Playing for Queen

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1980

Production year

1980

Premiere

13 March 1981

Runtime

90 min

Category

film

Genre

historical

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Hra o královnu

Czech title

Hra o královnu

English title

Playing for Queen

Working title

Já, královna

Summary

The idea of there having been a romantic affair between thirteenth century Queen of Bohemia Kunigunda (Kunhuta) and nobleman Záviš of Falkenstein is considered mere speculation by numerous historians. That did not of course stop director Karel Steklý from making a film loosely based on the historical facts. Steklý penned the script for the film alongside his favourite collaborator Věra Líznerová. It was transformed into Hra o královnu (Playing for Queen) in 1980. The story builds on a triangle of three noble adversaries in love and politics: Záviš, Kunigunda and King Ottokar II of Bohemia, whom the queen, originally a Hungarian princess, was made to marry for political reasons. A veteran in the director’s chair at 77, Steklý wagered the success of the film on comic hyperbole and attractive casting: the female lead went to Hana Maciuchová, Záviš was played by Radoslav Brzobohatý and František Němec starred as the Přemyslid king, Ottokar II.

Synopsis

During a first passing meeting of Kunhuta the Hungarian princess, and Záviš of Falkenštejn something clicked between both young people. But to due political reasons Kunhuta has to marry the Bohemian king Přemysl Otakar II. Both meet again after ten years. The jealous king sends Záviš to exile. In the war conflict between Přemysl and Rudolph of the Hapsburgs, Záviš joins together with a part of the Czech nobility the side of Rudolph. Přemysl is in a difficult situation and so Kunhuta visits Záviš in disguise and she asks him to help Přemysl. But the king refuses his proposals and he is soon defeated on the Moravian field where he also dies. Two soldiers coming back from the battle take care of the wounded Záviš. They bring even Žofie, the queen's companion from Prague, who has loved Záviš a long time. After long negotiations with Otto of Brandenburg, Záviš becomes the highest Bailiff and Kunhuta decides to marry him. But Záviš's enemies don't like it and therefore they plan how to remove him. During the wedding feast Kunhuta gets sick and shortly after that she dies. The tricky bishop accuses Záviš of her murder. The lonely Záviš comes back to the pub, where he spent good time with Žofie and both soldiers. The soldiers play a dice, but they don't accept Záviš anymore as a companion because when he was famous he forgot about them.

Cast

Hana Maciuchová

královna Kunhuta

Radoslav Brzobohatý

Záviš z Falkenštejna

František Němec

král český Přemysl Otakar II.

Martin Růžek

císař Rudolf I. Habsburský

Josef Vinklář

Milota z Dědic

Monika Hálová

Žofie z Říčan

Miloslav Holub

uherský král Béla IV.

Josef Bláha

biskup Bruno

Jiří Holý

biskup Tobiáš

Karel Šebesta

Žofiin otec, pán z Říčan

Václav Sloup

voják Knapec

Rudolf Jelínek

Heřman z Hohenberku

Vilém Besser

markrabě Otto Braniborský

František Hanus

Budivoj z Krumlova, Závišův otec

Jiří Štěpnička

rytíř Hynek z Dubé

Marie Brožová

abatyše Anežka Přemyslovna

Bořivoj Navrátil

děkan, Kunhutin zpovědník

Věra Tichánková

služka Dorota

Jiří Krampol

český šlechtic Vojíř

Jan Schánilec

Oldřich z Hradce

Adolf Filip

voják Otty Braniborského, pán z Okoře

Radan Rusev

Arpádovec Štěpán, Kunhutin strýc

Jindřich Janda

sklepmistr

Vladimír Navrátil

písař Božetěch

Josef Střecha

sluha Vešek

Jan Kraus

Vítek

Karel Dellapina

pán z Konopiště

Dimitrij Kadrnožka

pán z Kravař

Jiří Kalenský

velitel u Oty

Jaroslav Mařan

Boreš

Pavel Pásek

Jindřich

V. Strcula

Hroznata

Ivana Benešová

tanečnice

Z. Brunclíková

tanečnice

L. Bouřilová

tanečnice

L. Indruchová

tanečnice

V. Landová

tanečnice

Jiřina Lexová

tanečnice

Michaela Prskavcová

tanečnice

Z. Svárovská

tanečnice

Lenka Vosátková

tanečnice

František Michálek

jezdec na koni

Jan Kolenatý

tanečník

Karel Liška

tanečník

Luděk Ludvík

tanečník

Oldřich Martinovič

tanečník

Karel Mašek

tanečník

Rudolf Mošna

tanečník

Bohumír Nekut

tanečník

Ludvík Vidlák

tanečník

Milena Koutná

dvorní dáma

V. Strnadová

dvorní dáma

Milan Procházka

šermíř

Tomáš Svoboda (2)

šermíř

Pavel Vlasák

šermíř

Vladimír Míka

strážný

Dubbing

Oldřich Janovský

hlas Kunhutina strážce

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Bohumil Kouba

Assistant Director

Tomáš Urban

Shooting Script

Karel Steklý

Dramaturg

Karel Cop

Director of Photography

Rudolf Stahl ml.

Second Unit Photography

Eduard Kadeřábek

Camera Operator

Václav Zajíček

Production Designer

Věra Líznerová

Assistent Production Designer

František Vokřál

Set Designer

Bedřich Čermák, Josef Müller, Dana Smržová

Costume Designer

Dimitrij Kadrnožka

Film Editor

Jan Chaloupek

Assistant Film Editor

Alena Chvojková

Sound Designer

Jiří Hora, Antonín Jedlička (zvukové efekty)

Production Manager

Jiří Zika

Unit Production Manager

Karel Prchal, Vladimír Tišer

Unit Production Manager

Václav Veruněk

Cooperation

D. Urbanová (klapka), Miroslav Pešan (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Ladislav Štaidl

Music Performed by

Orchestr Ladislava Štaidla (Music Conducted by Ladislav Štaidl), FISYO (Music Conducted by Milivoj Uzelac)

Production info

Original Title

Hra o královnu

Czech Title

Hra o královnu

English Title

Playing for Queen

Working Title

Já, královna

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

historical

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1980

Production Year

1980

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 3 December 1979
start of filming 12 February 1980
technical Screenplay approved 17 March 1980
end of filming 22 September 1980
projection approval 26 September 1980

Premiere

premiere 13 March 1981 /suitable for youths/

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

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

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

90 min

Original length in metres

2 480 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66, 1:2,35

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech