The Claim at the Deaf Creek

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1971

Production year

1970—1971

Premiere

7 April 1972

Runtime

28 min

Category

film

Genre

adventure, comedy, short-story

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionshort

Original title

Claim na Hluchém potoku

Czech title

Claim na Hluchém potoku

English title

The Claim at the Deaf Creek

Working title

Moc zlata

Summary

Screenwriter Jiří Křižan and director Zdenek Sirový in 1970-1971 realised three short films according to short stories by American fiction writer Jack London. These genre miniatures, which at the start of the “normalisation” era provided a means of subsistence for the rookie screenwriter with inopportune origins and the discomforting (for the regime) director of the forbidden drama Smuteční slavnost (Funeral Ceremonies, 1969), were shown in cinemas either individually or all together. In addition to Kaňon samé zlato (A Canyon Full of Gold, 1970) and Poslední výstřel Davida Sandela (David Sandel's Last Shot, 1971), they included Claim na Hluchém potoku (Claim at the Deaf Creek, 1971), a title that follows a pair of gold diggers who hope to get rich without any effort. Rudolf Hrušínský and Lubomír Kostelka burnish their acting prowess as the charlatans who sell an old gold prospector a worthless claim. The role of Hans Andersson, who hoodwinks the heroes in style, is played by Štefan Winkler.

Synopsis

In a desolate inn in the middle of deep canyon Mike and Rogers ask the innkeeper about the possibility to reserve the piece of land allotted to washing gold - the claim. Old Cunning knows about the last claim at the Deaf Creek but gold is not to be found there. Except for these two men there is knocking about only an old gold-digger Andersson called according to his origin the Swede. He would like to buy a claim but those gold-bearing have already been sold out. Mike and Rogers registrate the claim though they do not intend to work at all. They have secretly brought with them a few gold nuggets to make a swindle. They have their dreams. Mike desires to have a peach farm and servants who would bring him fruits and give bib at his sprinkled chin. Roger longs for five-floor hotel painted in light blue. It goes without saying that he would buy the peaches from Mike. However they lack twenty-five thousand dollars and incentive to work. They prefer making the Swede believe that they have really found gold at the Deaf Creek and sell him their untouched claim for one thousand and eight hundred dollars. In three months they go to the place by chance. All claims have been exploited up except for that one at the Deaf Creek. The Swede has really found gold there and now is filling cans one by one - at the question of the stupified men he estimates value of what he has found to half of a million.

Note

The film was presented both independently and as part of the film of three short stories under the title Canynon All Gold. Other parts of the triptych are called Canyon All Gold and The Last Shot of David Sandel.

Cast

Antonín Soukup

Voice by Josef Beyvl
krčmář Abraham Cunnings

Štefan Winkler

Voice by Josef Kemr
zlatokop Hans Andersson zvaný Švéd

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Zdeněk Zydroň

Assistant Director

Táňa Čermáková

Based on

Jack London (Příliš mnoho zlata /Too Much Gold/ – povídka)

Dramaturg

Milan Šimek

Director of Photography

Jiří Macháně

Camera Operator

Vladimír Kolář

Production Designer

Zdeněk Rozkopal

Assistent Production Designer

Ladislav Vlk

Set Designer

Šťovíček Josef st., František Santarius

Costume Designer

Zdena Kadrnožková

Make-Up Artist

Dušan Brodanský

Sound Designer

Radomír Koutek, Bohumír Brunclík (zvukové efekty)

Production Manager

Zdeněk Stibor

Unit Production Manager

Vojtěch Kunčík

Cooperation

Jan Vaculík

Music

Music Composed by

Luboš Fišer

Production info

Original Title

Claim na Hluchém potoku

Czech Title

Claim na Hluchém potoku

English Title

The Claim at the Deaf Creek

Working Title

Moc zlata

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

adventure, comedy, short-story

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1971

Production Year

1970—1971

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 10 September 1970
start of filming 19 October 1970
end of filming 5 March 1971
the first film copy approved 11 May 1971
projection approval 2 June 1971

Premiere

premiere 6 April 1972 /suitable for youths/ (kina Kotva a Hvězda, Praha)
premiere 7 April 1972 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)

Technical info

Duration typology

short film

Duration in minutes

28 min

Original length in metres

807 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Festival: 12. festival filmů pro děti a mládež Gottwaldov

1972
Zlín / Czechoslovakia