The Last Train

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1982

Production year

1982

Premiere

1 February 1983

Runtime

80 min

Category

film

Genre

social, political

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Poslední vlak

Czech title

Poslední vlak

English title

The Last Train

Summary

Two books penned by writer Karel Misař proved attractive to Czech filmmakers in search of appealing subject matter – the novel Pasťák (The Borstal) was adapted for the screen by Hynek Bočan in 1968, while Periferie (The Periphery) was cinematised in 1982 by Július Matula as Poslední vlak (The Last Train). While Bočan’s raw charge against the lack of liberty lost its battle with the censorship apparatus, Matula’s feature went into the display window of state cinematography. The protagonist – the penurious young man František Šandera – graduates from college against all the odds. But instead of taking a fine position at the faculty, he dreams of arduous labour in a north Bohemian industrial plant. František is proving his loyalty to the ethics of socialism by refusing to desecrate his trueborn proletarian heritage… Vladimír Dlouhý stars in this feature which serves as an interesting document of the times. Simona Vrbická plays the part of the hero’s honest, hardworking girlfriend.

Synopsis

František Šandera, a student at the Faculty of Chemistry of the University, daily commutes to Prague to attend lectures and seminars. He was not able to get a place in the college lodging because his parents' place of residence is not far from the town. Sometimes, he even misses the last train in the evenings. His friend Honza offers him a room in the luxurious apartment of his parents. After graduation, František has the opportunity of staying at the faculty as an assistant. He discusses it with Honza at a small party held during the absence of Honza's parents. But the parents return early and also find there Honza's girlfriend Eva and František's Jitka. They are not upset, only Honza's mother dislikes the fact that Eva is older than her son. František refuses the position at the faculty. He and Honza want to leave for a North-Bohemian industrial plant. Before their departure, František takes Jitka to his sister's wedding. On the occasion, the parents tell all their children about their plan to build a house and ask them to collaborate. But František is the only one willing to help. Jitka later reproaches František for his reluctance to use his proletarian origin to good account and breaks up with him after a quarrel. František meets Květa while hitchhiking and begins dating her. He travels to his parents to help them build the house every Sunday. Honza returns to Prague where his parents have arranged both work and a flat for him. František stays in the industrial plant and soon receives a flat, too, moving in with Květa. František's mother celebrates her birthday and everybody meets in the new house. František's brothers and his brother-in-law are already looking forward to the house and their eventual share of it. They are, however, disappointed - the parents have donated the house to the village to establish a kindergarten there and they themselves have moved into a flat in the new building which belongs to the local agricultural cooperative. František and Květa return to their new home and believe that their love will be as strong as the relationship of František's parents.

Cast

Vladimír Dlouhý

student František Šandera

Milena Steinmasslová

Jitka, Františkova dívka

Vladislav Beneš

Honza Moravec, Františkův spolužák

Jana Švandová

učitelka Eva, Honzova dívka

Štefan Mišovic

Šandera, Františkův otec

Blažena Holišová

Šanderová, Františkova matka

Miroslav Zounar

Moravec, Honzův otec

Jana Štěpánková

Moravcová, Honzova matka

Marie Tomášová

ředitelka dětského domova

Josef Hajdučík

ředitel chemičky

Markéta Fišerová

Věra, Františkova sestra

Miroslav Vladyka

Jindra Seyfert, Věřin novomanžel

Ivo Helikar

Karel, Františkův bratr

Gustav Skála

Antonín, Františkův bratr

Ladislav Kazda

Seyfert, Jindrův otec

Věra Kramešová

Seyfertová, Jindrova matka

Jiří Krampol

tajemník MNV

Jana Robenková

starší žena

Miloslav Homola

výpravčí

Soňa Ondroušková

studentka

Václav Veruněk

student

Pavel Robin

předseda MNV

Miloslav Šindler

zedník Nováček

Jiří Opřátko

číšník

Petr Gall

Voice by Petr Skarke
příslušník VB

Igor Koliman

Voice by Jiří Krampol
příslušník VB

Lucie Bělohorská

učitelka

Jiřina Zemanová

žena v okně

Stanislav Bělský

starší pán

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Hana Hanušová

Assistant Director

Jana Vystrčilová

Based on

Karel Misař (Periférie – román)

Screenplay

Miloslav Vydra

Shooting Script

Julius Matula

Director of Photography

Vladimír Smutný

Second Unit Photography

Jiří Pechar

Camera Operator

František Kučera

Production Designer

Jindřich Goetz

Assistent Production Designer

Jaromír Švarc

Set Designer

Bedřich Čermák, Jaroslav Lehman

Costume Designer

Helena Dubová

Film Editor

Jiří Brožek

Assistant Film Editor

Růžena Hejsková

Sound Designer

Karel Jaroš

Production Manager

Jiří Zika

Unit Production Manager

Karel Prchal, Vladimír Tišer

Unit Production Manager

Václav Veruněk

Cooperation

Věra Varadyová (klapka), Zdeněk Dukát (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Karel Mareš

Selected Music

Bedřich Smetana (Prodaná nevěsta /Věrné milování/), Bedřich Smetana (Má vlast /Vltava/)

Music Performed by

Orchestr Hudebního divadla v Karlíně (Music Conducted by Vladimír Raška)

Songs

Blues pro tebe

Song Composer Jiří Šlitr
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Suchý
Singer Jiří Suchý

Ona je krásná jak štěstí

Song Composer Jan Rimon
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Aplt
Singer Karel HálaZdeněk Šedivý

Plují lodi do Triany

Song Composer Jan Frank Fischer
Writer of Lyrics Jan Frank FischerOlga Fischerová
Singer Jiřina Petrovická

Kapkami si déšť

Song Composer Jaroslav Řehoř
Singer sbor

When the Saints Go Marching In

Song Composer tradicionál

Má roztomilá Baruško

Singer sbor

Docela všední den

Song Composer Jan Hammer
Writer of Lyrics Jaromír Hořec
Singer Vlasta Průchová

Production info

Original Title

Poslední vlak

Czech Title

Poslední vlak

English Title

The Last Train

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

social, political

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1982

Production Year

1982

Premiere

premiere 1 February 1983 /suitable for youths/

Studio

Hostivař

Creative Group

2. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Josef Císař (vedoucí 2. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

80 min

Original length in metres

2 300 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. filmový festival mladých Trutnov

1984
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 19. filmový festival mladých Trutnov

1984
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia
Simona Vrbická