A Heaven for Everyone

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1981

Production year

1981

Premiere

7 May 1982

Runtime

88 min

Category

film

Genre

drama, biography

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Každému jeho nebe

Czech title

Každému jeho nebe

English title

A Heaven for Everyone

Summary

During the 1970s and 80s, Czech filmmakers often undertook trips back in time to the era of the First Republic. Mainly focusing on apolitical subjects, most of their films failed to truly evoke this early 20th century age because they suffered from insufficient production values. This drama from director Karel Steklý relates the story of Xena Longenová (real name Polyxena Marková, 1891-1928). Even wooed by the National Theatre, the celebrated cabaret and theatre actress ended up committing suicide, chiefly the result of a turbulent relationship with fiery playwright, actor and painter Emil Artur Longen. Serving as writer-director, Steklý brings to life the atmosphere of interwar Prague's small “b” bohemian scene. On the one side, this age is associated with the world of folk cabaret, and on the other with the rise of avant-garde art. Rather than a complex analysis of the era, the film primarily focuses on the relationship between Xena and Emil. Jaroslava Obermaierová sparkles in the lead role. Emil is portrayed by Zdeněk Hradilák, and journalist Egon Erwin Kisch is played by Ladislav Potměšil.

Synopsis

Young actor Rojko learns about the suicide of the actress Xena Longenová. He is recalling, at her dead body, how he used to meet her over the course of years. – During the Rojko's first pitch in a small city, Xena came for a beneficiary performance of the strolling theatre belonging to her father. Here she met the actor, theatre director and painter, Artur Longen, who attracted her. Longen liked Xena too. After some time they moved in together. But their common life was not harmonic; they often had financial problems, as Artur was a hothead and drunkard. Xena dreamt of big roles in modern theatre, but she had to do with average offers. One day she came into the way of a raid for prostitutes and was arrested with them. She was helped out of prison by the journalist, Egon Erwin Kisch. Xena told him about her experiences in the prison. At her instigation Kisch wrote a theatre play called Ascension of Tonka Gallows for the Revolutionary Scene. Xena had a great success in the main role. Longen was jealous of her success, especially when she got an offer to play in the National Theatre. He was not able to overcome his creative crises and he left Xena. Due to fussy narrow-minded reasons, she did not get the engagement. She stayed alone, without job and money and, therefore, being desperate, she jumped out of the window. Her father sadly states about her death that his daughter took everything too truly – both art and life.

Cast

Jaroslava Obermaierová

herečka Xena Longenová

Zdeněk Hradilák

malíř Emil Artur Longen

Miloslav Holub

herec Marek, Xenin otec

Petr Svoboda

herec Rojko

Nina Popelíková

majitelka mandlu Peková, Markova žena

Antonie Hegerliková

divadelní ředitelka Hermína Arnoldová

Karel Šebesta

herec Vedra

Marie Motlová

garderobiérka Blaženka Kopečková

Ladislav Potměšil

novinář Egon Erwin Kisch

Josef Vinklář

šéf činohry Národního divadla

Milan Riehs

intendant Národního divadla

Otakar Brousek

inspicient Dinter

Antonín Molčík

kavárník Josef Waltner

Stanislava Bartošová

prostitutka Luci

Emma Černá

prostitutka Frona

Jiří Bruder

výpravčí

Jiří Lír

kritik Hugo

Bedřich Prokoš

předseda nebeského senátu v Tonce Šibenici

Leoš Kaltofen

člen nebeského senátu v Tonce Šibenici

Jan Skopeček

člen nebeského senátu v Tonce Šibenici

Miroslav Mokošín

zapisovatel senátu v Tonce Šibenici

Jan Teplý

policejní komisař Haloun

Alena Frimlová

rekvizitářka Božka

Helena Postránecká

tanečnice Emča Revoluce

Frank Towen

tanečník v kavárně Montmartre

Raoul Schránil

továrník Rubín

Marian Cingroš

umělec v Montmartru

Jan Laibl

umělec

Miloslava Ebrová

herečka Balounová

Oldřich Velen

protestující muž v kavárně

Taťana Puttová

dáma se stehnem, manželka protestujícího muže

Marie Podhorská

herečka

Jožka Walterová-Duchková

herečka Kautská

Václav Štercl

herec Zrubecký

Saša Aišmanová

baletka

Olga Buzková

baletka

Karla Celerová

baletka

Jana Čepková

baletka

Květuše Homolová

baletka

Jana Hřebejková

baletka

Jana Jelenová

baletka

Jana Kittnarová-Čižinská

baletka

Ivana Krystlíková

baletka

Libuše Kudláčková

baletka

Marcela Loučímová

baletka

Eva Merunková

baletka

Irena Pokorná

baletka

Eva Polášková

baletka

Jana Tomicová

baletka

Zdena Bumbová

dáma

Dagmar Hýblová

dáma

Jana Kovaříková

dáma

Marcela Niklová

dáma

Hana Pátková

dáma

Miroslava Švihelová

dáma

Zdeněk Branda

hudebník

Vlastimil Cirman

hudebník

Miloslav Kulich

hudebník

Václav Podobský

hudebník

Josef Pokluda

hudebník

Jiřina Havlová

tanečnice v Montmartru

Zdeněk Hudák

hudebník v Montmartru

Jaroslav Mejzlík

hudebník v Montmartru

Bedřich Rehberger

hudebník v Montmartru

Vladimír Tymich

hudebník v Montmartru

Ivan Vašek

hudebník v Montmartru

Jindřich Sejk

dubl za Zdeňka Hradiláka

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

František Matoušek

Assistant Director

Miroslav Vaněk (2)

Shooting Script

Karel Steklý

Dramaturg

Karel Cop

Director of Photography

Rudolf Stahl ml.

Second Unit Photography

Eduard Kadeřábek

Camera Operator

Jiří Pechar

Production Designer

Věra Líznerová

Assistent Production Designer

Olga Rosenfelderová

Set Designer

Bedřich Čermák, Rudolf Beneš, Josef Müller

Costume Designer

Dimitrij Kadrnožka

Film Editor

Jan Chaloupek

Assistant Film Editor

Alena Chvojková

Sound Designer

Roman Hloch

Production Manager

Jiří Zika

Unit Production Manager

Karel Prchal, Vladimír Tišer

Unit Production Manager

Václav Veruněk

Cooperation

Kateřina Nečesalová (klapka), Vladimír Souček (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Ladislav Štaidl

Selected Music

Jacques Offenbach (Hoffmannovy povídky /Les contes d'Hoffmann/)

Music Performed by

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

Choreographer

Petr Jirsa

Songs

Teď ještě ne

Song Composer Ladislav Štaidl
Writer of Lyrics Karel SteklýHana Hegerová
Singer Hana Hegerová

Já jsem viděl hezkou holku

Song Composer Jára Beneš
Writer of Lyrics Karel TobisVáclav MírovskýVáclav Špilar
Singer Antonín Molčík

Ze všech stran zaznívá Madelon vítězná

Singer Petr Svoboda

Nešťastný šafářův dvoreček /parafráze Nešťastný císařův dvoreček/

Singer Antonín Molčík

Production info

Original Title

Každému jeho nebe

Czech Title

Každému jeho nebe

English Title

A Heaven for Everyone

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama, biography

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1981

Production Year

1981

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 21 April 1981
start of filming 21 May 1981
technical Screenplay approved 8 June 1981
end of filming 23 October 1981
projection approval 13 November 1981

Premiere

premiere 7 May 1982 /suitable for youths/

Creative Group

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

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

88 min

Original length in metres

2 503 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

Awards

Vítěz

Festival: 20. festival českých a slovenských filmů Ústí nad Labem

1982
Ústí nad Labem / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslava Obermaierová