On the Poacher’s Path

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1979

Production year

1978

Premiere

9 November 1979

Runtime

73 min

Category

film

Genre

children, adventure

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Na pytlácké stezce

Czech title

Na pytlácké stezce

English title

On the Poacher’s Path

Working title

Tudy vedou stezky...

Summary

Any discussion on popular Czechoslovak film series for children is unlikely to overlook the trilogy about little Prague boy Vašek and his stays with beloved grandpa-gamekeeper Straka in the Šumava region. Director Václav Gajer started things off in 1978 with Pod Jezevčí skálou (Beneath Badger Rock), which saw him return to directing after an eight-year ban imposed in response to his political opinions. After the success of the first film, Gajer and co-screenwriter Václav Pohl followed up with this stand-alone sequel entitled Na pytlácké stezce (On the Poacher’s Path). It is often considered the best film of the series, thanks to a plot that does not fall far short of a detective story. The tale unfolds after the adventurous Vašek, yearning to return to his dear granddad with whom he enjoyed such a tremendous time in the first film (in which he is sent to get some country air on doctor’s orders), resists his parents’ plans for a family holiday by the sea in Bulgaria. Determined to get to Šumava come what may, Vašek escapes home and sets out on his own. The family holiday is postponed – and the mischievous boy can instead devote himself to Straka’s search for a poacher, who is proving a real headache for the gamekeeper and his colleague Antoš. The dramatic climax takes place during a thunderstorm. Even the protagonists’ lives are now at stake... More than anything else, this family film sequel once again makes the most of the beautiful nature found in Šumava. There is compelling and authentic camera work from Rudolf Milič – for whom the Gajer trilogy served as a farewell to his cinematographic craft. Vašek and his grandpa are played by popular child actor Tomáš Holý (1968-1990) and Slovak actor Gustáv Valach, respectively. It goes without saying that they both reappeared a year later for the third and last film in the series, Za trnkovým keřem (Behind the Blackthorn). The Ostrava studios of Czech Television would go on to use the characters in a 13-part series called Přátelé Zeleného údolí (The Friends of the Green Valley, 1980). However, this time around, the names as well as the actors were changed. The good-natured gamekeeper was portrayed by Vlado Müller, while Martin Čížek played the unruly boy. As a bonus, a comedy line runs through the second instalment of the Šumava film trilogy with the introduction of two ramblers (Karel Heřmánek and Pavel Zedníček).

Synopsis

Vašek is expected to go to Bulgaria for a holiday with his parents during the summer vacation, but the boy finds the prospect of spending the summer with his gamekeeper grandfather far more tempting than the seaside. On the last day of school Vašek picks up his final report, but after that he takes his already packed bag and sets off for the Bohemian Forest without telling his parents. The grandfather is happy to have his grandson at his side again. In the evening, he gets a phone call from Vašek's mother. The trip to Bulgaria has been postponed and Vašek can stay with his grandfather for the time being. The gamekeeper and his colleague Antoš are troubled after they discover traces of a poacher in their woods. When they find red deer entrails buried in the forest, they become suspicious of all the men in the area: the viper hunter Pernikář, the river campers and the truck driver Čahoun. After discovering a poacher' snare, the grandfather decides to stay in the woods and keep watch. He sends off his dog Brok with a note for Vašek asking the boy to bring some food. Vašek heads into the woods but a storm breaks out before he reaches his grandfather. The boy tries to hide inside a feeding trough and finally huddles up under a tree. On his way he catches sight of the poacher who has found shelter in the forest hut. A tree broken by the storm falls on the hut and kills the man inside. Meanwhile everybody is searching for Vašek. The dog leads them to the hut and then to the boy, who is unharmed. They recognize the dead man as one of the employees at the sawmill. In the evening Vašek's mother calls again and the grandfather advises the boy to go with his parents. Before the boy returns to Prague Pernikář brings him a dachshund puppy, a gift from Čahoun. Vašek smiles. He would gladly go to Bulgaria, but who would then take care of the puppy?

Note

Second part of a loosely related trilogy, for the first part, see: Beneath Bedger Rock; for the third part, see: Behind Blackthorn Bush.

Film online

Cast

Gustáv Valach

hajný Václav Straka

Tomáš Holý

Vašek, Strakův vnuk

Jana Brejchová

Jarmila, Strakova snacha a Vaškova maminka

Josef Kemr

lovec zmijí Pernikář zvaný Zmiják

Václav Sloup

řidič náklaďáku Josef zvaný Čahoun

Karel Augusta

pytlák Ungeler

Jan Pohan

hajný Antoš

Adolf Filip

vedoucí pily Přibyl zvaný Pilous

Jaroslav Mareš

řidič na pile

Pavel Zedníček

tramp-recesista Jeník

Karel Heřmánek

tramp-recesista

Zdeněk Sirový (dítě)

Kalista, Vaškův kamarád

Jitka Zelenohorská

Kalistova matka

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Jiří Ostrý

Shooting Script

Václav Gajer

Dramaturg

Karel Cop

Director of Photography

Rudolf Milič

Second Unit Photography

Ota Kopřiva

Camera Operator

Václav Zajíček

Production Designer

Miroslav Hrachovec

Assistent Production Designer

Josef Kraus

Set Designer

Ivan Ernyei, Josef Calta

Costume Designer

Svatava Sophová

Assistant Film Editor

Rimma Stejskalová

Sound Designer

Dobroslav Šrámek

Production Manager

Jiří Beránek

Unit Production Manager

Vlasta Synkulová, Tomáš Baloun

Unit Production Manager

Miloš Zajdl

Cooperation

Josef Janoušek (fotograf), Lesní závod Vimperk

Music

Music Composed by

Luboš Sluka

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín), Kühnův smíšený sbor

Songs

Koukejte vycouvat

Song Composer Ivan Mládek

Louka široká, tráva zelená

Singer Pavel ZedníčekKarel Heřmánek

Srdečně vás vítáme

Singer Pavel ZedníčekKarel Heřmánek

Kamarád

Song Composer Bill Monroe
Writer of Lyrics Marko Čermák
Singer Tomáš Linka

Knírek, kníreček

Singer Pavel ZedníčekKarel Heřmánek

Production info

Original Title

Na pytlácké stezce

Czech Title

Na pytlácké stezce

English Title

On the Poacher’s Path

Working Title

Tudy vedou stezky...

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

children, adventure

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1979

Production Year

1978

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 1 August 1978
start of filming 16 August 1978
technical Screenplay approved 21 August 1978
end of filming 22 December 1978
projection approval 12 February 1979

Premiere

premiere 9 November 1979 /suitable for youths/

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Drahoslava Makovičky, Drahoslav Makovička (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

73 min

Original length in metres

2 087 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