The Return of the Prodigal Son
Typology
featureCzech title
Návrat ztraceného synaRuntime
99Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1966Production year
1966Premiere
10.03.1967Language version
CzechDirector
Evald SchormScreenstory
Evald SchormSummary
This 1966 psychological drama affirmed director Evald Schorm’s position as one of the most individual filmmakers of the Czechoslovak New Wave. Jan Kačer gives a brilliant performance as the film’s tragic protagonist. Architect Jan Šebek seems to have everything yet he’s still tormented by existential dilemmas that drive him to a suicide attempt. Unfortunately, a subsequent sojourn in a mental hospital does not help Jan deal with his feelings of alienation and insecurity, or his inability to communicate… Unlike other stories about alienated intellectuals, made around the same time by such filmmakers as Michelangelo Antonioni and Ingmar Bergman, Návrat ztraceného syna (The Return of the Prodigal Son) depicts a “morally diseased man”, whose story reflects Schorm’s own scepticism towards the hopeful mood in society, culminating in the period of liberalisation known as the Prague Spring.
Synopsis
Engineer Jan Šebek is undergoing treatment in a mental home after his unsuccessful attempt to commit suicide. His therapist, via discussions both with the patient and with people who know him, tries to find out what made the young and seemingly satisfied man decide to end his own life. Jan's pretty wife Jana claims not to know about anything but she is conducting an affair with a family friend, Jiří, almost publicly and with the blessing of her parents. At work, Jan is considered to be a bit weird but a nice person. The Šebeks live with Jana's parents and Jan cannot stand his affected and hypocritical mother-in-law and her fake kindness. In the hospital, he makes friends with fellow patient Zdeněk and successfully resists the wooing of the doctor's wife. He even tries to run away and after some time, when the doctors fail to find the cause of his depression, is released on probation. The relationship with Jana seems to be just fine. But despite that, the behaviour of Jana's parents and some colleagues at work irritates the mentally unstable Jan to such an extent that he breaks down again and returns to the asylum. The tragic death of Zdeněk, who could not bear the pestering of another patient, forces Jan to attempt another unsuccessful escape - but the doctor still lets him go home with his wife upon obligation. On the way home, the couple drops by in a village. A village woman mistakenly confuses Jan for a wanted murderer and the fanatic crowd pursuing him makes the man break down completely.
Film online
Photos
Cast
Jan Kačer
inženýr Jan Šebek
Jana Brejchová
Jana, Šebkova manželka
Jiří Menzel
Jiří, přítel Šebkových
Milan Morávek
lékař
Dana Medřická
Olga, manželka lékaře
Anna Lebedová
Skaličková, Janina matka
Antonín Lebeda
Skalička, Janin otec
Jiřina Třebická
zdravotní sestra
Jiří Kylián
tanečník Zdeněk, pacient psychiatrické léčebny
Nina Divíšková
mladá pacientka
Klára Kačerová
dcerka Šebkových
Hana Kreihanslová
uklízečka
Josef A. Stehlík
farář
Bohumil Koška
ošetřovatel
Leoš Suchařípa
ředitel projektového ústavu
Josef Šulc
náměstek
Vlastimil Brodský
cizí muž
Josef Vondráček
pacient
Josef Janeček
artista s maringotkou
Olympie Janečková
artistova žena
Karel Hovorka
cirkusák
Josef Krameš
polykač ohně
Arnošt Bělohlávek
starší muž
Jiří Hartman
malíř
Milan Maryška
tančící mladík
Rudolf Tichý
akrobat na kole
Václav Čekal
artista-klaun
O. Plichta
artista s velbloudem
M. Říhová
artistka s medvědem
F. Sibera
žonglér
C. a L. Mukenšnáblovi
parterní akrobaté
E. Zemanová
artistka-kaučuk
J. a K. Nouzovi
artisté s poníky
A. Olexa
artista s hadem
Dubbing
Josef Abrhám
hlas pacienta Zdeňka
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Josef Krameš
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Script Editor
Camera
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Costume Designer
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Zdeňka Černá, Ladislav Dražan
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Music Conducted by
František Belfín (FISYO)
Songs
Na tom pražském mostě, Do lesíčka na čekanou
Songwriter
lidová píseň (Na tom pražském mostě), lidová píseň (Do lesíčka na čekanou), Miloš Vacek (Do lesíčka na čekanou) (úprava)
Production info
Original Title
Návrat ztraceného syna
English Title
The Return of the Prodigal Son
Copyright
1966
Production Year
1966
Premiere
10.03.1967
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
Novotný – Kubala, Bedřich Kubala, Ladislav Novotný
Technical info
Format
Betacam, DVD
Versions
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 5. filmový festival mladých Trutnov
1967
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia
Jan Kačer
Vítěz
Festival: 5. filmový festival mladých Trutnov
1967
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia
Vítěz
Festival: 20. mezinárodní filmový festival Locarno
1967
Locarno / Switzerland