Playground
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1975Production year
1975Premiere
20 February 1976Runtime
96 minDirector
Štěpán SkalskýCategory
filmGenre
psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
HřištěCzech title
HřištěEnglish title
PlaygroundSummary
Yet another contribution to the list of enthusiastic, post-1968 socialism-building film dramas was Hřiště (Playground, 1975), directed by Štěpán Skalský. The main protagonist is a young civil engineer who upon graduating joins a prestigious design studio. Young Turna is blissfully unaware that his position has been previously arranged by his father, a prominent architect. After the clueless rookie attempts to steal a design created by his Canadian colleague, the truth comes to light. The flawed hero later finds redemption in a motorway bridge construction project... This standard-for-the-times tale about a conceited young intellectual who is set on the right tracks by honest outdoor work is only lifted above mediocrity by a strong performance from Jiří Bartoška in his first leading role. The part of the father comprised the last film performance of Karel Höger. In the 1970s, director Skalský also collaborated with screenwriter Karel Steigerwald in creating a similarly attuned film, environmental drama Čistá řeka (Pure River, 1978).
Synopsis
A fresh graduate, civil engineer Luděk Turna decides on his future. His former girl-friend Jana left him because of his vanity and touchy moods. But Luděk says it was him who left her. Although he has agreed to leave with his fellow students to build a motorway, he accepts a job in a prestigious architecture office. His father, an important architect approves his decision. Soon after he joins the office, Luděk gets an individual task. He shall make a competition project of a sanatorium for miners in the Krušné hory mountains He gets to work eagerly and he refuses advice of his father who leaves to Belgium for work. In the office they expect maliciously his failure, only designer Polda trusts Luděk unconditionally. But Luděk is unequal to this task. When the deadline approaches he finds in his father´s rich documentation a similar project of a Canadian architect. He hands in this draft slightly modified as his own work. The boss is excited and expects that Luděk's project will win. But architect Turna recognizes his son's cheat and he is very disappointed. As chance would have it he learns shortly after that from Polda that he got the job thanks to the influence of his father. He feels humiliated and decides to solve it radically. He confesses to the boss and leaves Prague to build a motorway bridge. He devotes all his power to his work and to an innovation suggestion which can stop wasting of wood. After some time his father visits him and they have it out with each other. Luděk is finally happy and one day he even gets a visit from Jana.
Photos
Cast
Jiří Bartoška
stavař Ing. Luděk Turna
Karel Höger
architekt Turna, Luďkův otec
Eliška Balzerová
meteoroložka Jana zvaná Rozmarýna
Vladimír Menšík
stavitel Louda
Zora Božinová
Turnová, Luďkova matka
Jana Riháková
kreslička Polda
Miloš Nedbal
profesor Vinklář
Bedřich Prokoš
ředitel ateliéru Omega
Karel Heřmánek
stavař Míša Anděl, Luďkův kamarád
Vladimír Kratina
stavař a předseda SSM Vladimír
Jan Hartl
stavař Holý, Luďkův spolužák
Jiří Lábus
stavař Vágner, Luďkův spolužák
Eva Čeřovská
stavařka Ivana, Luďkova spolužačka
Josef Langmiler
architekt Werniš, zaměstnanec Omegy
Václav Neužil
architekt Jan Frejka, zaměstnanec Omegy
František Němec
architekt, zaměstnanec Omegy
Karel Šebesta
architekt Hromada, zaměstnanec Omegy
Václav Mareš
inženýr Horák
Miroslav Moravec
inženýr Bázler
Karel Urbánek
stavbyvedoucí Halma
Vladimír Ptáček
dělník Růžička
Vladimír Švabík
dělník Šrámek
Karel Koloušek
dělník Ciboch
Ladislav Trojan
dělník Kápl
Vlastimil Hašek
stavebník Tauchman
Karel Augusta
stavebník
Valerie Chmelová
televizní moderátorka
Eduard Žemla
podporučík VB
Jaromír Spal
správce kurtů
Josef Střecha
otec Holého
Jiřina Bílá
matka Holého
Jindra Kvardová
matka na promoci
Jana Robenková
matka na promoci
Jan Waldmann
řidič Tatry
Zdeněk Hübner
dělník
Vladimír Navrátil
rozhodčí
Martha Elefteriadu
zpěvačka v televizi
Tena Elefteriadu
zpěvačka v televizi
Monika Pošívalová
technička
Karel Steigerwald
mladík v baru
Ing. Jaromír Beránek
dubl za Karla Urbánka
Zdeněk Míka
dubl za Jaromíra Spala
Věra Suková
dubl za Elišku Balzerovou
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Václav Křístek, Bohumila Potůčková
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Miroslav Ondříček, Jiří Krob (letecké záběry)
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Miroslav Himmer, Marcel Kříž, Eva Slívová
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Consultant
Ing. Jaromír Beránek, Věra Suková
Cooperation
Ivana Malíková (klapka), Karel Ješátko (fotograf), Ředitelství silnic a dálnic Praha, Vojenské stavby Brno, Inženýrské stavby Košice, Stavby silnic a železnic Praha
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Martin Kratochvíl), Jazz Q (Music Conducted by Martin Kratochvíl)
Songs
Noční cesta velkoměsta
Song Composer Aleš Sigmund
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Žák
Singer Martha ElefteriaduTena Elefteriadu
Pes policejní, nad kterého není
Singer Josef Langmiler
Production info
Original Title
Hřiště
Czech Title
Hřiště
English Title
Playground
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1975
Production Year
1975
Premiere
premiere 19 February 1976 /suitable for youths/ (kino Letka, Praha)
premiere 20 February 1976 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Miloše Brože, Miloš Brož (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
96 min
Original length in metres
2 728 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: 14. festival českých a slovenských filmů Brno
1976
Brno / Czechoslovakia
