Palette of Love
Typology
featureCzech title
Paleta láskyRuntime
98Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1976Production year
1976Premiere
24.12.1976Language version
CzechDirector
Josef MachSummary
The creative, restless personality of painter Josef Mánes (1820–1871) constitutes the central theme of this 1976 biographical drama by experienced director Josef Mach. The feature film is based on a book and screenplay by writer František Kožík. Nevertheless, the filmmakers only picked out some of the scenes from the extensive original work. Those selected were mostly related to Mánes´s studies and his work on the embellishment of the Prague astronomical clock, the unveiling of which the painter did not live to see. The artist, both during his youthful idealism and the creative inspiration he drew from maturity, is convincingly portrayed by Petr Kostka. Proven actors of the time are even found throughout the rest of the cast of this patriotic costume film. Writer Neruda was portrayed by Eduard Cupák, and Professor Purkyně by Bohuš Záhorský. Jana Švandová a Soňa Valentová were entrusted to portray the painter’s beloved “muses” – the women of his life.
Synopsis
Josef Mánes gets into a conflict with the director of the Academy of Fine Art, Ruben, and his immediately thrown out of the school. But Josef is not downcast. He is young and believes in his talent. He is also in love with the maidservant Fanynka. Soon, however, reality catches up with him. Fanynka is expecting Josef's child, and his uncompromising sister Amalka, who supports the whole family, sends the girl away. It is 1865 and the Old Town Astronomical Clock is being reconstructed. Mánes wants to get the commission for the paintings on the clock face, but the city council offers the work to the painter Trenkwald, and it is only when Trenkwald refuses – because the fee is too small even to cover the costs – that Mánes gets his change. The Mánes's are living in great poverty, but Josef takes up the work with enthusiasm. One bring spot in his life is that the well-known painter Cornelius recognizes his talent and invites the young painter to work with him in Munich. Mánes, however, wants to stay in Bohemia. Profesor Böhm, responsible for the astronomical parts of the clock, makes it impossible for Mánes to continue. The despairing painter accepts an invitation from the Sylva-Taroucca noble family and goes to stay at their residence in the Moravian region Haná, but as soon as he hearts that Böhm has been dismissed he returns to Prague to continue work on the clock paintings. He works tirelessly even in the period of the Prussian invasion of Bohemia, but he knows that his strength is totally exhausted and takes him away from the town hall, but Mánes cannot abandon his work. In the end it is only his daughter Josefína who persuades him to leave. Sick and mentally deranged, he finds himself back in the Haná. He is at the end of his strength, and sees only the beauty of nature. The clock is ceremonially unveiled in Prague, but the painters Josef Mánes is already dead.
Photos
Cast
Petr Kostka
malíř Josef Mánes
Stanislav Fišer
malíř Quido, Josefův bratr
Miroslav Doležal
architekt František Václavík
Eduard Cupák
spisovatel Jan Neruda
Luděk Munzar
malíř Karel Purkyně
Bohuš Záhorský
profesor Jan Evangelista Purkyně
Josef Bláha
malíř Peter von Cornelius
Jana Štěpánková
malířka Amálie, Josefova a Quidova sestra
Jana Švandová
služka Fanynka, Josefova milenka
Libuše Šafránková
Josefína, Josefova nemanželská dcera
Soňa Valentová
herečka Jindřiška Slavínská
Gabriela Beňačková
Anna, Václavíkova žena
Zuzana Kocúriková
bulharská malířka Ekka Goranova
Ota Sklenčka
profesor Böhm
Martin Růžek
ředitel Akademie Christian Ruben
Gustav Heverle
rada Kriebel
Ilja Prachař
rada Schlessinger
Eduard Dubský
hrabě František Antonín Thun, místodržící
Zdeněk Hodr
ředitel Akademie Eduard Engerth
Otakar Brousek
pruský generál Falkenstein
Jiří Pleskot
nakladatel Belmann
Josef Větrovec
pražský primátor dr. Václav Bělský
Jindřich Narenta
velitel ostrostřelců
Miroslav Zounar
hrabě August Sylva Taroucca
Zdena Kožíková
hraběnka Leopoldina, matka hraběte
Jana Sedlmajerová
Gizela, Augustova první žena
Regina Rázlová
hraběnka Helena
Zdeněk Kampf
kaplan Bedřich, bratr hraběte
Čestmír Řanda
kavárník Kaucký
Ladislav Trojan
profesor Lhota
Robert Vrchota
hodinář Holub
Václav Stýblo
Petr Meixner
Zdeněk Žák
malíř František Ženíšek
Vladimír Krška
prelát Kunz
Milada Karasová (2)
Italka Terezína, Corneliova společnice
Eduard Pavlíček
zřízenec na Akademii
Mirko Musil
vrátný Havránek
Eliška Balzerová
Henrietta Gallenbergová
Helena Kostková
Marie, dcera hraběte
Tomáš Hayer
syn hraběte
Antonín Sedlák
syn hraběte
Karel Šebesta
zákazník v knihkupectví
Jiří Bukvaj
úředník na radnici
Karel Hovorka
úředník na radnici
Jaroslav Konečný
kočí
Emil Iserle
kustod v muzeu
Dana Obrmajerová
Františeka Zavadilová ze Stichovic
Jan Cmíral
dělník u stroje
Václav Fišer
slévárenský mistr
Josef Střecha
sluha u Thuna
Milan Pěkný
pobočník generála
Hana Talpová
hostinská
Richard Záhorský
profesor v muzeu
Sylva Sequensová
zpěvačka
Milena Kletečková
zpěvačka
Miloš Šustr
výměnkář
Daniela Krajná
modelka Klára
Jiřina Koucká
studentka
Karel Augusta
Němec v hospodě
Václav Kaňkovský
Němec v hospodě
Olga Brotanová
dívka u skleníku
Tomáš Daněk
maskér v kavárně
Zdeněk Mihle
dělník u stroje
Jaroslav Mysliveček
dubl za P. Kostku při malování
soubor Hanačka
Dubbing
Libuše Švormová
hlas Anny Václavíkové
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Ivan Čeporan, Jiří Prokeš, Jarmila Kovtanová
Based on
František Kožík (Josef Mánes – román)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Script Editor
Camera
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Set Designer
Jiří Bžoch, Karel Kracík, Dana Smržová
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Vlastimil Maršálek, Rudolf Mos
Unit Production Manager
Hana Holá
Consultant
PhDr. Olga Macková , Zbyšek Svoboda, Jaroslav Mysliveček
Cooperation
Tamara Kondrysová, Karel Šebík, Růžena Hejsková, Jan Sedláček (2)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Music Conducted by
Štěpán Koníček (FISYO)
Songs
Vane větřík po lučinách /ze hry Fidlovačka/, Hej, Slované
Songwriter
František Škroup (Vane větřík po lučinách /ze hry Fidlovačka/), lidová slovenská píseň (Hej, Slované)
Writer of Lyrics
Josef Kajetán Tyl (Vane větřík po lučinách /ze hry Fidlovačka/), Samo Tomášik (Hej, Slované)
Singer
Sylva Sequensová (Vane větřík po lučinách /ze hry Fidlovačka/), Milena Kletečková (Vane větřík po lučinách /ze hry Fidlovačka/), Petr Kostka (Hej, Slované), Eduard Cupák (Hej, Slované), Luděk Munzar (Hej, Slované), Miroslav Doležal (Hej, Slované)
Production info
Original Title
Paleta lásky
English Title
Palette of Love
Copyright
1976
Production Year
1976
Premiere
24.12.1976
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
Technical info
Format
35mm , Betacam
Versions
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Exhibition: Mezinárodní týden historického filmu Córdoba
1978
Córdoba / Spain