camera Operator

Jiří Macák

Production Designer

Vladimír Labský

Assistent Production Designer

Marta Kaplerová

Set Designer

Josef Calta, Ludmila Sovová

Costume Designer

Dagmar Cejnková

Film Editor

Miroslav Hájek

Assistant Film Editor

Anna Křemenová

Sound Designer

Miloslav Hůrka

Assistant Sound Designer

Václav Kliegel

Production Manager

Jiří Pokorný

Unit Production Manager

Jaroslav Jaroš, Jaroslav Solnička, Vlasta Synkulová

Consultant

Jaroslava Matlochová, Luboš Ogoun

Cooperation

Vladimíra Kopecká (klapka), Miloslav Mirvald (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Jiří Šlitr

Selected Music

Cole Porter (Begin the Beguine)

Production info

Original Title

O něčem jiném

Czech Title

O něčem jiném

English Title

Another Way of Life

English Parallel Title

Something Different

Working Title

Hořké vavříny

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1963

Production Year

1963

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 14 September 1962
start of filming 9 January 1963
technical Screenplay approved 9 February 1963
end of filming 29 May 1963
projection approval 15 August 1963
withdrawal from distribution 30 April 1973

Premiere

premiere 20 December 1963 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
preview 3 January 1964 (kino Sevastopol /1 týden/, Praha)
premiere 10 January 1964 /suitable for youths/ (kino Paříž /3 týdny/, Praha)

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

Tvůrčí skupina Šmída – Fikar, Ladislav Fikar (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Bohumil Šmída (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

81 min

Original length in metres

2 298 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Umělecká soutěž k 20. výročí osvobození Československa

1965
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Věra Chytilová

Vítěz

Event: Cena polského Klubu filmové kritiky

1965
Varšava / Poland

Vítěz

Festival: Mezinárodní festival osvobozené kinematografie Porretta Terme

1964
Porretta Terme / Italy

Vítěz

Event: Čestná uznání Československého filmu a Svazu československých divadelních a filmových umělců z produkce roku 1963

1964
Praha / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 12. mezinárodní filmový týden Mannheim

1963
Mannheim / Federal Republic of Germany