Documentary film maker Václav Táborský made just two fiction feature films: the family drama Útěk do větru (Taking Refuge in the Wind, 1965) and the modern fairytale Zázračný hlavolam (The Miraculous Brain Teaser, 1967). Both pictures contain documentary-style elements woven into the story. The main character in this film is young underdog Franta, who recovers a miraculous brain teaser that can fulfil any wish from a scrap metal collection container. The loser suddenly becomes the centre of attention among his friends. However, as soon as the adults learn of the brain teaser’s miraculous powers, they try to take hold of it for their own ends… Antonín Vomáčka plays Franta in the actor’s only film role (he would later become an accomplished television director). This largely forgotten film includes performances from a number of well-known actors, including Pavel Landovský as police lieutenant Venouš, and Luděk Sobota, then 24, who debuts in the role of a physics teacher.
Franta is an unlucky fellow, spoiling everything he lays his hands on. The gang of boys headed by dashing Jindřich thus refuses to respect him and accept him among themselves. One day, on the "salvage of scrap iron" Sunday in the little town, Franta discovers an interesting brain teaser on a heap of discarded iron. He offers it to the boys in exchange for riding an old motorcycle and to Helena for a handful of cherries, but everybody refuses him tauntingly. At home, however, Franta finds out that the brain teaser has the miraculous power to fulfil all his wishes. And thus, Franta begins to "make miracles". First only at home, later also at school and then throughout the little town. His schoolmates and Helena now fight for his favour. Jindřich and Béďa as well as the adults want to get hold of the brain teaser, the latter to use it for the "common good". But the children unite and manage to defend the teaser from the adults. Franta, with its help, organizes a grandiose revel with fireworks on the main square. Eventually, however, the adults indeed manage to seize the brain teaser, but break it for they do not know how to work with it. All the magic disappears at once and only the faithful Mářa remains with Franta. But when he leaves with her, he again finds a weird object. Who knows, it might well be magical, too...
Franta
Béďa
Jindřich
Helena
Mářa
předseda národního výboru Bohouš
náčelník hasičů Hubert
poručík VB Venouš
ředitel školy
cukrářka, Béďova matka
cukrář, Béďův otec
Frantův otec
Frantova matka
učitelka
školník
Frantův děda
učitel fyziky
příslušník SNB
závozník
stařeček
tlustý spolužák
fotbalový reprezentant, on sám
zedník
polykač ohně
lékař
řidič dodávky
hudebník
hudebník
hudebník
hudebník
hudebník
hudebník
hudebník
hudebník
slečna
vrhač nožů
partnerka vrhače nožů
požárník
Jiřina Matiasková
Miroslav Sinkule
B. Janáč, Karel Kytka, František Straka
František Štěpánek, Adolf Široký
Václav Polák
Pavla Marková, Eliška Švarcová, Leopold Zeman
Karel Krautgartner (Orchestr Karla Krautgartnera), Josef Vobruba (Orchestr Karla Krautgartnera)
Zázračný hlavolam
The Miraculous Brain Teaser
film
feature
children
Czechoslovakia
1967
1967
5 April 1968
Švabík – Procházka, Jan Procházka, Erich Švabík
long
79 min
Czech
Exhibition: 6. přehlídka československých filmů pro děti a mládež Gottwaldov
1968
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Václav Táborský