Wedding without a Ring

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1971

Production year

1971

Premiere

5 May 1972

Runtime

92 min

Category

film

Genre

drama, psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Svatba bez prstýnku

Czech title

Svatba bez prstýnku

English title

Wedding without a Ring

Summary

Based on the novel Kulhavý Orfeus (Hobbling Orpheus) by Jan Otčenášek, this 1972 comedy from director Vladimír Čech is set in June 1944. Young worker Vojta serves as the protagonist, who, for the sake of appearances, marries the daughter of a wealthy master builder. The marriage is designed to save her from being sent to work in the German Reich. Vojta agrees to the sham because he secretly loves Alena. But when the bride’s family learns that Vojta has been accused at the foundry where he works of anti-German activities, the marriage is over... Michal Pavlata (Vojta) and Jana Preissová (Alena) star in this film somewhat afflicted by contemporary “normalisation” era tones. Irena Kačírková takes the role of Alena’s ambitious mother. Additionally, Václav Neckář portrays foundry worker Piškot; during this time, this actor frequently combined his singing and acting careers.

Synopsis

It is World War II, the year 1944. Young workman Vojta lives with his mother in the basement of a villa belonging to the rich wife of an architect. She shares the villa with her daughter Alena and her brother-in-law, a former officer of the Czechoslovak army. Vojta and Alena grew up together, but then social differences divided them. Vojta works hard at the smelting works, while Alena spends her time partying with rich and idle gilded youth. Alena is finishing school; her mother fears that she will be sent to the German Reich in order to perform forced labour, so she asks Vojta to formally marry Alena, because married women do not have to leave and work for the Reich. Vojta, who loves Alena, agrees. However, unlike Alena, the wedding is not just a formality to him. He even accepts the humiliating conditions imposed by Alena's mother. The marriage, which Alena does not take as pragmatically as her mother, goes to pieces when the family learns Vojta was interrogated in connection with anti-German activity at the smelting works. The hysterical mother immediately takes Alena away from Prague. Vojta seeks her out, but he realizes that they live in two completely different worlds. Alena files a petition for divorce and Vojta leaves with foreman Melichar, who is being hunted down by the Gestapo, to join the partisans.

Cast

Michal Pavlata

dělník Vojta Syrůček

Jana Preissová

Alena Pavlincová

Irena Kačírková

milostpaní Hedva Pavlincová, matka

Petr Kostka

elegán Aleš

Karel Höger

plukovník Jindřich Kuneš, Alenin strýc

Antonie Hegerliková

Františka Syrůčková, Vojtova matka

Zdeněk Kryzánek

dílenský mistr Melichar

Vladimír Leraus

JUDr. Karel Hodek, Alešův otec

Václav Neckář

dělník Koubek zvaný Piškot

Josef Chvalina

německý vedoucí továrny Baschke

Viktor Preiss

maturant Pavel, totálně nasazený

Pavel Havránek

maturant Beránek zvaný Bacil

Oldřich Velen

mistr v továrně

Ladislav Trojan

dělník Arcík

Valerie Chmelová

Dag, Alenina kamarádka

Jürgen Frohriep

německý plukovník

Ladislav Mrkvička

dělník Pepek

Václav Kotva

dělník Navrátil

Josef Hlinomaz

návštěvník kina

Marcela Martínková

úřednice magistrátu

Josef Burda

JUDr. Mrákota, úředník magistrátu

Marta Richterová

dělnice Anděla

Pavel Jiras

verkšuc

Miloslav Štibich

verkšuc ve vrátnici

Petr Skarke

Čestmír

Milan Livora

mladík s knírkem

Zdena Dančíková

mladíkova přítelkyně

Bohumil Koška

dělník Horák

Helena Lišková

Mimi

Ludvík Pozník

německý důstojník v huti

Blažena Vernerová

uvaděčka v biografu

Vlasta Kleinová

starší žena z kolonie

Alena Janošková

dívka

Jan Dejmek

dělník

Miroslav Jíra

dubl za Michala Pavlatu

P. Pávek

dubl za Zdeňka Kryzánka

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Věra Ticháčková, Milan Vácha

Assistant Director

Bohumil Koška

Based on

Jan Otčenášek (Kulhavý Orfeus – román)

Shooting Script

Vladimír Čech

Director of Photography

Václav Huňka

Second Unit Photography

Zdeněk Prchlík

Camera Operator

Emil Hora

Production Designer

Bohuslav Kulič

Assistent Production Designer

Jan Kňákal

Set Designer

Jiří Čermák, Josef Pavlík, Petr Misík

Costume Designer

Adolf Wenig

Film Editor

Antonín Zelenka

Assistant Film Editor

Eliška Willigová

Sound Designer

Pavel Jelínek

Special Effects

Trikový ateliér FSB

Production Manager

Zdeněk Oves

Unit Production Manager

Antonín Navrátil, Vladislav Špidra

Unit Production Manager

Alena Koubová

Consultant

plk. Jan Kovář

Cooperation

Eva Truchlá (klapka), Josef Janoušek (fotograf), Spojené ocelárny Kladno n. p.

Music

Music Composed by

Štěpán Lucký

Selected Music

Bedřich Smetana (Prodaná nevěsta /Věrné naše milování/), Ludwig van Beethoven (Pro Elišku /Für Elise/ – klavírní skladba a moll)

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček), Studiová skupina dr. Jana Hammera, Lucký Štěpán, Vladimír Večtomov, Jiří Verberger

Songs

Já vím, že den se krátí

Song Composer Štěpán Lucký
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Kopta
Singer Václav Neckář

I'm waiting for your arm

Song Composer Jan Hammer
Writer of Lyrics Jan Hammer
Singer Vlasta Průchová

Já mám koně, vraný koně /parafráze/

Singer Václav Neckář

Dneska půjdeme spát až ráno

Singer Josef BeyvlJaroslav Mareš

Production info

Original Title

Svatba bez prstýnku

Czech Title

Svatba bez prstýnku

English Title

Wedding without a Ring

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama, psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1971

Production Year

1971

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 15 February 1971
technical Screenplay approved 17 August 1971
start of filming 7 September 1971
end of filming 21 November 1971
projection approval 9 March 1972
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1990

Premiere

premiere 4 May 1972 /suitable for youths/ (kino Sevastopol, Praha)
premiere 5 May 1972 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Karla Copa, Karel Cop (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny), Výrobní skupina Jiřího Šebora, Jiří Šebor (vedoucí výrobní skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

92 min

Original length in metres

2 600 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech, German

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Festival: 10. filmový festival mladých Trutnov

1972
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia