Island of the Silver Herons
Country
Czechoslovakia, German Democratic RepublicCopyright
1976Production year
1976Premiere
21 January 1977Runtime
75 minDirector
Jaromil JirešCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Ostrov stříbrných volavekCzech title
Ostrov stříbrných volavekEnglish title
Island of the Silver HeronsParallel title
Die Insel der SilberreiherSummary
An East German-Czechoslovak co-production inspired by a tale from author Ladislav Dvorský. The film tells the story of three German boys, confronted at the end of the First World War with some fundamental truths about human nature. Overcoming their different social backgrounds, Paul, Willi and Heinrich have formed solid friendships. When the trio helps to hide two war deserters, Heinrich enters a world of conflict. At home, the youngster has been raised in a climate of strong patriotism and duty. Ultimately, he discovers that his strict, militant grandfather once played a major role in the fate of his family... This 1976 historical drama is a signature effort by director Jaromil Jireš, who during the “normalisation” era tended to focus more on detached, lyrical projects lacking a personal authorial stamp. Among the German-Czech cast, Vladimír Dlouhý excels as the deserter Tony. Eighteen-year-old Iva Bittová marks her film debut in the minor role of artiste Tereza.
Synopsis
The late summer of 1918. Paul, Willi and Heinrich from an age-old German town are good friends, although there is a great deal that divides them. Heinrich comes from an officer's family with an army tradition and is preparing to enter cadet college. Paul's father and grandfather are workers, and Willi, left to depend on himself, works as a hotel messenger. The last year of the war is hard for everyone, but while Paul and Willi know their own minds and do not hesitate to help the war fugitives Tony and Sepp, for Heinrich everything is more complicated. He respects the rules that have been harshly instilled in him by his grandfather Colonel von Bülow, but he still cannot bring himself to betray the deserters in hiding. He also senses that the death of his father at the front is surrounded by a mystery that neither his mother nor grandfather is willing to explain. The gendarmes and militia are looking for the escaped men and also following up hints of a planned rebellion. The trail leads them to the island of herons where the three friends have often spent moments of leisure together. Sepp falls into the hands of the commander von Bülow. From their conversation Heinrich realizes that his grandfather is guilty of the death of his father. Sepp grabs the colonel's gun and forces him to call off the search. The colonel treacherously aims a hunting rifle secretly hidden at Sepp, but Heinrich dashes it to the ground and leaves the colonel with words of contempt. Tony, however, hidden is shot by the gendarmes. The boys' friendship continues.
Note
In the introductory titles of the film, Věra Kalábová let her name be used instead of the screenplay writer František Pavlíček, who could not be credited as the author at the time for political reasons.
Photos
Cast
Erwin Geschonneck
Voice by Ota Sklenčka
plukovník von Bülow
Günter Naumann
Voice by Petr Haničinec
zběh Sepp Erdmann
Vladimír Dlouhý
dezertér Tony
Michal Vavruša
Voice by Michal Pešek
student Heinrich, plukovníkův vnuk
Petr Voříšek
Paul Meyer, Heinrichův kamarád
Tomáš Vacek
poslíček Willi, Heinrichův kamarád
Heidemarie Wenzel
Voice by Viola Zinková
Hilda von Bülow, Heinrichova matka
Iva Bittová
Voice by Jana Šulcová
artistka Tereza
Wolfgang Greese
Voice by Luděk Kopřiva
velitel četnictva
Erich Mirek
Voice by Josef Větrovec
děda Meyer
Jaromír Joo
cirkusák Jan Král
Gabriela Najmanová
Králova žena
Jindřich Joo
Králův syn
Vladimír Navrátil
zatčený dělník
Hannes Stelzer
dělník
Jaromír Vaverka
dělník
Peter Kalisch
Voice by Jan Skopeček
přednosta stanice
Dieter Knust
jezdecký důstojník
Frank Ciazynski
poddůstojník
Klaus Tilsner
Voice by Mirko Musil
Gustav, příkazník u Bülowa
Karel Chromík
dělník/strojvůdce
Brigitte Beier
přednostova žena
Hans-Gotthilf Brown
jízdní četník
Klaus Ebeling
jízdní četník
Werner Ehrlicher
jízdní četník
Harald Engelmann
jízdní četník
Ernst Peter Berndt
hoteliér
Arnold Kern
harmonikář
Eberhard Dörner
válečný invalida
Holm Henning Freier
mladý důstojník
Else Sanden
Voice by Eva Svobodová
hospodyně
Jürgen Hölzel
jízdní důstojník
Peter Veith
starý voják
Karl Chalas
důstojník domobrany
Jiří Světlík
četník
Michael Englberger
četník
Detlef Willecke
četník
Nita Romanečová
stařena u okna
Wolfgang Eckstein
muž s dogou
Wolfgang Bathke
strážný
Alois Čuřík
dělník
Dubbing
Bedřich Šetena
hlas četníka
Vladimír Pospíšil
hlas důstojníka domobrany
Jindřich Narenta
německý hlas v Tonyho vzpomínce
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Michael Englberger
Assistant Director
Continuity
Based on
Ladislav Dvorský (Ostrov stříbrných volavek – povídka)
Screenplay
František Pavlíček (pod jménem Věry Kalábové), Inge Wüste-Heym, Jaromil Jireš (spolupráce na dialozích)
Dramaturg
Ivan Urban (Filmové studio Barrandov), Christel Gräf (DEFA)
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Bohumír Schwarzer
Production Designer
Marlene Willmann, Bohumil Pokorný, Jan Oliva, Siegfried Stallner
Set Designer
Vladimír Ježek, Ladislav Winkelhöfer, Jiří Žák, Werner Zettler
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Jaroslav Vágner, Detlef Willecke, Karel Prchal, Werner Fritzsche
Unit Production Manager
Consultant
František Michálek (jezdectví), Charly Vogel
Cooperation
Olga Kourová (klapka), Vladimír Souček (fotograf), Siegfried Bergmann (dokumentární záběry), Karl-Heinz Halle (dokumentární záběry)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín), Hudební sbor lidové armády Magdeburg
Production info
Original Title
Ostrov stříbrných volavek
Czech Title
Ostrov stříbrných volavek
English Title
Island of the Silver Herons
Parallel Title
Die Insel der Silberreiher
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic
Copyright
1976
Production Year
1976
Premiere
premiere 21 January 1977 /suitable for youths/
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina filmů pro děti a mládež, Ota Hofman (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny filmů pro děti a mládež), Roter Kreis (DEFA), Thea Richter (vedoucí skupiny Roter Kreis DEFA)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
75 min
Original length in metres
2 166 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,66
Colour
colour
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech, German
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 17. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov
1977
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Bohumil Pokorný
Vítěz
Festival: 17. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov
1977
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Jaromil Jireš
Vítěz
Festival: 17. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov
1977
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Marlene Willmann
Vítěz
Festival: 15. festival českých a slovenských filmů Bratislava
1977
Bratislava / Czechoslovakia
Jaromil Jireš
