The Hour of Truth

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1977

Production year

1976—1977

Premiere

16 December 1977

Runtime

80 min

Category

film

Genre

drama, psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Hodina pravdy

Czech title

Hodina pravdy

English title

The Hour of Truth

Working title

Procitnutí

Summary

Nataša Tanská’s acclaimed radio play Hodina angličtiny (English Lesson, 1974) was broadcast in seven countries and performed on stage by the legendary Moscow Art Theatre (MXAT). The play was transferred to the silver screen in 1977 with a slightly modified title. The dramatic narrative revolves around depressed convalescent Jarmila Slezáková who secretly decides to end her life after learning of her husband’s adultery. The English teacher of her small daughter, Ms Majerová, realises that the desperate woman is about to take her own life. The teacher, eventually aided by the errant husband, fights to save Jarmila’s life as time ticks away… Adapting the intimate radio play, which featured only the girl and her English teacher, director Václav Matějka created a subtle psychological drama. Jana Gýrová was cast in the role of teacher Ms Majerová while Hana Maciuchová excels as the husband’s mistress Petra.

Synopsis

Jarmila Slezáková, a young woman convalesces badly at home after the results of a heart attack which she suffered some time ago. After the doctors have results of the examinations they consider to hospitalize her again. They would like to settle it with her husband, their colleague. But the attractive doctor Slezák made up a story about his participation in a scientific seminar and he left with his lover, a nurse Petra to a summer house. Jarmila has a bad family case-history and it does not make her good to feel like a burden and she feels she lost her husband's love. Slezák brought her seven year old daughter Terezka to the teacher Majerová to baby-sit her, he shall pick her up in the evening. The smart and chatty girl tells a lot of stories to the teacher. From her textbook falls a picture of her mother with an inscription and today's date... The teacher gradually realizes what Mrs Slezáková is planning to do. When she understands that the friend, little Petra which Terezka is speaking about is a grown up and that Mrs Slezáková might know that her husband has a lover, the teacher decides to act. Jarmila welcomes her at home friendly and seemingly peacefully. Mr Slezák is touched with remorse and comes back. The teacher tells him about her worries and her visit, which did not quieten her. Jarmila cut the wires leading to the bell to prevent an explosion and the gas sizzles from the unlit burners. Doctor Slezák strives to get through the city home as fast as possible...

Cast

Svatopluk Matyáš

MUDr. Jiří Slezák

Jana Gýrová

učitelka Jana Majerová

Hana Maciuchová

sestra Petra Vášová, Slezákova milenka

Růžena Merunková

Jarmila, Slezákova žena

Eliška Sirová

Terezka, dcera Slezákových

Vlastimil Brodský

truhlář Karel Tomáš

Karel Augusta

listonoš

Rudolf Jelínek

MUDr. Petráš

Jitka Zelenohorská

barmanka Zdenička

Jiří Pleskot

primář MUDr. Hora

Jaroslava Tichá

sestra Králová

Lenka Fišerová

staniční sestra Karla

Magda Maděrová

zdravotní sestra Boušková

Josef Střecha

MUDr. Balcer

Bronislav Poloczek

starší muž

Dubbing

Milan Riehs

hlas rentgenologa

Lenka Fišerová

hlas školní hospodářky v telefonu

Eva Svobodová

hlas sousedky za dveřmi

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Karel Kovář

Assistant Director

Jiří Býček

Based on

Nataša Tanská (Hodina angličtiny – rozhlasová hra)

Director of Photography

Jaromír Šofr

Second Unit Photography

Richard Valenta

Camera Operator

Jiří Maxa

Production Designer

Aleš Voleman

Assistent Production Designer

Boris Moravec ml.

Set Designer

Vladimír Foukal, Zdeněk Jeřábek, Rudolf Kinský

Costume Designer

Irena Greifová

Film Editor

Josef Valušiak

Assistant Film Editor

Růžena Hejsková, Jana Šimonová

Sound Designer

Ladislav Hausdorf

Special Effects

Trikový ateliér FSB

Production Manager

Eliška Nejedlá

Unit Production Manager

Ladislav Beneš, Jana Koubová

Unit Production Manager

Miroslav Šnábl

Consultant

doc. MUDr. Josef Šobra, DrSc.

Cooperation

Irena Gregorová (klapka), Jiří Kučera (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Zdeněk Liška

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)

Songs

Jeníčku, bloudíš

Song Composer lidová píseň
Writer of Lyrics lidová píseň
Singer Eliška Sirová

Počkej, já povím

Song Composer lidová píseň

Production info

Original Title

Hodina pravdy

Czech Title

Hodina pravdy

English Title

The Hour of Truth

Working Title

Procitnutí

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama, psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1977

Production Year

1976—1977

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 26 July 1976
start of filming 24 August 1976
technical Screenplay approved 23 September 1976
end of filming 4 April 1977
projection approval 19 April 1977
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986

Premiere

premiere 16 December 1977 /unsuitable for youths/

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Karla Copa, Karel Cop (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

80 min

Original length in metres

2 190 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