Hroch (The Hippo, 1973) is a noted example of a Czechoslovak filmmaker bending over backwards to show loyalty to the “normalisation” regime introduced after the Prague Spring events of 1968. Created by Karel Steklý in the dual role of director and screenwriter, this now legendary satire was intended to be an allegory of those occurrences. The focus of the narrative is a talking hippo, which is discovered in a local zoo by a nimble journalist. Once in the public sphere, the hippo is inveigled by deceitful and manipulative politicians who hope to use him for their own disgraceful ends. However, the villains are unaware that this unfortunate creature has merely swallowed whole a bank clerk named Bedřich Hroch (Oldo Hlaváček) who is enjoying his newfound popularity… This highly slanted film should now only be regarded as a study piece, at best offering insights into the mindset of its era. It was even regarded as dubious by contemporary “normalisers”, enough so that the film was removed from cinemas rather rapidly and was never allowed to appear on TV.
The bank officer Bedřich Hroch is sent by the bank director to the zoo, which asked an allocation of one and half kg of gold for a gold tooth for a hippo. During the check up of the hippo's teeth Bedřich is swallowed by the hippo. The man does not die in the hippo's guts and he chats quite happily with his frightened wife Dáša. Journalist Pip Karen, his friend is also present to the dialogue and he has immediately an idea how to use this special situation. He tells to the new minister Borovec and his opponent professor Fibinger that there is a hippo in the zoo which can speak. He also tells them how to use this situation for a political propaganda. His plan succeeds, people believe the advertising and collect gold for the hippo. Singer Soňa sings a song about the hippo. The song becomes immediately a hit. Dáša does not want to put up with the loss of her husband and she decides to make him free. Bedřich refuses, he is happy to be popular. He gets back to the normal life thanks to the cookies of teacher Plašilová, after which the hippo gets sick. It throws Bedřich out and the entire sensation is over. The meeting in front of the hippo pavilion where Borovec was supposed to speak disbands. Borovec, who has watched the entire event on TV, breaks the TV in a momentary fit of anger.
bankovní úředník Bedřich Hroch
kadeřnice Dáša, Hrochova žena
redaktor „Nového proudu“ Pip Karen
zpěvačka Soňa
ministr Borovec
učitelka Plašilová
profesor Fibinger
ošetřovatel Řeháček
kadeřnice Majka
ředitel zoo Kadavý
Paduch, Sonin manžel
veterinář MVDr. Čibera
zubař specialista
ředitel banky
tiskový zmocněnec
redaktor "Večerníku" Hák
ministr školství
zpěvák Tom
Bláža, manželka ministra
intelektuál
intelektuál
básník
vedoucí kadeřnictví Lexa
muž s bradkou
propagandista
choreograf při zkoušce
televizní redaktor
motohlídka
modelka
odborník
muž s kyticí
ministr dopravy
žena s psíkem
Bezpalec
kytarista
varhaník
novinář
novinář
chlapec Komorous
sekretářka
sekretářka
starší úředník
dívka s brýlemi
raketýr
raketýr
raketýr
raketýr
raketýr
tanečnice
tanečník
tanečnice
tanečnice
tanečník
tanečnice
tanečník
tanečník
dirigent orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
člen orchestru
dubl za Hlaváčka
televizní hlasatel
hlas manželky ministra
Bohumil Koška, Dagmar Nováková
Jiří Čermák, Karel Lukáš, Karel Smrž
Jiří Hora, Antonín Jedlička (zvukové efekty)
Karel Prchal, Vladimír Tišer
Ivana Kuplerová
Ivana Nevolová, Miroslav Pešan, Anna Mejtská, Jan Vokr
Antonín Dvořák (Rusalka /árie Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém/)
Orchestr Václava Zahradníka
Václav Zahradník (Orchestr Václava Zahradníka)
Ďábel sám, Metafyzický kanárek, Píseň hrocha /On je moje všecko/, Co ten ptáček, jarabáček
Jaromír Klempíř (Ďábel sám), Jaromír Klempíř (Metafyzický kanárek), Jaromír Klempíř (Píseň hrocha /On je moje všecko/), František Kmoch (Co ten ptáček, jarabáček)
Helena Blehárová (Ďábel sám), Jiří Jelínek (Metafyzický kanárek), Helena Blehárová (Píseň hrocha /On je moje všecko/)
Hroch
The Hippo
film
feature
political, satire
Czechoslovakia
1973
1973
29 March 1974
long
95 min
Czech
Event: Prémie Českého literárního fondu za rok 1974
1975
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Karel Steklý
Event: Prémie Českého literárního fondu za rok 1974
1975
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Svatopluk Matyáš
Event: Prémie Českého literárního fondu za rok 1974
1975
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Eduard Dubský
Festival: 12. festival českých a slovenských filmů Nitra
1974
Nitra / Czechoslovakia
Karel Steklý