1934 Rhythm
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1980Production year
1979—1980Premiere
28 November 1980Runtime
92 minDirector
Jaroslav BalíkCategory
filmGenre
drama, psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Rytmus 1934Czech title
Rytmus 1934English title
1934 RhythmWorking title
Černé světloSummary
For 1980s Czech filmmakers, the era of the First Republic became a fictional arena within which official contemporary ideology was reinforced via stories critical of the capitalistic system. Yet it was also an era that provided some opportunities for nostalgia and spectacle. This 1980 film from Jaroslav Balík is a loose adaptation of the Václav Řezáč novel Černé světlo (Black Light). The protagonist is ambitious young man Karel Kubát, who after unfairly being expelled from a Baťa footwear company vocational school, instead starts a career in a musical publishing firm operated by his Prague-based uncle. Kuba begins to use Baťa’s slogans about hard work and remorseless self-furtherance against his contemporaries. Even his uncle’s daughter Bobina becomes just another tool for his pursuit of money and power. Vladislav Beneš – usually a supporting actor during the 1970s and 80s – takes the lead role in this film. Bobina is portrayed by Lucie Žulová.
Synopsis
Year 1934. Karel, a student of Baťa's vocational school in Zlín, is expelled from the school. Somebody turned him in that he had attended a lecture about the Soviet Union. Karel was just looking there for his friend, the pianist Munzar, but he protests in vain. He goes to Prague where his only relative, a rich music publisher Kubát employs him in his shop as an assistant without any salary. Karel does not take a miss from his uncle, he is ambitious and follows Baťa's motto about hard work and a ruthless way to success. The old accountant Mrázek gives him always good piece of advice. The Kubát's only daughter Bobina visits Karel in the attic, in the smallest room of the gorgeous villa but she laughs to his courting. Karel introduces his uncle's family to Munzar and Kubát decides to publish his music. The moody and pampered Bobina falls in love with the handsome poor composer. Kubát published his music, but due to promotion reasons under a more famous name. Munzar refuses an offer from the publisher to give a concert in the Nazi Berlin. The lovers break up. Karel wants to use the chance, but his plan to marry Bobina is strongly opposed by his aunt. Karel will take a revenge. He shows to the sordid uncle a receipt for a contribution to a solidarity fund to which his aunt - formerly a poor shop assistant contributes through Mrázek. The publisher sacks his long-time employee coldly and Mrázek commits suicide. Left oriented newspapers criticize it and Karel is sacked too to avoid any scandal. But the uncle has another offer for this reliable man. Karel shall get an important position in a printing house that Kubát has just bought.
Photos
Cast
Vladislav Beneš
Karel Kubát
Ota Sklenčka
nakladatel Otakar Kubát, Karlův strýc
Iva Janžurová
Kubátová, strýcova žena
Lucie Žulová
Bobina, Karlova sestřenice
Jitka Malíková
kadeřnice Dáša Šustrová
Daniel Dítě
klavírista František Munzar
Lubomír Kostelka
hudebník Lojza Šustr, otec Dáši
Václav Neužil
účetní Josef Mrázek
Miroslav Moravec
cvičitel
Hynek Kubasta
vedoucí osobního oddělení
Marcela Večeřová
Věra, Karlova dívka
Martin Učík
Béda
Vlastimil Zavřel
redaktor Kapler
Jana Leichtová
konferenciérka
Zdeněk Sedláček
Tonda
Richard Maška
mladík
Karel Krasnický
dr. Jonáš
Vladimír Huber
Mareš
Michaela Koliandrová
Jiřina
Blažena Slavíčková
služebná Bára
Jana Koubková
zpěvačka
Marcela Famfulová
členka pěveckého tria
Alena Fehrerová
členka pěveckého tria
Jitka Jesenská
členka pěveckého tria
František Jákl
svalovec
Petr Jákl
svalovec
Tomáš Jančařík
prodavač losů
Jan Trkovský
Jarda
Miloslav Mejzlík
dílovedoucí
Karel Vítek
polykač skla
Jitka Zelenohorská
zákaznice
Jan Večeřa
číšník
Jaroslav Vejdovský
elév
Vlasta Aplová
tanečnice
Erna Březinová
tanečnice
Karla Celerová
tanečnice
Jana Čižinská
tanečnice
Aja Farkačová
tanečnice
Dana Horáková
tanečnice
Daniela Jeriová
tanečnice
Marie Kadeřábková
tanečnice
Helena Karasová
tanečnice
Naďa Krucká
tanečnice
Alena Kuncová
tanečnice
Stanislava Martínková
tanečnice
Veronika Orlíčková
tanečnice
Jana Ostrá
tanečnice
Helena Štěrbová
tanečnice
Kateřina Štorkánová
tanečnice
Dagmar Vlčková
tanečnice
Zdenka Červenková
dáma
Ela Květoňová
dáma
Hana Horáková
členka dívčí kapely
Vlasta Krasnická
členka dívčí kapely
Eva Moulisová
členka dívčí kapely
Helena Skopová
členka dívčí kapely
Hana Svobodová-Lejčková
členka dívčí kapely
Jan Hrábek
dirigent
Vlastislav Horák
hudebník studiového orchestru
Jan Jírů
hudebník studiového orchestru
Jan Nepomuk Köhler
hudebník studiového orchestru
Ivan Pazour
hudebník studiového orchestru
Helena Vaňková
hudebnice studiového orchestru
Ladislav Habart
dirigent barového orchestru
Antonín Kysilka
hudebník v baru
Ladislav Odstrčil
hudebník v baru
Otto Sattler
barový houslista
Stanislav Šimek
tanečník v baru
Božena Šimková
tanečnice v baru
Pavel Arazim
hudebník
František Bártík
hudebník
Pavel Burda
hudebník
Petr Čech (2)
hudebník
Břetislav Čepelka
hudebník
Jana Fousková
hudebnice
Miloslav Halík
hudebník
Ludvík Hašek
hudebník
Zdeněk Ladislav Hertl
hudebník
Petr Hornych
hudebník
Helena Hůlová
hudebnice
Josef Charvát
hudebník
Tomáš Jírovec
hudebník
Michal Kasalický
hudebník
Josef Krásný
hudebník
Josef Lakatos
hudebník
Václav Marek
hudebník
Ladislav Mrázek
hudebník
Antonín Musil
hudebník
Petr Novobilský
hudebník
Jan Pačes
hudebník
Ladislav Pačes
hudebník
Ivan Počinek
hudebník
Břetislav Slouka
hudebník
Oldřich Smola
hudebník
Petr Smolík
hudebník
Václav Stoupa
hudebník
Jan Trojan
hudebník
Jiří Vondrovic
hudebník
Josef Zámečník
hudebník
Ondřej Zícha
hudebník
Otakar Sedláček
konferenciér
Jiří Kasík
boxer
Pavel Myslík
boxer
Jindřich Sejk
boxer
Jaroslav Tomsa
boxer
František Jákl
svalovec
Petr Jákl
svalovec
Jiří Kraus
svalovec
Ladislav Lahoda
svalovec
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Screenstory
Based on
Václav Řezáč (Černé světlo – román)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
J. Dušek, Ivan Ernyei, Jan Petrů
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Věra Lukášová, Petr Prejda, Eliška Sekavová
Unit Production Manager
Cooperation
Zora Winkelhöferová (klapka), Jiří Kučera (fotograf), Jan Sládek
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Jaroslav Ježek (Bugatti step)
Music Performed by
Studiový orchestr (Music Conducted by Jan Hrábek)
Choreographer
Songs
Těch tónů pár
Song Composer Karel Mareš
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Kopta
Singer Marcela FamfulováAlena FehrerováJitka Jesenská
Když večer nad Prahou /Tango/
Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav MottlKarel Melíšek
Singer Setleři
By By Baby
Song Composer Karel Mareš
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Kopta
Singer Jana Koubková
Já viděl Helenu v bazénu
Song Composer Friedrich Raimund Vesely
Writer of Lyrics Ruda Jurist
Singer Karel Krasnický
Dájo, nevolej
Song Composer Vladimír Eddy Fořt
Writer of Lyrics Vladimír Eddy Fořt
Singer Lubomír Kostelka
Život je jen náhoda
Song Composer Jaroslav Ježek
Houpy hou
Song Composer Bedřich Nikodem
Writer of Lyrics Karel Růžička
Singer Jana KoubkováMarcela FamfulováAlena FehrerováJitka Jesenská
Koupím ti párek poštovních holubů
Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav MottlKarel Melíšek
Singer Lucie Žulová
Čím, čím...?
Song Composer Roman Blahník
Writer of Lyrics Karel Hrnčíř
Singer Lubomír Kostelka
Preussens Gloria /píšťaly a bubny/
Song Composer Johann Gottfried Piefke
Production info
Original Title
Rytmus 1934
Czech Title
Rytmus 1934
English Title
1934 Rhythm
Working Title
Černé světlo
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama, psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1980
Production Year
1979—1980
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 31 March 1979
start of filming 1 October 1979
technical Screenplay approved 2 January 1980
end of filming 4 July 1980
projection approval 21 July 1980
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986
Premiere
premiere 28 November 1980 /inaccessible for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Miloše Brože, Miloš Brož (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
92 min
Original length in metres
2 629 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
colour
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 19. festival českých a slovenských filmů Kladno
1981
Kladno / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslav Balík
