Time for a Breather
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1977Production year
1977Premiere
14 April 1978Runtime
86 minDirector
Jiří SvobodaCategory
filmGenre
psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Oddechový časCzech title
Oddechový časEnglish title
Time for a BreatherWorking title
Modré cestySummary
At the start of his career, psychological dramas were also part of the focus of director Jiří Svoboda. Among them is his film Oddechový čas (Time for a Breathe, 1977), set in an unusual environment – a factory producing suction dredgers. The story’s protagonist, however, is unexceptional: he’s a workaholic supervising manager named Jan Ondrák (played by the flawless Radoslav Brzobohatý) who is in over his head. He has become so immersed in solving work problems that he starts to overlook the needs of his employees, students and his own family. Ondrák’s eyes are opened to this fact at the moment when the factory workers, in the course of a single night, fix a broken excavator made for some Dutch customers... Debuting in the role of Ondrák’s son Petr, who helps his insensitive father become more humane, is the then 18-year-old actor David Prachař.
Synopsis
Engineer Jan Ondrák is a hard-working and tenacious man. His work means everything to him and he devotes all his time to it. His colleagues respect him as an expert but they don't really like him because of his strict and uncompromising ways. Ondrák also teaches at the faculty, where his reputation is the same as at the factory. One evening, he meets some friends of his son Petr and suddenly becomes aware of the enormous barrier that has grown up between him and the young generation. He is also having mounting difficulties at the factory. The most serious is the breakdown of an excavator produced for Dutch customers. The workers, however, repair everything during the night and the next day the machine is delivered with great ceremony. This event likewise causes Ondrák to look around and begin to appreciate the other people's cares and worries. He sees that he must think more about the others if he doesn't want to remain entirely alone.
Photos
Cast
Radoslav Brzobohatý
inženýr Jan Ondrák, výrobní náměstek loděnice
Jana Gýrová
inženýrka Katka Čásenská
Nina Divíšková
redaktorka Eva, Ondrákova žena
Petr Svojtka
inženýr Vaněk, Katčin ctitel
Jiří Pleskot
ředitel loděnice Rybín
Ladislav Večeřa
předseda ZO KSČ Karfík
Lubomír Kostelka
inženýr Láďa Holý, Ondrákův kolega
David Prachař
student Petr, syn Ondrákových
Jiří Průcha
Rajnyš, náměstek v loděnici
Jiří Bednář
Martin, Evin kolega
Václav Vydra
student před komisí
Antonín Hardt
docent Hlávka, člen komise
Eugen Jegorov
Evžen Bureš
Jiří Lír
Bohouš Čihák
Josef Šebek
inženýr Filip
Marie Bartůňková
sekretářka Líba
Vladimír Mišík
zpěvák
Jiří Mikota
dr. Horák
Jožka Stoklasa
dělník Huml
Vlastimil Hašek
dělník Lojza
Jiří Zahajský
mistr Janouch
Petr Jákl
holandský obchodník van den Bergen
Miloš Drahota
montér Kopečný
Božena Franková
Havránková
Karel Fridrich
montér Vnouček
Alena Karešová
úřednice Kalábová
Miroslav Nohýnek
montér Mirek
Karel Augusta
skladník Hurych
Miloslav Vajnar
montér Lemon
Jiřina Bílá
starší paní
Václav Kaňkovský
Robert
Zuzana Talpová
Brousilová
Vítězslav Jirsák
Pavel
Vlastimil Čaněk
Synek
Miloš Vávra
Pepa
Karel Bělohradský
řidič volhy
Edita Dindělová
prodavačka
Milan Livora
Jarda
Bedřich Šetena
Šafařík
Antonín Klípa
tlouštík
Naděžda Prchalová
sekretářka Emilka
Hana Čížková
tlumočnice
Jana Hermachová
kreslička Příhodová
Čestmír Válek
Rýdl
Johana Teplá
Nová
Josef Střecha
vrátný
Jiří Růžička st.
muž s palicí
Zdeňka Rosolová
Ivanka, Ondrákova sekretářka
Zuzana Plichtová
Zdena
Ludvík Knotek
stařík se psem
Karel Fiala
úředník Kostelka
Daniela Bartáková
Mikešová
Libuše Bedrnová
úřednice na vysoké škole
Tereza Vinická
dcerka Kopečného
Bohuslav Jíša
člen skupiny ETC
Vladimír Padrůněk
baskytarista ETC
Miloš Pokorný
zvukař skupiny ETC
František Francl
kytarista ETC
Jan Hrubý
houslista ETC
Jan Noha (hudebník)
bubeník ETC
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Jiří Potsch, Věra Justová
Screenstory
Screenplay
Zdeněk Braunschläger, Josef Vaculík, Jiří Svoboda, Karel Cop
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Vladimír Mácha, Václav Kozel, Milan Šteindler
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Helena Hánová
Consultant
Aleš Málek
Cooperation
Marie Hasíková (klapka), Miloš Schmiedberger (fotograf), České loděnice Praha n. p.
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček), skupina ETC
Songs
Hledači štěstí
Song Composer Vladimír Mišík
Writer of Lyrics Vladimír Mišík
Singer Vladimír Mišík
A já tě nechci, a já tě nemiluju
Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer Petr Svojtka
Cikánka
Song Composer Karel Vacek
Writer of Lyrics Karel Vacek
Singer Radoslav Brzobohatý
Production info
Original Title
Oddechový čas
Czech Title
Oddechový čas
English Title
Time for a Breather
Working Title
Modré cesty
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1977
Production Year
1977
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 17 December 1976
start of filming 16 February 1977
technical Screenplay approved 14 April 1977
end of filming 25 October 1977
projection approval 11 November 1977
Premiere
premiere 14 April 1978 /suitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Karla Copa, Karel Cop (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
86 min
Original length in metres
2 473 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
