Like Rabbits
Typology
featureCzech title
Jako zajíciRuntime
79Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1981Production year
1981Premiere
24.09.1982Language version
CzechDirector
Karel SmyczekSummary
Intelligent movies about youth, which were critically aware of the socialist reality, were a strong suit of director Jiří Smyczek in the 1980s. Following his 1979 debut Housata (Goslings), set in a girls’ college boardinghouse, Smyczek focused on boys in his tragicomedies Jen si tak trochu písknout (Just to Whistle a Bit, 1980) and Jako zajíci (Like Rabbits, 1981). Both films present an outwardly relaxed “summery” atmosphere. In Like Rabbits, sensitive adolescent Petr (Štěpán Kment) is a new arrival at a holiday village by Slapy reservoir. There, he gets to know a local bunch of lads and makes friends with the most sympathetic boy, the maverick Michal (Michal Dlouhý). Michal wagers with his father that he could survive for a week in the woods without any help from anybody. Just as occurs with adults, the youngsters begin to change under the strain of various pressures. Their co-existence together over the holidays becomes a discreet reflection of an intolerant society.
Synopsis
The Duek family are constructing a cottage in the weekend settlement on the bank of the dam. In the meantime, their son Petr tries to make friends with local boys. But he does not like the games of the gang, especially when they destroy a shelter of Michal Souček. Michal bet an air gun with his father that he would survive for a week without any help from others. Petr likes Michal and, therefore, he often sets off to the wood to see him. Duek refuses to intervene for the wiring system, and the cottage owners begin to do nasty things to him. Owners of the houseboats on the dam are leaving. The authorities ordered them to leave the dam. This order is also valid for Michal's father. The cottagers continue in their bad behaviour against Duek. His building permit is taken away. Michal's stay in the wood is soon to be over. Petr wants to help the exhausted boy, but he resists. But when it starts raining, he uses a piece of linoleum he had gotten from Petr as a protection. Mr. Souček throws a party to celebrate the end of the bet. But Michal refuses the air gun and admits that Petr helped him. Souček could buy a cottage in the settlement, but Michal is against it. He does not want to be snobbish. Petr is sad that his friend will leave. But one more disappointment is to come. His father falls into line: in the evening lights turn on in the cottage settlement and the cottagers celebrate. Michal leaves with his father in a canoe and the greedy cottagers soon take their deserted houseboat apart.
Photos
Cast
Zdeněk Svěrák
Václav Dušek
Jana Drbohlavová
Duškova žena
Štěpán Kment
Petr, syn Duškových
Vít Olmer
majitel hausbótu Souček
Michal Dlouhý
Michal, Součkův syn
Oldřich Vlach
chatař František Kolínský
Jana Břežková
Zuzana, manželka Kolínského
Barbora Srncová
Katka, dcera Kolínských
Tomáš Filip
Tinťa
Zbyněk Honzík
Nikotýn
David Talpa
Bob
Richard Starý
Mirek
Bořík Procházka
Chalupa
Lubomír Kostelka
majitel hausbótu Kuželka
Jiřina Jelenská
starší drbna
Jaroslava Kretschmerová
mladší drbna
Valentina Thielová
Mirkova matka
Hana Talpová
chatařka se psem
Jiří Hálek
Malík, pěstitel skalky
Jaromír Kučera
majitel hausbótu Kučera
Miloslav Štibich
chatař pod slunečníkem
Jan Cmíral
tlustý muž
Karel Chromík
muž s nůžkami
Milada Ježková
chatařka s králíkárnou
Ladislav Brothánek
Formánek
Anna Wetlinská
chatařka s čepicí
Zdeněk John
kytarista
Milan Hein
muž s televizí
Bohumil Koška
majitel sauny
Josef Kubíček
chatař
Josef Střecha
majitel hausbótu
Klára Smyczková
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Eliška Moulisová, Marie Brodilová
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Script Editor
Camera
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Set Designer
Ivan Ernyei, Dana Smržová
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Věra Lukášová, Petr Prejda, Eliška Sekavová
Unit Production Manager
Cooperation
Helena Friedlová (2), Ivan Minář, Eva Horázná, Václav Hlávka
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Music Conducted by
Štěpán Koníček (FISYO)
Songs
Babička Mary, Okolo Hradce, Kolíne, Kolíne /parafráze Komíne, komíne/, Na Okoř je cesta
Songwriter
Jaroslav Ježek (Babička Mary), lidová píseň (Okolo Hradce), František Kmoch (Kolíne, Kolíne /parafráze Komíne, komíne/)
Writer of Lyrics
Jiří Voskovec (Babička Mary), Jan Werich (Babička Mary), František Kudrna (Kolíne, Kolíne /parafráze Komíne, komíne/)
Singer
Zdeněk John (Babička Mary), sbor (Babička Mary), dětský sbor (Okolo Hradce), Zdeněk Svěrák (Kolíne, Kolíne /parafráze Komíne, komíne/), sbor (Na Okoř je cesta)
Production info
Original Title
Jako zajíci
English Title
Like Rabbits
Copyright
1981
Production Year
1981
Premiere
24.09.1982
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
Technical info
Format
Betacam
Versions
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 22. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov
1982
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Vítěz
Exhibition: 14. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov nad Ohří
1982
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Michal Dlouhý
Vítěz
Festival: 20. festival českých a slovenských filmů Ústí nad Labem
1982
Ústí nad Labem / Czechoslovakia
Zdeněk John
Vítěz
Exhibition: 14. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov nad Ohří
1982
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Vítěz
Exhibition: 14. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov nad Ohří
1982
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia