Playing for Queen
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1980Production year
1980Premiere
13 March 1981Runtime
90 minDirector
Karel SteklýCategory
filmGenre
historicalTypology
featurelongOriginal title
Hra o královnuCzech title
Hra o královnuEnglish title
Playing for QueenWorking Title
Já královnaSummary
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.
Photos
Cast
Hana Maciuchová
královna Kunhuta
Radoslav Brzobohatý
Záviš z Falkenštejna
František Němec
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
Václav Štekl
lapka
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
Oldřich Velen
Vok
Radan Rusev
Arpádovec Štěpán, Kunhutin strýc
Milan Neděla
masér
Miloš Vavruška
Mojžíš
Jindřich Janda
sklepmistr
Vladimír Navrátil
písař Božetěch
Karel Hábl
Pektari
Josef Kubíček
Zdislav
Josef Střecha
sluha Vešek
Alena Karešová
převorka
Jan Kraus
Vítek
Karel Dellapina
pán z Konopiště
Roman Čada
panoš
Karel Hovorka
řezník
Dimitrij Kadrnožka
pán z Kravař
Jiří Kalenský
velitel u Oty
František Kubíček
kupec/pištec
Jaroslav Mařan
Boreš
Vladimír Zoubek
Kuno
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
Vladimír Nečas
tanečník
Bohumír Nekut
tanečník
Ludvík Vidlák
tanečník
Milena Koutná
dvorní dáma
V. Strnadová
dvorní dáma
Václav Formánek
šermíř
Milan Procházka
šermíř
Tomáš Svoboda (2)
šermíř
Pavel Vlasák
šermíř
Miloslav Homola
zbrojnoš
Miroslav Jíra
zbrojnoš
Jaroslav Šanda
zbrojnoš
Vladimír Míka
strážný
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Tomáš Urban, Věra Vláčilová
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Script Editor
Camera
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Set Designer
Bedřich Čermák, Josef Müller, Dana Smržová
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Karel Prchal, Vladimír Tišer
Unit Production Manager
Václav Veruněk
Cooperation
D. Urbanová, Miroslav Pešan, Alena Chvojková, František Vokřál
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Music Conducted by
Ladislav Štaidl (Orchestr Ladislava Štaidla), Milivoj Uzelac (FISYO)
Production info
Original Title
Hra o královnu
English Title
Playing for Queen
Working Title
Já královna
Category
film
Typology
feature
Genre
historical
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1980
Production Year
1980
Premiere
13 March 1981
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
Technical info
Lenght
long
Runtime
90 min
Versions
Czech