The most acclaimed name in Czechoslovak cinema adaptations of the works of French novelist Jules Verne has long been that of director Karel Zeman. Consequently, when director Ludvík Ráža and screenwriter Ondřej Vogeltanz were in the mid-1970s seeking a Verne adventure story to adapt, they knew they would be working in the shadow of a stack of great movies already produced. Zeman had by that time drawn on source works from the writer to make Vynález zkázy (The Deadly Invention, 1958), Ukradená vzducholoď (The Stolen Airship, 1966) and Na kometě (On the Comet, 1968). These films utilise a combination of live-action and animation, specifically drawing on the style of the original book illustrations. The motion picture that eventually appeared thanks to the endeavours of Ráža and Vogeltanz, Tajemství Ocelového města (The Secret of the Steel Town, 1978), is based on the 1879 Verne novel The Begum's Fortune. The film adaptation takes a loose approach to the source material, focusing on bringing to life a realistic adventure story. Regarded as one of director Ráža’s strongest motion pictures, Tajemství Ocelového města (The Secret of the Steel Town) tells the story of two distant relatives – the doctor Sarrasin and professor Janus, who both take a very different approach to the fortunes they inherit. While the humanitarian Sarrasin uses his funds to build the prosperous city of Fortuna, the power-hungry Janus funds the construction of Steel City, within which the destitute inhabitants must toil in a huge munitions plant. Sarrasin’s son-in-law, the engineer Zodiak, disguises himself in order to gain the confidence of Janus. With the help of the orphan Viktor, he foils the inventor’s nefarious plans to take over Fortuna. This somewhat schematic, anti-war themed film for young audiences is nonetheless highly successful at bringing to life the gloomy atmosphere of Steel City, supposed to serve as an example of the devastating and exploitative capitalistic system. Cinematographer Jan Němeček helps bring the film’s visuals to life, having previously showed his skills in Kdo chce zabít Jessii? (Who Wants to Kill Jessie?, 1966) and Ať žijí duchové! (Long Live the Ghosts!, 1977). Also utilising his expertise is set designer Vladimír Labský, who built multifunctional interiors on Barrandov’s Stage 6 for this film. After alterations, they were later used in films including Panna a netvor (The Virgin and the Monster, 1978), Deváté srdce (The Ninth Heart, 1979) and Kočičí princ (Cat Prince, 1979).
Doctor Sarrasin and his distant relative professor Janus used a huge property, they inherited some time ago, in completely different ways. Sarrasin has built a town of Fortuna for the common good of its citizens; Janus has built a war industrial plant factory in Steel Town, which is a prison for its inhabitants. Sarrasin suspects Janus is going to attack his Fortuna. His liaison man Garmond, who has been working in Steel Town, has not been heard of for more than a year. Sarrasin's son-in-law, technician Zodiak, disguises and sets off to Janus's town where people watched by the police only work and vegetate. Zodiak witnesses a missile crash, after an explosion of which people get immediately frozen. Now he knows what destiny Janus prepares for Fortuna. He also learns that Garmond is dead. However, he succeeds to find Garmond's son Victor who helps him to kill Janus's man Moltke and sends a warning message to Fortuna. As he looks similar to Moltke, he gets employed with Janus where he works on the construction of a huge gun aimed at destroying Fortuna. Janus reveals his identity and has him and Victor arrested. He tells him also the exact time of the attack. Zodiac does not give up. At night he makes balloons, fills them with gas and launches them to carry Victor. Janus gets him arrested into catacombs inside of the Mount of Kyklop, where the gun is placed. Exhausted Victor brings the message just a few minutes before the time of the expected attack. However, an explosion bursts out over Steel Town. This was the gun which Janus overloaded by 20 per cent. Sarrasin invades Janus's town in a few days and finds his son-in-law alive and Janus and his companions frozen. Sarrasin is an heir of Steel Town. Victor finds his new home in the Zodiak's family.
The studio dressing originally created by the architect Vladimír Labský for the films The Ninth Heart, Virgin and the Monster and Cat Prince were partly used in this film.
dr. François Sarrasin
profesor chemie Erik Janus
novinář hrabě Van Hulshof
Viktor Garmond
Ing. Marcel Zodiak, Sarrasinův zeť/Ing. Moltke
Alice, Marcelova žena
Vent
Filbank
Arminius
Sigismor
kapitán, Janusův pobočník
ředitel chlapeckého internátu
kameraman
William Mallory
dělník Lavago
hostinský
instruktor
prodavač textilu
rybář
slepec
dělník
Tomáš, Marcelův syn
Johanka, Marcelova dcera
železničář
železničář
lékař
průvodčí
umrzající opilý dělník
běžec před autem
běžec před autem
běžec před autem
dělnice
dělník
dělník
dělník
dělník
novinář
novinář
novinář
novinář
důstojník
karnevalová maska
karnevalová maska
karnevalová maska
karnevalová maska
karnevalová maska
karnevalová maska
karnevalová maska
karnevalová maska
karnevalová maska
karnevalová maska
člen městské rady
člen městské rady
tajný
tajný
tajný
mladík
dívka
chlapec
voják
dubl za Jana Potměšila
hlas dělníka/hlas novináře
hlas dělníka
hlas dělníka
hlas z reproduktoru
Helena Sýkorová, Jaroslav Hrubeš
Jules Verne (Ocelové město /Les Cinq Cents Millions de la Bégum/ – román)
Vladimír Mácha, Václav Pošta, Milan Šteindler
Jiří Berger (pyrotechnik)
Vladimír Bárta (2), Stanislav Benda, Jan Brokl, Josef Brož, Karel Engel, Jiří Fajt, Josef Hejzlar, František Jákl, Petr Jákl, Arnošt Janeček, Martin Janský, M. Jirásko, Miroslav Jíra, Jaroslav Klenot, Jiří Klenot, Jiří Kraus, P. Křížek, Pavel Myslík, Vladimír Procházka, Jindřich Sejk, Oldřich Semerák, Zdeněk Srstka, Jaroslav Šanda, J. Šrankota, Stanislav Tůma, Jiří Vach, Pavel Vaněk, Karel Vítek, Jaroslav Vlk
Lev Veltrubský, Jarmila Hanykýřová
Vladimír Dolínek
Alice Kracíková (klapka), Miloš Schmiedberger (fotograf)
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Tajemství Ocelového města
Tajemství Ocelového města
The Secret of the Steel Town
film
featuretheatrical distribution
sci-fi
Czechoslovakia
1978
1977—1978
literary Screenplay approved 10 January 1977
technical Screenplay approved 20 October 1977
start of filming 21 October 1977
end of filming 26 October 1978
projection approval 28 November 1978
withdrawal from distribution 15 December 1993
premiere 11 May 1979 /suitable for youths/
Filmové studio Barrandov, Československá televize Praha, Hlavní redakce vysílání pro děti a mládež (Československá televize Praha)
Dramaturgická skupina Oty Hofmana, Ota Hofman (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
feature film
85 min
2 440 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,66
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Festival: 1. mezinárodní filmový festival mladého diváka Laon
1983
Laon / France
Ludvík Ráža
Festival: 17. festival českých a slovenských filmů Hradec Králové
1979
Hradec Králové / Czechoslovakia
Festival: 19. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov
1979
Zlín / Czechoslovakia