A Ballad for the Bandit

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1978

Production year

1978

Premiere

15 June 1979

Runtime

89 min

Category

film

Genre

historical, musical

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Balada pro banditu

Czech title

Balada pro banditu

English title

A Ballad for the Bandit

Summary

There have been various film adaptations of Ivan Olbracht’s classic novel Nikola Šuhaj loupežník (Nikola Šuhaj, Outlaw). By far the most popular of these, however, is the film version of the cult musical by Brno’s Husa na provázku (Goose on a String) theatre – A Ballad for the Bandit (1978). The author of the updated version of the classic story about a rebel bandit was the banned dramatist and writer Milan Uhde, who had to hide behind a pseudonym – passing himself off as a theatre director called Zdeněk Pospišil. For the purposes of a musical spectacle, Uhde and the composer Miloš Štědron created songs inspired by folk templates, which quickly became popular during the “normalisation” era of Soviet entrenchment after the Warsaw Pact invasion. Olbracht’s original balladic story was geographically tied to Carpathian Ruthenia and to the time of the First World War. The adaptation, however, preserved the universal story of romantic love between the outlaw Nikola and the villager Eržika, while adding the topical dimension of an individual grappling with malevolent and unjust authority. The director Vladimír Sís used the original cast for the film version. Besides Miroslav Donutil (Nikola) and Iva Bittová (Eržika), who was only 18 years old at the time, Boleslav Polívka adds a distinctive tone to the film in the role of the slippery innkeeper Mageri. In his movie, Sís uses a “theatre within a theatre” to frame the action, whereby a group of young people with guitars (played by actors, of course) decide to retell the tale of the legendary bandit. Sís set the entire story in an outdoor theatre (Andělská hora near Karlovy Vary), which is complemented not only by audience members (who sometimes even join in the action) but also by the popular country group Zelenáči. With the aid of cinematographer Viktor Růžička, Sís succeeded in marrying the specific poetics of a Western with the timeless qualities of a legendary piece of theatre, which since the 1970s has for the most part remained a timeless story about the desire for freedom.

Synopsis

The amphitheatre of the open-air theatre is filled with young spectators, at the courtyard there prepare the actors, they lit up bonfire, sing a song about "the chap from Koločava" and the story begins... Nikola and Uhrín, deserters of war, make the promise to the old hag Morana that they will marry her daughters. Of reward Uhrín will get rich and Nikola will never be injured by a bullet. The men do not want to keep a promise and prefer killing the hag. In Koločava Nikola is awaited by his beloved Eržika. But Eržika's father does not give her away in marriage to a poor man. Therefore Nikola becomes a highwayman. People in country suffer want and thus other men join Nikola. Eržika becomes a highwayman's wife. Her brother wants to kill Nikola but at the duel it is he who perishes. The gendarmes force the villagers to cooperate, one of them tries to poison Nikola but eternal Morana saves his life. The commander of gendarmes attempts to take hold of Nikola by snare. He sends to Eržika a handsome gendarme Kubeš but Kubeš falls in love with Eržika and wants for the sake of love to leave service. Nikola, however, shoots him dead. The gendarmes threaten that they will call in troops and the villagers will have to feed them. The local rich man Magery promises Nikola´s companions Derbak and Danek a great sum of money if they kill the highwayman. The longing for money wins and the two former friends kill Nikola and his younger brother with an axe. At the flickering fire Eržika sings a melancholy song, the actors join the spectators and all are parting.

Note

The theatre musical, which the film was based on, was presented by the Brno "Theatre at the String" in 1975. The co-author was Milan Uhde. However, at the time, for political reason, he was then concealed with his name incognito. The lyrics arose as the adaptation of folklore texts.

Film online

Cast

Miroslav Donutil

Nikola Šuhaj

Petr Maláč

Jura, Nikolův bratr

Iva Bittová

Eržika, Nikolova žena

Blanka Rudová

Morana

František Derfler

starý Drač, Eržičin otec

Boleslav Polívka

hostinský Lazar Mageri

Jiří Pecha

velitel četníků

Pavel Zatloukal

starosta Derbak

Evelyna Steimarová

Derbakova žena

Pavel Nový

četník rotmistr Pavel Kubeš

Daniel Dítě

dezertér Uhrín

Alice Hašová

Mara-Olena, Moranina dcera

Michaela Dudová

Eva-Burka, Moranina dcera

Martin Havelka

Andrej, Eržičin bratr

Vladimír Zelenka

vedoucí trampů

Renata Hanáková

trampka Adéla

Rudy Kovanda

hrobník

František Olšovský

poštmistr

Ronald Heller

četník

Jiří Kosek

četník

Vít Pešina

četník

Jiří Synek

četník

Břetislav Tetera

četník

Solon Arcanidis

divadelní technik

Petr Dočkal

divadelní technik

František Král (2)

divadelní technik

Jiří Pfeifer

divadelní technik

Jaromír Tichý

divadelní technik

Pavel Tichý

divadelní technik

Jan Vyskočil

divadelní technik

Antonín Klepáč

mladý tramp

Jiřina Krepsová

trampka

Ivana Nejdlová

trampka

Věra Šišková

trampka

Pavla Schönová

trampka

Bohumila Teterová

trampka

Petr Bryndač

houslista skupiny Zelenáči

Marko Čermák

hráč na banjo skupiny Zelenáči

Mirek Hoffmann

zpěvák skupiny Zelenáči

Jaroslav Hnyk

bubeník skupiny Zelenáči

Pavel Král

basista skupiny Zelenáči

Josef Šimek

hráč na mandolínu skupiny Zelenáči

Vladimír Štýbr

basista skupiny Zelenáči

Jan Vyčítal

kytarista skupiny Zelenáči

Vít Tučný

kytarista skupiny Zelenáči

Ladislav Lahoda

dubl za Miroslava Donutila

Václav Zajíc

dubl za Miroslava Donutila – horolezec

Marie Hlináková

dubl za Ivu Bittovou – horolezkyně

Blažena Karasová

dubl za Ivu Bittovou – horolezkyně

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Vladimír Zelenka

Assistant Director

Zdeněk Pazdírek

Based on

Milan Uhde (Balada pro banditu – divadelní hra), Miloš Štědroň (Balada pro banditu – divadelní hra)

Director of Photography

Viktor Růžička

Second Unit Photography

Vojtěch Kuthan

Camera Operator

Jiří Maxa

Production Designer

Přemek Longa

Assistent Production Designer

Jan Sedláček

Set Designer

Václav Kozel, Jan Petrů, Milan Šefrna

Costume Designer

Jana Zbořilová

Assistant Film Editor

Anna Mejtská, Gabriela Pitráková

Production Manager

Jaromír Lukáš

Unit Production Manager

Milana Melcerová, Jaroslav Vágner

Unit Production Manager

Jiří Synek

Cooperation

Jana Zavázalová (klapka), Josef Vítek (fotograf)

Music

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín), skupina Zelenáči

Choreographer

Jan Hartmann

Songs

Zabili, zabili

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Iva Bittová

Tmavá nocka

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Blanka Rudová

Křížem krážem

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer mužský sbor

Ani tak nehoří

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Miroslav Donutil

Kterýpak jste který?

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Miroslav Donutil

Řekla jsem si, milý

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Iva BittováMiroslav Donutil

Tam u řeky na kraji

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Iva BittováMiroslav DonutilBlanka Rudovádívčí sbor

Večer zmizí, přijde ráno

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Iva Bittovádívčí sbor

Ach, bože, přebože

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer sbor

Pročpak mě chytáte

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Miroslav Donutilmužský sbor

Kamarádi moji

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer mužský sbor

Pojďme, chlapci, pojďme krást

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Miroslav DonutilsborMiroslav Donutil

Jede forman dolinou

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan UhdeMilan Uhde
Singer dívčí sbor

Zazpívejme, chlapci, jednosvorně

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Singer sbor

Leží chlapec

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer sbor

Chodí horou tři sta ovec

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Iva Bittová

Nepůjdu od tebe

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Iva BittováPavel Nový

Jatelinka drobná

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Miroslav Donutil

Dobrý večer vám

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Miroslav Donutilsbor

Šibeničky

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer sbor

Řekněte mamce, prokrista

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Miroslav Donutil

Bylo tu, není tu

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer Miroslav Donutil

Nebudu orat ani set

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer sbor

Pod javorem

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer sbor

Stavěli, stavěli

Song Composer Miloš Štědroň
Writer of Lyrics Milan Uhde
Singer sbor

Production info

Original Title

Balada pro banditu

Czech Title

Balada pro banditu

English Title

A Ballad for the Bandit

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

historical, musical

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1978

Production Year

1978

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 12 December 1977
start of filming 5 April 1978
technical Screenplay approved 28 April 1978
end of filming 27 November 1978
projection approval 7 December 1978

Premiere

premiere 15 June 1979 /unsuitable for youths/
renewed premiere 4 June 1998 /recommended for 15 and over/ (kino Evald, Praha)

Distribution slogan

The Tramp Musical of Theatre on a String. (1979) / no caption (1998)

Distribution

Ústřední půjčovna filmů (původní 1979), CinemArt (obnovená 1998)

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Vladimíra Kaliny, Vladimír Kalina (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

89 min

Original length in metres

2 545 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

Awards

Vítěz

Exhibition: 2. týden hudebních a choreografických filmů Santander

1981
Santander / Spain

Vítěz

Exhibition: 2. týden hudebních a choreografických filmů Santander

1981
Santander / Spain

Vítěz

Festival: 17. filmový festival mladých Trutnov

1979
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia
Iva Bittová

Vítěz

Festival: 17. festival českých a slovenských filmů Hradec Králové

1979
Hradec Králové / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Exhibition: 20. přehlídka avantgardních a neorealistických filmů Avellino

1979
Avellino / Italy
Vladimír Sís

Vítěz

Festival: 17. filmový festival mladých Trutnov

1979
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia
Miloš Štědroň