The Bell Will Not Toll for You
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1975Production year
1975Premiere
5 September 1975Runtime
93 minDirector
Vojtěch TraplCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Tobě hrana zvonit nebudeCzech title
Tobě hrana zvonit nebudeEnglish title
The Bell Will Not Toll for YouSummary
Director Vojtěch Trapl was very much at ease with the post-1968 “normalisation” era storytelling required by Prague's Barrandov film studios. One example is found in this 1975 adaptation of Trapl’s own play. The directing debut of this film industry functionary, maker of instructional films, and opponent of cinema's Czechoslovak New Wave, leaves much to be desired in terms of craftsmanship, but more than makes up for it via its ideological fervour. In a story that takes place in the summer of 1968, state prosecutor Ronešová launches an investigation into an attack by an angry mob on the wife of a local communist. In court, Ronešová succeeds in uncovering the real culprit: a right-wing colleague who deliberately stirred things up... Jiřina Petrovická takes the lead role in this archetypal example of “normalisation” period filmmaking. Trapl would return to the big screen director’s chair two further times – albeit with similar results – via Vítězný lid (The Victorious People, 1977) and Velké přání (The Big Wish, 1981).
Synopsis
A young woman is driven through streets by a furious crowd and just a quick reaction of a driver rescues her from dying under a bus. It is the end of 1968 and the politically stirred time influences people's behaviour and their acting. The prosecuting attorney Olga Ronešová decides to accuse several town inhabitants present on the crime scene of not attempting to stop the crime. She can hardly collect witness and evidence. The crime victim Zorka Balcarová remains in psychiatrists' care. Olga gradually collects a mosaic of social relationships and events preceding the crime. An operating deputy manager Balcar, Zorka's husband is a communist of principle and he hinders many people. He punished workers for their not meeting job duties and their participation in demonstrations by reducing their wages. A journalist Voska filmed the whole tragic incident and after certain reluctance he gives the film to Ronešová. People are, however, filmed from their back and so it cannot be used as evidence. Olga's husband Karel does not stand by her and finally he moves away. Olga's daughter Majka describes the very beginning of the conflict - Balcarová tore down a poster labelling her husband a collaborationist. Voska, himself being sued by Olga, supplies her with the substantial part of the film, where there is Karel among the people. The mutual accusing of the sued at the court results in convicting the main culprit - the right wing lawyer Kahan who purposely provoked the beating and called the police only when it nearly turned into a tragedy.
Note
The role performed by Vladimír Švabík introduces himself at a hearing as Matěj Brebera, at the court they list him as Viktor Brebera.
Photos
Cast
Jiřina Petrovická
prokurátorka JUDr. Olga Ronešová
Josef Mixa
Ing. Karel Roneš, Olžin manžel
Eva Vaňátková
Majka, dcera Ronešových
Martin Růžek
obhájce JUDr. Pavel Kahan
Ladislav Šimek
vedoucí prodejny Antonín Kuchař
Zdena Burdová
Zorka Balcarová
Karel Vochoč
provozní náměstek Balcar, Zorčin manžel
Maria Secová
svědkyně Anna Smutná
Václav Švorc
redaktor Ivan Voska
Vladimír Švabík
obžalovaný Matěj Viktor Brebera
Karel Hábl
obžalovaný Jiří Pelda
Hana Davidová
obžalovaná vdova Yvona Přeskočilová
Oldřich Lukeš
JUDr. František Hanousek, okresní prokurátor
Lída Plachá
zapisovatelka Liduška Karešová
Miroslav Zounar
strážmistr VB Hošek
Bohuš Záhorský
profesor Valenta
Miroslav Suchý
Voice by Mirko Musil
mechanik Karel Vochoč
Josef Adlt
řidič autobusu Pilný
Jindřich Janda
Voice by Mirko Musil /v exteriérové scéně/
Souček, Valentův přítel
Věra Galatíková
MUDr. Lacinová
Vladislav Dražďák
předseda senátu JUDr. Stočes
Zdeněk Šavrda
přísedící soudu Kofroň
Věra Koktová
přísedící soudu Havránková
Karel Augusta
muž rozdávající letáky
Josef Čermák
Franta
Jiří Lír
skeptik
Zdeněk Martínek
melancholik
Karel Koloušek
intelektuál
Magda Maděrová
starší žena
Lucie Žulová
Marcela
Václav Bahník
Láďa
Zdeněk Černý
Tomášek, syn Balcarové
Slávka Hamouzová
žena na chodbě soudu
Stanislav Doubrava
chuligán
Zbyněk Krákora
chuligán
Jiří Křesťan
chuligán
Lubomír Rain
chuligán
Petr Svoboda
chuligán
Ludmila Tilkeridu
chuligánka
Marie Vysoká
chuligánka
Arnošt Proschek
chuligán
Blažej Adamec
řidič
Ivana Kučerová
tanečnice
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Viktor Riebauer
Assistant Director
Continuity
Based on
Vojtěch Trapl (Tobě hrana zvonit nebude – divadelní hra)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Jaroslav Lehman, Josef Pavlík, Ladislav Rada
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Vladimír Kubík
Cooperation
Blažena Motlíková (klapka), Miroslav Pešan (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Antonín Dvořák (Symfonie č. 9 e moll /Z Nového světa/), Antonín Dvořák (Koncert pro housle a orchestr a moll)
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)
Songs
Umřel mi můj milý
Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer dívčí sbor
Svatá válka /Vstavaj strana ogromnaja/
Song Composer Alexandr Vasiljevič Alexandrov
Writer of Lyrics Vasilij I. Lebeděv-Kumač
Singer sbor
Production info
Original Title
Tobě hrana zvonit nebude
Czech Title
Tobě hrana zvonit nebude
English Title
The Bell Will Not Toll for You
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1975
Production Year
1975
Premiere
preview 28 August 1975 (Hradec Králové)
premiere 4 September 1975 /suitable for youths/ (kino Paříž, Praha)
premiere 5 September 1975 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Miroslava Hladkého, Miroslav Hladký (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny), Výrobní skupina Věry Třeškové, Věra Třešková (vedoucí výrobní skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
93 min
Original length in metres
2 600 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
Exhibition: 20. přehlídka avantgardních a neorealistických filmů Avellino
1979
Avellino / Italy
československá kinematografie
Vítěz
Festival: 14. festival českých a slovenských filmů Brno
1976
Brno / Czechoslovakia
Vojtěch Trapl
Vítěz
Festival: 23. mezinárodní filmový festival San Sebastián
1975
San Sebastián / Spain
