How I Stole a Million
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1967Production year
1966—1967Premiere
29 September 1967Runtime
90 minDirector
Jaroslav BalíkCategory
filmGenre
comedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Jak se krade miliónCzech title
Jak se krade miliónEnglish title
How I Stole a MillionWorking title
Jak jsem ukrad miliónSummary
The morality tale Jak se krade milión (How I Stole a Million, 1967) is about an orderly, upright citizen who is unable to withstand the vagaries of fate. This light comedy, one of the lesser known films by experienced director Jaroslav Balík, arose from the script of Jan Otčenášek, who also worked with the director on the war drama Reportáž psaná na oprátce (Report from the Gallows, 1961) and the drama Stín létajícího ptáčka (Shadow of a Flying Bird, 1977). The story concerns the poorly paid but conscientious accountant Šafránek, who one day finds that nine hundred crowns has unexpectedly fallen into his lap. His efforts to return the money are in vain. Opportunity eventually turns the tireless man of honour into a thief who begins to take advantage of the lack of controls in the accounts office. Šafránek then unsuccessfully tries to pull back from the larcenous role that fate has handed him. This gentle film criticising the theft of socialist property exceeds expectations thanks to an outstanding performance from Rudolf Hrušínský in the lead role.
Synopsis
The exemplary accountant Antonín Šafránek lives his orderly life as a citizen of a small town. His wife Eliška brings up their three children and desperately tries to get by on her husband's low salary every month. At the same time, she sadly watches the luxurious life of their neighbour Lejsek and other people like him who have no qualms about improving their standard of living by cheating. One day, the infallible Šafránek makes a mistake in the cash clearance and there are nine one-hundred Crown bills left in the safe. An unexpected company control carried out the next day passes without problems and the account is closed. The surprised accountant cannot return the money. The fair man is worried by the situation but eventually hands the money over to his wife, claiming them to be a bonus to his salary. The temptation is too strong. The insufficient control enables Šafránek to gradually steal one million Crowns. He has many problems to hide the banknotes at home and, under the pretext of a lottery winnings, buys innumerable gifts for the family. Most of the money, however, is still left. Šafránek makes up the death of an uncle whom he had not seen for years and from whom he may inherit some property, and leaves for Prague. There he, unexpectedly, finances a wild party for a group of tarts and parasites. The accountant returns home but soon afterwords, both his night friends and his alive uncle arrive at the town. The ministerial audit which he had anonymously set against himself, however, does not reveal anything. The superior to whom he had confessed talks him into concealing the whole thing. Šafránek climbs up to the church tower and throws the banknotes down to the square among his fellow-citizens.
Photos
Cast
Rudolf Hrušínský
účetní Antonín Šafránek
Slávka Budínová
Eliška, Šafránkova žena
Ivan Vyskočil
opravář Toník, starší syn Šafránkových
Jitka Zelenohorská
Eva, dcera Šafránkových
Josef Herčík
Pavlík, mladší syn Šafránkových
Čestmír Řanda
Farda, Šafránkův nadřízený
Svatopluk Beneš
kulturní referent Mareš
Libuše Švormová
lehká dívka Yvona
Josef Větrovec
účetní Pilc, Šafránkův kolega
Svatopluk Skládal
vedoucí samoobsluhy Lejsek
Jarmila Kolářová
sekretářka Vlasta Žaloudková
Jan Kotva
Mirek, Evin přítel
Ivana Herglotzová
Kamila
Dana Reimová
Marcela
Daniela Lamplová
Zita
Vítězslav Dlouhý
Saša
Ilona Holmanová
Monika
Jiří Steimar
strýček
Jaroslav Satoranský
ženich
Olga Bušková
nevěsta
Jindřich Narenta
vedoucí kontrolní komise
Gustav Heverle
člen komise
Jan Diviš
člen komise
Oldřich Velen
člen komise
Milan Jariš
člen komise
František Hruška
člen komise
Vladimír Linka
člen komise
Vladimír Navrátil
člen komise
František Miška
Pokorný, číšník v Est baru
Marta Kubišová
zpěvačka Ester
Josef Laufer
zpěvák v Lucerně
Ladislav Křiváček
defraudant
Václav Bouška
úředník
Jiří Hartman
nadřízený
Ladislav Hanuš
nadřízený
Ivo Niederle
příslušník VB
Viktor Maurer
prodavač v klenotnictví
Ivana Kudlová
prodavačka v klenotnictví
Vladimír Horka
kluk-družba
Josef Vytasil
kluk-družba
Josef Koníček
člen veselé společnosti
Allan Laufer
člen společnosti
Karel Kryška
člen společnosti
Gino Hašler
člen společnosti
Josef Koníček
člen společnosti
Drahuše Hodrová
členka společnosti
Jiří Růžička st.
člen společnosti
Helena Růžičková
členka společnosti
Olga Světelská
členka společnosti
Marta Richterová
členka společnosti
Mil. Voldová
členka společnosti
Vladimír Huber
číšník
Miroslav Neoveský
televizní hlasatel
Ivo Vrzal
mladík u muzea
Jan Malát (2)
ministrant
skupina Apollobeat
hudebníci v Est baru
skupina Olympic
hudebníci v Trilobit baru
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Marta Křesinová, Dagmar Nováková
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Vladimír Ježek, Karel Kracík, Ladislav Winkelhöfer
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Věra Winkelhöferová, Blažej Vráb
Unit Production Manager
Zora Rumlová
Cooperation
Ivana Nevolová (klapka), Jan Kuděla (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček), skupina Olympic, skupina Apollobeat
Choreographer
Songs
Měsíc
Songwriter Karel Mareš
Writer of Lyrics Eva Jarošová
Singer Yvonne Přenosilová
Čekám
Songwriter Karel Mareš
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Kopta
Singer Marta Kubišová
Začínat stále znova
Songwriter Karel Mareš
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Kopta
Singer Josef Laufer
Kdo vynalez'
Songwriter Karel Mareš
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Kopta
Singer Marta Kubišová
Fůra chyb
Songwriter Karel Mareš
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Štaidl
Singer Miki Volek
Oliver Twist
Songwriter Karel Mareš
Ain't She Sweet
Songwriter Milton Ager
Production info
Original Title
Jak se krade milión
Czech Title
Jak se krade milión
English Title
How I Stole a Million
Working Title
Jak jsem ukrad milión
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
comedy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1967
Production Year
1966—1967
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 22 April 1966
technical Screenplay approved 13 July 1966
start of filming 16 August 1966
end of filming 17 February 1967
projection approval 13 June 1967
Premiere
premiere 22 September 1967 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Hvězda /2 týdny/, Odboj /1 týden/, Varšava /1 týden/ a Orlík /1 týden od 6. 10./, Praha)
premiere 29 September 1967 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
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
90 min
Original length in metres
2 559 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
