The Magician’s Return

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1984

Production year

1984

Premiere

1 May 1985

Runtime

94 min

Director

Antonín Kachlík

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Kouzelníkův návrat

Czech title

Kouzelníkův návrat

English title

The Magician’s Return

Summary

This penultimate film from director Antonín Kachlík was inspired by a short story from writer Věra Sládková. The script adaptation, undertaken by the director with screenwriter Vladimír Bor, retains the book’s episodic structure. The story takes place shortly after the end of World War II in the north Moravian part of the Sudeten region. New Czech settlers arrive in place of the former German ones and try to build new, normal lives. But matters are made more difficult by the displaced Germans, especially Irma (Brigit Frohriepová), widow of an SS officer, who during the war sheltered her lover – the illusionist Liška (Martin Huba). This man, who undertakes modest attempts to put in a good word for his unwelcome German lover, is also the subject of another love interest – the pretty Julinka (Martina Gasparovičová), who is seeking a new, happier life in the Sudeten lands.

Synopsis

Shortly after World War II, a train brings new inhabitants to the borderline town. On the train, Petr fancies Julinka, who starts working as a waitress in a wine bar. The Toufars, a young teacher couple, came here to open a new school. The Mr and Mrs Konráds belong to the "gold-diggers", who just steal valuables and then disappear again. The young chairman of the administration committee, Krejcar, lives with his widowed father, who takes care of the household. It is still very dangerous near the border. Escaping, Nazis don't hesitate to kill. The teacher, Toufar, dies immediately the first night. Despite this, his heart-broken pregnant wife decides to stay. Petr, who became a member of the Red guards is courting Julinka, but she likes the magician and pianist, Lika. He has a moral debt towards the widow of an SS officer, Irma, who used to hide him during the war and was his lover. Lika lukewarmly intercedes with Krejcar for her, but the woman is included in resettlement. Julinka looks after a pitiful Roma girl, Lola. Her beauty was destroyed by experiments in the concentration camp. Lola used to be Lika's assistant and she still loves him. Before she appears before him, she recovers in Julinka's room. Lika lives just next-door. During the first resettlement departure, there is a mass fight because of Irma. Krejcar charges Lika to prepare a performance as a magician for the second term of departures. Lola enlists Lika, he starts rehearsing with her, but he is cold to her. Before the textile factory is put in operation, the Germans blow it up. Petr, Krejcar and others search for and find the offenders. That night, Julinka makes love with the magician for the first time. The unhappy Lola commits suicide. The shattered Julinka leaves the next day, without saying goodbye.

Photos

dcera Strejcové

Crew and creators

Director

Antonín Kachlík

Second Unit Director

Marta Křesinová

Assistant Director

Aleš Vaverka, Jarmila Čajová

Based on

Věra Sládková (Kouzelníkův návrat – kniha povídek)

Set Designer

Lubor Červa, Jaroslav Česal, Jan Helge

Costume Designer

Běla Suchá, Zdena Kadrnožková

Costumes

Eva Martincová, Martina Zikmundová

Make-Up Artist

František Čížek, František Klema, Alena Šedová

Film Editor

Jaromír Janáček

Assistant Film Editor

Eva Horázná

Sound Designer

Alexandr Vrbata

Production Manager

Oldřich Mach

Unit Production Manager

Iva Šetková, Tomáš Baloun

Unit Production Manager

Jiří Pavlásek, Ivana Chobotová

Consultant

Zbyšek Svoboda, Karel Kracík

Cooperation

Jana Nečasová (klapka), Miloslav Mirvald (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Štěpán Koníček

Selected Music

Jaroslav Ježek

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)

Songs

Hej rup! Chceme žít

Song Composer Jaroslav Ježek
Writer of Lyrics Jan WerichJiří Voskovec
Singer sbor

Prázdná náruč

Song Composer Jaroslav Ježek

Škoda lásky

Song Composer Jaromír Vejvoda

Život je jen náhoda

Song Composer Jaroslav Ježek
Writer of Lyrics Jiří VoskovecJan Werich
Singer sbor

Kde domov můj

Song Composer František Škroup
Writer of Lyrics Josef Kajetán Tyl
Singer sbor

Směj se, paňáco

Song Composer Ruggiero Leoncavallo
Singer sbor

Nikdy nic nikdo nemá

Song Composer Jaroslav Ježek
Writer of Lyrics Jiří VoskovecJan Werich
Singer sbor

My jsme ti Pražáci

Song Composer Karel Hašler

Svítá

Song Composer Jaroslav Ježek

Cikánská milostná píseň

Singer Judita Vargová

Jaké je to hezké dva kováři v městě

Singer ženský sbor

Production info

Original Title

Kouzelníkův návrat

Czech Title

Kouzelníkův návrat

English Title

The Magician’s Return

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1984

Production Year

1984

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 5 April 1984
start of filming 4 June 1984
technical Screenplay approved 11 June 1984
end of filming 21 December 1984
projection approval 28 December 1984

Premiere

premiere 1 May 1985 /suitable for youths/

Production

Filmové studio Barrandov

Copyright Holders

Státní fond kinematografie

Distribution

Ústřední půjčovna filmů

Creative Group

1. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Jiří Blažek (vedoucí 1. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)

Sales

Národní filmový archiv, Obchodní oddělení

Technical info

Duration typology

Country

Copyright

Production year

Premiere

Runtime

Director

Category

Genre

Typology

Original title

Czech title

English title

Summary

Synopsis

Photos

Cast

Martina Gasparovičová

Judita Vargová

Birgit Frohriep

Leopold Běhan

Cvetana Igova

H. Kuklíková

Eva Řepíková

Zdeňka Rosolová

Noemi Zárubová

Natalie Švabíková

Jana Lewittová

Pravoš Nebeský

Ladislav Kocourek

V. Bláha

Jiří Kosek

J. Matznerová

J. Růžička

L. Fojtíková

Sabina Hánová

Ž. Nováková

G. Werzonová

R. Mrvík

Jakub Šíla

J. Zelenková

Crew and creators

Director

Second Unit Director

Assistant Director

Based on

Screenplay

Shooting Script

Dramaturg

Director of Photography

Second Unit Photography

Camera Operator

Production Designer

Assistent Production Designer

Set Designer

Costume Designer

Costumes

Make-Up Artist

Film Editor

Assistant Film Editor

Sound Designer

Production Manager

Unit Production Manager

Unit Production Manager

Consultant

Cooperation

Music

Music Composed by

Selected Music

Music Performed by

Songs

Hej rup! Chceme žít

Prázdná náruč

Škoda lásky

Život je jen náhoda

Kde domov můj

Směj se, paňáco

Nikdy nic nikdo nemá

My jsme ti Pražáci

Svítá