Centaurs

Country

Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Copyright

1978

Production year

1978

Premiere

4 May 1979

Runtime

133 min

Category

film

Genre

drama, historical, political

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Kentauři

Czech title

Kentauři

English title

Centaurs

Co-production title

Kentaurok / Kentavri

Working title

Kentaur

Summary

Barrandov Film Studios took part in this 1978 Czech-Hungarian-Soviet co-production from Lithuanian writer-director Vytautas Žalakevičius. The historical drama examines the political events surrounding the real-life 1973 assassination of Chilean president Salvador Allende. The left-wing politician, who attempted to create a democratic form of Marxist government, becomes the target of Chilean reactionaries, strongly supported by the American CIA. The coup plan, codenamed “Centaur”, ends up triggering civil war in Chile, fuelled by American greed and the Chilean junta. Spanning two chapters, the filmmakers chart the disintegration of the political structures created by Allende, as well as the dramatic downfall of his government. Donatas Banionis assumes the lead role. He is well-known to filmgoers for his performance in the 1972 Andrei Tarkovsky sci-fi classic Solaris.

Synopsis

I. part. Orlando. American CIA and Chilean opposition joined in an operation named Centaurs, whose aim is to overthrow a leftist president Allende. President's friend Orlando, head of the central intelligence, suggests a direct repel against the enemy. President Allende does not agree, believing that all citizens, including the army, will follow the laws. Orlando is denounced by the right-wing politicians, and the president has to suspend him from his office. Andres is appointed to the office. Orlando carries on the investigation on his own to reveal the enemy. – II. part. President. Allende's minister of defence, general Catalan, gives his resignation. In compliance with military hierarchy, he is replaced by general Pin, who is against the new democratic regime. Orlando tries to persuade the president to act immediately, but Allende does not want to take the risk of split with the army. The opposition rapidly gains the upper hand. The city is shortly surrounded by military forces. The Junta declares to free the country from Marxists. President is offered to leave the country without restraint, but he refuses to do so. Tanks and air forces attack the presidential palace. President and Orlando fight side by side with their loyal allies, being killed in the final battle.

Cast

Donatas Banionis

Voice by Čestmír Řanda
prezident Salvador Allende

Margit Lukács

Voice by Jiřina Petrovická
Angelica Allendeová, prezidentova žena

Regimantas Adomajtis

Voice by Vladimír Brabec
ředitel úřadu vyšetřování Orlando

Bruno O'Ya

Voice by Jan Schánilec
švédský novinář Bruno Nilson

Jevgenij Lebeděv

Voice by Jiří Holý
generál Pin

Jelena Ivočkina

Voice by Jorga Kotrbová
Anna Marie Sebastian Navarrová, Orlandova přítelkyně

Gennadij Bortnikov

Voice by Jiří Štěpnička
důstojník Hannibal Navarr, bratr Anny Marie

Gyula Benkö

Voice by Karel Richter
ministr obrany generál Mario Catalán

Jitka Zelenohorská

tajemnice prezidenta Julie

Valentin Gaft

nový ředitel úřadu vyšetřování Andres

Ion Ungureanu

Voice by Dalimil Klapka
generální ředitel policie Sergio Toroa

Mihai Volontir

Voice by Petr Haničinec
Evaristo, Orlandův pomocník

Tibor Tancozs

Voice by Karel Houska
Augusto

Viktor Anisimov

Voice by Jiří Krampol
kapitán Greci

Juozas Budrajtis

Voice by Jan Kanyza
velitel osobní stráže Ramon

Irén Sütö

Voice by Jana Andresíková
Navarrová, matka Anny Marie a Hannibala

Kachi Kavsadze

Voice by Ladislav Kazda
barman Hugo

Nodar Mgaloblišvili

Voice by Karel Chromík
ministr Miguel

Valerij Kuzin

Voice by Oldřich Musil
generál a náčelník štábu pozemní armády

Stanislav Němec

ministr-plukovník

Jožka Stoklasa

plukovník

Daniela Vacková

chilská dívka

Zbyněk Krákora

osobní stráž

Vít Pešina

osobní stráž

Jan Okrouhlík

osobní stráž

Sergej Děsnickij

Dumitru Fusu

Ottó Füzessy

László Horváth

Pál Horváth

Avtandil Kvirikašvili

Gábor Markaly

Anna Mojika

Valentina Brusnika

Alexandr Friedental

E. Gonzales

V. Chačikjan

A. Chamorro

Ch. Kačeli

David Mkrtčjan

I. Movšovič

G. Oskar

M. Paves

L. Popovjan

A. Ramirez

Ch. Rejbaskes

Vladimir Saltykovskij

A. Sardan

V. Torez

R. Veramendi

Commentary

Dubbing

Vítězslav Jandák

hlas Césara Navarry, bratra Anny Marie

Karel Chromík

hlas sluhy

Jan Pohan

hlas velitele posádky generála Hermana Bradyho

Miroslav Zounar

hlas velitele karabiniérů generála Palmy

Josef Zíma

hlas majora Francisca Conchy

Jan Přeučil

hlas prezidentova úředníka/hlas muže ve výtahu

Bedřich Šetena

hlas prezidentova úředníka

Jiří Němeček

hlas bývalého ministra

Jiří Zavřel

hlas poručíka/hlas kapitána, pobočníka generála Catalána/hlas pilota

Ladislav Županič

hlas vojáka/hlas novináře/hlas muže ve výtahu

Eva Klepáčová

hlas ženy řidiče Juana

Simona Stašová

hlas dcery řidiče Juana

Josef Velda

hlas telefonisty/hlas kriminalisty/hlas muže ve výtahu

Jiří Prager

hlas Vincenta Charpy

Ladislav Krečmer

hlas vojáka před palácem

Bohuslav Kalva

hlas člena osobní stráže

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Avtandil Kvirikašvili, Zoja Rogozovskaja, Otakar Fuka, Sándor Köö, Zdeněk Flídr

Assistant Director

V. Brusnika, B. Levkovič, Peter Miskolczi, Jiří Potsch

Director of Photography

Pavel Lebešev

Second Unit Photography

B. Jeljan, E. Gimpel

Camera Operator

L. Kapustina, József Halom

Assistent Production Designer

Václav Hlávka

Set Designer

Karel Kočí, Jaroslav Česal, Vladimír Slepička, Stanislav Krejča, Jan Hodný

Make-Up Artist

Jiří Šimon, Edit Basilides, T. Krylova

Film Editor

Valerija Bělova, Marta Geržabková (česká verze)

Sound Designer

Roland Kazarjan

Special Effects

V. Žanov, A. Rudačenko

Production Manager

German Krilov, Karel Vejřík, György Rózsási

Unit Production Manager

Viktor Schwarcz, Helena Hánová

Consultant

M. Kudačkin, N. Alexejev, A. Blinkov, P. Boczo

Cooperation

Dana Průchová (klapka), Marie Hasíková (klapka), Bohumil Ženíšek (vrchní osvětlovač), Miloš Schmiedberger (fotograf)

Dialogues of Czech version

K. M. Walló

Direction of Czech version

K. M. Walló

Music

Music Composed by

Roland Kazarjan

Selected Music

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Symfonie č. 25)

Production info

Original Title

Kentauři

Czech Title

Kentauři

English Title

Centaurs

Co-production Title

Kentaurok / Kentavri

Working Title

Kentaur

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama, historical, political

Origin country

Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Copyright

1978

Production Year

1978

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 28 June 1977
technical Screenplay approved 07/1977
start of filming 07/1977
start of filming 20 September 1977 (československá část)
end of filming 28 September 1977 (československá část)
end of filming 04/1978
projection approval 26 September 1978
the first film copy approved 15 March 1979
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986

Premiere

premiere 4 May 1979 /suitable for youths/

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Karla Valtery, Karel Valtera (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny), První tvůrčí skupina (Mosfilm), Lidija Kanarejkina /ž/ (vedoucí První tvůrčí skupiny Mosfilm), Dialog (Mafilm)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

133 min

Original length in metres

3 807 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech, English, Spanish

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Intertitles languages

Czech

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Festival: 12. všesvazový filmový festival Ašchabád

1979
Ašchabád / Turkmenistan

Vítěz

Festival: 17. festival českých a slovenských filmů Hradec Králové

1979
Hradec Králové / Czechoslovakia