The Magician’s Return

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1984

Production year

1984

Premiere

1 May 1985

Runtime

94 min

Category

film

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, Liška. 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. Liška 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 Liška's assistant and she still loves him. Before she appears before him, she recovers in Julinka's room. Liška lives just next-door. During the first resettlement departure, there is a mass fight because of Irma. Krejcar charges Liška to prepare a performance as a magician for the second term of departures. Lola enlists Liška, 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.

Cast

Martin Huba

klavírista a kouzelník Manfred Liška

Jan Kanyza

kapitán Krejcar, předseda správní komise

Martin Růžek

Krejcarův otec

Martina Gasparovičová

číšnice Julinka

Antonín Procházka

Petříček Vejvoda

Judita Vargová

cikánka Lola Bílová

Birgit Frohriep

vdova Irma Schneider

Eva Krížiková

Voice by Míla Myslíková
vdova Strejcová

Petr Lepša

Láďa, Petříčkův kamarád

Leopold Běhan

četník Plecitý

Josef Šebek

velitel gardistů Baloun

Julie Jurištová

učitelka Toufarová

Jiří Klem

učitel Václav Toufar

Václav Kotva

Voice by Jindřich Narenta
řidič Klaus Rösler

Jaroslava Adamová

Němka Schmelingová

Milan Sandhaus

zlatokop Konrád

Květoslava Houdlová

Konrádova žena

Jindřich Narenta

vinárník Kluge

Vladimír Švabík

vrátný v továrně

Oskar Hák

pikolík

Miloslav Homola

hubený šmelinář

Gaston Šubert

tlustý šmelinář

Jan Kuželka

gardista-řidič

Miroslav Vlček

muž s batohem

Jana Andresíková

fanatická Němka

Cvetana Igova

tkadlena

H. Kuklíková

tkadlena

Eva Řepíková

tkadlena

Zdeňka Rosolová

tkadlena

Noemi Zárubová

tkadlena

Jaroslav Wagner

velitel pohraniční stráže

Natalie Švabíková

Němka

Jana Lewittová

mladá Němka

Ivana Velichová

mladá Němka

Blanka Lormanová

nová dívka

Pravoš Nebeský

hudebník

Ladislav Kocourek

krojovaný muzikant

Petr Sekanina

krojovaný muzikant

Eva Weissová

divačka na představení

V. Bláha

četník

Jiří Kosek

gardista

Vít Pešina

gardista

J. Matznerová

dítě

J. Růžička

kovboj

L. Fojtíková

dívka

Sabina Hánová

dívka

Ž. Nováková

dívka

G. Werzonová

dívka

R. Mrvík

vesničan

Jakub Šíla

kluk

J. Zelenková

dcera Strejcové

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Marta Křesinová

Assistant Director

Aleš Vaverka, Jarmila Čajová

Based on

Věra Sládková (Kouzelníkův návrat – kniha povídek)

Screenplay

Vladimír Bor

Shooting Script

Antonín Kachlík

Dramaturg

Miroslav Vaic

Director of Photography

František Uldrich

Second Unit Photography

Jiří Ondráček

Camera Operator

Stanislav Šťastný

Production Designer

Boris Moravec

Assistent Production Designer

Jindřich Kočí

Set Designer

Lubor Červa, Jaroslav Česal, Jan Helge

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

Category

film

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
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1990

Premiere

premiere 1 May 1985 /suitable for youths/

Creative Group

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

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

94 min

Original length in metres

2 695 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