Behind the Scenes at the Pacific Hotel

Country

Czechoslovakia, Poland

Copyright

1975

Production year

1975

Premiere

30 January 1976

Runtime

97 min

Category

film

Genre

drama, psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Dvojí svět hotelu Pacifik

Czech title

Dvojí svět hotelu Pacifik

English title

Behind the Scenes at the Pacific Hotel

Co-production title

Zaklęte rewiry

Working title

Zakleté revíry

Summary

During the 1970s, one way of enabling costlier projects to be made was to establish joint productions with other Eastern Bloc “partners”. This 1975 Czechoslovak-Polish co-production is just such an example. The drama, set against the attractive backdrop of the 1930s, is based on a novel by Polish author Henryk Worcell called Zaklęte rewiry. Brought to the screen by fellow Pole and director Janusz Majewski, the film tells the story of young Roman, who gets a job at a hotel in order to train as a waiter. But behind-the-scenes, Hotel Pacifik differs markedly from its outwardly sparkling facade and chic, wealthy clientele. Roman finds himself entangled in a class-ridden world full of envy, greed and thirst for power. Like other hotel staff, the young man tries to find his own way of grasping notions of loyalty and morality. The strong production features Polish actor Marek Kondrat in the main role. On the Czech side we find the significant contribution of noted cinematographer Miroslav Ondříček. Also Czech actors Roman Skamene, Jaroslava Schallerová and Čestmír Řanda have major roles in the film.

Synopsis

Sixteen-year-old Romek has been given a job at the luxurious Pacific Hotel. On his first evening on the job, he gazes, mesmerised, through the coloured stained glass at the bustle in the large dining hall bathed in the light of crystal chandeliers, where the city notables are dining at the dazzlingly white laid tables. But Romek is condemned to another world, the world of dirty dishes and orders followed by insults and slaps. He shares his humble room with the apprentice waiter Fryc, who gives him advice on how to behave on the job. The willing and clever Romek is soon transferred to the snack bar and, in just a short time he is already serving the guests. As time goes by, he becomes more skilled and experienced and more selfconfidence. He gets into a conflict with the vicious headwaiter Fornalski, who has caused a tragic accident in which an elderly waiter died. Romek wants to report the case to the federation of trade unions but is dissuaded by his friend Henek. Romek passes the waiters' exams with excellent marks but Fryc fails and try to attempt a suicide. Romek has fallen in love, but his girl is fired after Fornalski informs on them. A scandal breaks out at the hotel when money is found missing in the cash register. Romek knows that Fornalski is behind the embezzlement. It is an opportunity to take his revenge. Instead, disgusted by the duplicitous hotel world, he walks out of his job.

Cast

Marek Kondrat

Voice by Jiří Prager
Roman Boryczko zvaný Romek

Roman Wilhelmi

Voice by Jiří Holý
vrchní Fornalski

Roman Skamene

pikolík Fryc

Čestmír Řanda

majitel hotelu Pancer

Michał Pawlicki

Voice by Josef Langmiler
Albin, Pancerův synovec

Martin Hron

pikolík Henek

Jaroslava Schallerová

pomocnice v kuchyni Zoška

Stanisława Celińska

Voice by Alena Procházková
kávová kuchařka Hela

Joanna Kasperska

Voice by Jana Drbohlavová
uklízečka Paulina

Włodzimierz Boruński

Voice by Ladislav Krečmer
redaktor

Czesław Wołłejko

Voice by Svatopluk Beneš
baron Humaniewski

Stanisław Zaczyk

kapitán

Václav Lohniský

číšník Sinajský

Karel Augusta

číšník Palmiak

Tadeusz Drozda

číšník

Jan Faltýnek

číšník Miecio

Lubomír Kostelka

číšník Funio

Jiří Lír

číšník Theodor

Zdzisław Maklakiewicz

číšník

Bronislav Poloczek

číšník Kazek

Míla Myslíková

kuchařka Dora

Oldřich Velen

kuchař Belcer

Vlastimil Bedrna

host Rejent

Jan Teplý

opilý host

Vilemína Nejedlová-Skokanová

žena opilce

Ivan Pokorný

pikolík Zbyšek

Josef Braun

šatnář

Stanislav Litera

ředitel obchodní komory Mrocki

Adolf Filip

vedoucí komise Ugor

Zdeňka Rosolová

Michasia

Jiří Cimický

muž v brýlích

Karel Fridrich

nádražní číšník

Miroslav Krejča

host s dýmkou

Pavel Špirk

Rudek

Miloš Šustr

lékař

Libuše Komancová

pokladní

Josef Endršt

hudebník

A. Hanuš

hudebník

B. Janůrek

hudebník

K. Neoprond

hudebník

Zdeněk Piskač

hudebník

A. Sajnok

hudebník

B. Valeček

hudebník

J. Vaněk

hudebník

Alois Zouhar

hudebník

Dubbing

Otakar Brousek

hlas kapitána

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Jaromír Dvořáček, Halina Garus

Assistant Director

Halina Słobodzin, Miroslav Balajka

Based on

Henryk Worcell (Zaklęte rewiry – román)

Screenplay

Pavel Hajný

Director of Photography

Miroslav Ondříček

Second Unit Photography

Eduard Kadeřábek

Camera Operator

Jiří Zavřel

Production Designer

Tadeusz Wybult, Milan Nejedlý

Assistent Production Designer

Josef Kraus, Janusz Sosnowski

Set Designer

Vladimír Mácha, Rudolf Příhoda, Maciej Putowski, Vladimír Slepička

Costume Designer

Theodor Pištěk ml.

Production Manager

Jan Šuster, Tadeusz Drewno

Unit Production Manager

Wiesława Dyksińska, Bolesław Bednarski, Zdena Sirotková, Rudolf Mos

Unit Production Manager

Marie Ryšlinková, Waldemar Król, Michał Zabłocki

Cooperation

Jitka Radová (klapka), Jiří Kučera (fotograf), zaměstnanci Obecního domu v Praze

Music

Music Composed by

Jerzy Matuszkiewicz

Songs

Buď mojí láskou

Singer Jaroslava Schallerová

Production info

Original Title

Dvojí svět hotelu Pacifik

Czech Title

Dvojí svět hotelu Pacifik

English Title

Behind the Scenes at the Pacific Hotel

Co-production Title

Zaklęte rewiry

Working Title

Zakleté revíry

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama, psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia, Poland

Copyright

1975

Production Year

1975

Production specifications

withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1990

Premiere

premiere abroad 27 November 1975 (Varšava, Polsko)
festival premiere 22 January 1976 (27. filmový festival pracujících – zima ´76 /kino Světozor, Praha/)
premiere 30 January 1976 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 5 February 1976 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Letka, Praha)

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Vladimíra Kaliny, Vladimír Kalina (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny), Zespól Filmowy Tor (PRF Zespoły Filmowe)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

97 min

Original length in metres

2 708 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66

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: 15. mezinárodní filmový festival Panama

1977
Panama / Panama
Pavel Hajný

Vítěz

Festival: 15. mezinárodní filmový festival Panama

1977
Panama / Panama
Marek Kondrat

Vítěz

Festival: 15. mezinárodní filmový festival Panama

1977
Panama / Panama
Janusz Majewski

Vítěz

Festival: 14. festival českých a slovenských filmů Brno

1976
Brno / Czechoslovakia
Janusz Majewski

Vítěz

Festival: 14. filmový festival mladých Banská Bystrica

1976
Banská Bystrica / Czechoslovakia
Miroslav Ondříček

Vítěz

Festival: 14. festival českých a slovenských filmů Brno

1976
Brno / Czechoslovakia
Miroslav Ondříček

Vítěz

Festival: 14. filmový festival mladých Banská Bystrica

1976
Banská Bystrica / Czechoslovakia
Marek Kondrat

Vítěz

Festival: 2. národní filmový festival Gdaňsk

1975
Gdaňsk / Poland
Stanisław Piotrowski

Vítěz

Festival: 2. národní filmový festival Gdaňsk

1975
Gdaňsk / Poland
Roman Wilhelmi