Divine Ema

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1979

Production year

1978—1979

Premiere

21 December 1979

Runtime

109 min

Category

film

Genre

biography

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Božská Ema

Czech title

Božská Ema

English title

Divine Ema

Summary

One of the highpoints of director Jiří Krejčík’s filmography was the biopic inspired by the life of the opera singer Ema Destinnová (aka Emmy Destinn, 1878–1930). In cooperation with the writer and screenwriter Zdeněk Mahler, the then 61-year-old Krejčík returned to the spotlight in 1979 after years working in television with a film that told a topical story against a historical backdrop. Božská Ema (Divine Ema) used the dramatic life of the celebrated diva to deliver a patriotic message about the need for inner freedom in a world of suspicion, betrayal, and the totalitarian application of power. The protagonist of this stylish tale is the great Czech dramatic singer Ema Destinnová, who deservedly won plaudits all over the world. Even though the First World War is raging in Europe, the singer decides to return home to Bohemia from the United States, despite warnings not to do so from those closest to her. Once she arrives, however, she is placed under constant supervision by the Austro-Hungarian police because of her sympathy for the anti-Austrian resistance. Nonetheless, the unshakeable patriot refuses under duress to serve those whom she views as the oppressors of her beloved country… This award-winning film on the life and times of Destinnová – played with feeling by the Slovak actress Božidara Turzonovová – does not restrict itself solely to the protagonist’s civic and political activities. The beautiful opera singer’s passionate romances also play an important role, particularly her relationship with the attractive forester Viktor, played by another Slovak, Juraj Kukura. The cinematographer Miroslav Ondříček helped Krejčík create a convincing vision of the world at the turn of the last century. The stubborn commitment of all those involved in making Divine Ema is borne out by the fact that the production designer Jindřich Goetz secretly borrowed some sets and props from the Antonín Dvořák biopic Koncert na konci léta (Concert at the End of Summer), which was also being shot by František Vlačil in Barrandov Studios at the same time and was set in the same historical period.

Synopsis

The opera lady singer Ema Destinnová is in all her splendour at the American stages. But in Europe there rages war and she decides to return home to Bohemia. As an enthusiastic patriot she takes over a small cape on the back of which is a coding chart designated for the anti-Austrian revolt. Ema crosses the border and everywhere is welcomed by enthusiastic crowds. However, it is a denunciation that results in her detaining and her property is submissioned to the examination. An imminent sentence for high treason is warded it off by the secret intervention of the German Kaiser - an admirer of her singing. The Austrian colonel, commander of the operation, sets her free. But he places her under surveillance and determines her existence to find out the addressee of the parcel. Ema's performance in the National Theatre in Prague is called off, the newspapers are not allowed to write about her. She herself is interned in her country small castle. A wood-reeve Viktor, her love, to whom she devotes her weeks of holidays in Bohemia, would need a wife for all the year and children, which is what Ema is not capable to grant him. Viktor abandons her but the colonel compels him to return and give reports on Destinnová. Ema refuses to marry her American manager which would help her to leave the country. She sings in Bohemia at the charitable concerts. Viktor is arrested but he runs away and in secret meets Ema and told her all. The colonel gets hounds on him. Desperate Ema intercedes for Viktor but she refuses to pay back by serving for espionage. She visits the National Theatre in Prague and sings from the auditorium the song of prophecy of Libuše. Impoverished and lonely she lives to see the rise of independent Czechoslovakia. But her homeland does not seem to be too grateful to her. Part of her property is put up for auction to pay for tax debts that were invented against her by imperial and royal authorities.

Note

The cameraman Jiří Šámal started shooting the film (summer scenes and the National Theatre) but the illness did not allow him to go on. The cameraman Miroslav Ondříček who took over the shooting wished that only his name were given in the titles. In the course of shooting there was also exchanged the producer Jaroslav Solnička for Jan Syrový. At the same time, in Hostivař studio, there was shooted a film Concert at the End of Summer. While the same historic period was concerned – the architect Jindřich Goetz was at times secretly borrowing equipment from one film to the other.

Film online

Cast

Božidara Turzonovová

operní pěvkyně Ema Destinnová

Juraj Kukura

Voice by Radoslav Brzobohatý
myslivec Viktor

Jiří Adamíra

plukovník kontrašpinážní služby

Miloš Kopecký

Čechoameričan Herold Samuel

Josef Somr

nadporučík kontrašpionážní služby

Čestmír Řanda

ředitel Národního divadla v Praze

Josef Kemr

dirigent vesnické kapely

Václav Neužil

velitel celníků

Václav Lohniský

přednosta stanice

Karel Augusta

exekutor z berního úřadu /fenďák/

Vlastimil Bedrna

exekutor z berního úřadu /fenďák/

Jana Smrčková

společnice Destinnové

Milena Svobodová

komorná

Zdeněk Dítě

okresní hejtman v Prachaticích

Karel Urbánek

správní šéf Národního divadla v Prachaticích

Všemír Němec

náčelník Sokola

Oto Ševčík

armádní chemik

František Šec

muž v černém

Stanislav Zindulka

italský dirigent Arturo Toscanini/venkovský divák

Milan Karpíšek

operní pěvec Enrico Caruso

Karel Peyr

ředitel Metropolitní opery

Josef Střecha

režisér Národního divadla v Praze

Zdeněk Blažek

venkovský muzikant

Jiří Kostka

venkovský muzikant

Ľudovít Kroner

venkovský muzikant

František Kubíček

venkovský muzikant

Vilém Pfeiffer

venkovský muzikant

Zdeněk Srstka

venkovský muzikant

Jiří Wohanka

venkovský muzikant

Zdeněk Hodr

starosta

Ronald Heller

řidič Destinnové

Aleš Bultas

voják kontrašpionáže

Jiří Havel

voják kontrašpionáže

Milan Pěkný

voják kontrašpionáže

Josef Klika

voják kontrašpionáže

Josef Hochmann

vrátný

Jiří Sládek

lapiduch

Karel Vítek

lapiduch

Stanislav Šárský

raněný voják

Jana Vaňková

selka s chlebem

Jan Waldmann

zřízenec v Metropolitní opeře

Vladimír Lebeda

zřízenec v Metropolitní opeře

Augustin Kubán

maďarský četník

Pavel Robin

četník

Patricie Limberská

družička

Josef Jarolímek

americký fotograf

Stanislav Kořínek

průvodčí salonního vozu

Václav Kotva

fotograf na nádraží

Ivo Alves

černý nosič

Omar Baldy

černý nosič

Arnošt Böhm

námořní důstojník

Eva Weissová

žena s koláčky

Jiří Čumpelík

tanečník v Carmen

Nelly Danko

tanečnice v Carmen

Naděžda Blažíčková

tanečnice v Carmen

Jitka Gauggová

tanečnice v Carmen

Jiří Hansel

tanečník v Carmen

Jiří Hladík

tanečník v Carmen

Olga Hlavsová

tanečnice v Carmen

Jaroslav Holeček

tanečník v Carmen

Ludmila Houdková

tanečnice v Carmen

Aranka Hovorková

tanečnice v Carmen

Irena Jedličková

tanečnice v Carmen

Zuzana Jiráčková

tanečnice v Carmen

Helena Joklová

tanečnice v Carmen

Jan Kadlec

tanečník v Carmen

Marigula Karastathi

tanečnice v Carmen

Karel Kmoch

tanečník v Carmen

Jan Kolomazník

tanečník v Carmen

Eva Landová

tanečnice v Carmen

Luděk Ludvík

tanečník v Carmen

Marcela Martiníková

tanečnice v Carmen

Eva Maříková

tanečnice v Carmen

Karel Mašek

tanečník v Carmen

Jiří Merta

tanečník v Carmen

Bohumír Nekut

tanečník v Carmen

Jiří Němeček ml.

tanečník v Carmen

Milada Němečková

tanečnice v Carmen

Jarmila Novotná (tanec)

tanečnice v Carmen

Heda Pašková

tanečnice v Carmen

Miloslava Rešlová

tanečnice v Carmen

Alena Stránská

tanečnice v Carmen

Michal Šebor

tanečník v Carmen

Jindřiška Šulcová

tanečnice v Carmen

Hana Tomsová

tanečnice v Carmen

Jiří Trojan

tanečník v Carmen

Jitka Trojanová

tanečnice v Carmen

Zdeněk Václavík

tanečník v Carmen

Eliška Vitanovská

tanečnice v Carmen

Monika Vjazovcová

tanečnice v Carmen

Daniel Wiesner

tanečník v Carmen

Bohumil Klika

tanečník v Carmen

Ivan Krob

tanečník v Carmen

Jaromír Petřík

toreador v Carmen

Marek Vašut

mladík v obecenstvu v ND

Růžena Smolíková

tlustá paní v davu

Richard Ivar

tanečník v Carmen

Miroslav Jíra

dubl za Stanislava Šárského

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Milan Kadlec

Assistant Director

Josef Jarolímek, Tomáš Tintěra, Jarmila Čajová

Screenstory

Zdeněk Mahler

Shooting Script

Jiří Krejčík

Director of Photography

Miroslav Ondříček, Jiří Šámal

Camera Operator

Martin Šec, Jiří Zavřel

Production Designer

Jindřich Goetz, Květoslav Bubeník (operní scény)

Assistent Production Designer

Jaromír Švarc

Art Director

Karel Laštovka

Costume Designer

Jan Kropáček

Film Editor

Miroslav Hájek

Assistant Film Editor

Magda Hájková, Helena Lehovcová

Sound Designer

Adolf Böhm, Jiří Zobač

Production Manager

Jan Syrový, Jaroslav Solnička

Unit Production Manager

Vladimíra Kopecká, Věra Lukášová

Unit Production Manager

Václav Eisenhamer

Cooperation

Ladislav Štros (režie operních scén), Ivana Malíková (klapka), Karel Ješátko (fotograf)

Music

Selected Music

Georges Bizet (Carmen /Toreadore smělý/), Antonín Dvořák (Rusalka /árie Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém/), Giacomo Puccini (Bohéma /La Bohéme, O soave fanciulla/), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Don Giovanni /Or sai chi l'onore/), Amilcare Ponchielli (Gioconda /La Gioconda/), Giacomo Puccini (Madame Butterfly), Giacomo Puccini (Tosca), Bedřich Smetana (Hubička /Skřivánčí píseň/), Bedřich Smetana (Libuše), Bedřich Smetana (Prodaná nevěsta), Bedřich Smetana (Večerní písně /Nekamenujte proroky/), Richard Strauss (Salome), Giuseppe Verdi (Aida /předehra/), Giuseppe Verdi (Aida /O patria mia/), Richard Wagner (Bludný Holanďan /Die fliegende Holländer/), Ruggiero Leoncavallo

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František BelfínJosef Chaloupka)

Singing Voice

Gabriela Beňačková (zpěv Emy Destinové), Jiří Zahradníček (zpěv Carusa)

Choreographer

Astrid Štúrová

Songs

Zelení hájové

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer Božidara Turzonovová [dab]Gabriela Beňačková

Ó, hřebíčku zahradnický

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer Božidara Turzonovová [dab]Gabriela BeňačkováJana Smrčková [dab]

A já sám, vždycky sám

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer sbor

Za císaře pána a jeho rodinu

Singer mužský sbor

Nemelem, nemelem

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer sbor

Ktož jsú boží bojovníci

Singer Božidara Turzonovová [dab]Gabriela Beňačkovásbor

Už mou milou do kostela vedou

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer Božidara Turzonovová [dab]Gabriela Beňačková

Kde domov můj

Song Composer František Škroup
Writer of Lyrics Josef Kajetán Tyl
Singer Božidara Turzonovová [dab]Gabriela Beňačkovásbor

Production info

Original Title

Božská Ema

Czech Title

Božská Ema

English Title

Divine Ema

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

biography

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1979

Production Year

1978—1979

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 17 February 1978
start of filming 11 May 1978
technical Screenplay approved 23 June 1978
end of filming 8 June 1979
projection approval 12 June 1979

Premiere

premiere 21 December 1979 /suitable for youths/

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Miroslava Hladkého, Miroslav Hladký (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

109 min

Original length in metres

3 081 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech, English, German, Italian

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Československá nominace na Cenu americké Akademie filmových věd a umění Oscar 1981

1981
Praha / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 18. festival českých a slovenských filmů Košice

1980
Košice / Czechoslovakia
Božidara Turzonovová