The Treasure of Count Chamaré
Typology
featureCzech title
Poklad hraběte ChamaréRuntime
78Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1984Production year
1984Premiere
01.10.1985Language version
CzechDirector
Zdeněk TroškaSummary
In between making the Slunce, seno… (Sun, Straw...) trilogy, director Zdeněk Troška found time to bring to the big screen a historical drama very different in tone from his zany provincial comedies. Adapted from a 1930 novel by Alois Jirásek, Poklad hraběte Chamaré (The Treasure of Count Chamaré) is a stylised drama, set at the end of the 18th century, which tells the story of a conflict between conservative ideology and an emerging more progressive view of the world. New doctor Kamenický arrives at the manor house of invalid Countess Chamaré and immediately becomes entangled in a series of local problems. The countess’s husband is obsessed with tracking down some missing treasure, while a fanatical Jesuit hunts for the secret members of the “United Czech Brotherhood”. This successfully mounted production sees Blanka Bohdanová in the role of the countess, Eduard Cupák as the abbé, and Petr Svoboda as Kamenický. Countrywoman Fantina is played by a soon-to-be beloved star of Zdeněk Troška, namely Michaela Kuklová.
Synopsis
The paralysed countess Marie Karolina Chamaré spends her forlorn life in a wheelchair. Her husband has no affection for her any more, preferring to spend most of his time exploring the underground corridors of his castle in search of treasure. The countess's new physician, a young man named Kamenický, saves the life of the Czech Brethrens' emigree Václav Horák on the way to the castle. One of those living at the castle is a former Jesuit - a fanatical abbé who snoops on the villagers in order to reveal the secret members of the Unity of Brethren. He is especially after the old Bartodějský and his beautiful granddaughter Frantina, following her with the help of the old woman villager Celerka and her son Tomá who was rejected by the girl. Doctor Kamenický succeeds in breathing some life into the countess, making her eventually abandon her black attire and better appear with a smile on her face and clad in a beautiful dress at a birthday celebration. Everybody including the count is mesmerized by her beauty. Chamaré invites Renáta, the countess's foster daughter who he fancies, to participate in the treasure discovery. He sets off an explosive charge in a cellar, but an underground river bursts in as a result. Everybody present drowns except Renáta, who is rescued by Kamenický. The abbé finally discovers the "heretical" books and sends Bartodějský and Horák to prison, the latter of whom used to visit the village in order to date his beloved Frantina. Kamenický prepares their escape but Bartodějský refuses to leave at the last moment. Frantina runs for him but she is shot dead by Tomá Celer. Horák runs away through the morass and Tomá, pursuing him, drowns. Kamenický leaves with Renáta with whom he has fallen in love. The countess is left alone. Several months later, on October 13, 1781, Emperor Joseph II issues the religious Toleration Act, thus introducing religious freedom to the country.
Film online
Photos
Cast
Blanka Bohdanová
hraběnka Marie Karolina Chamaré
Eduard Cupák
abbé
Pavel Pípal
hrabě Chamaré
Petr Svoboda
vídeňský lékař MUDr. Kamenický
Patricie Havlíčková
Renáta, hraběnčina schovanka
Michaela Kuklová
Frantina
Ivan Jiřík
Tomáš Celer
Jaroslava Tichá
vdova Celerka, Tomášova matka
Zdeněk Martínek
Bartodějský, dědeček Frantiny
Tomáš Hanák
českobratrský emigrant Václav Horák
Valerie Kaplanová
komorná Alžběta
David Vejražka
sluha Jan
Karel Bělohradský
dragoun
Arnoštka Červená
stará hraběnka, matka Marie
Vladimír Huber
sluha Kryštof
Ivana Ďurčová
služka Žanetka
Jaroslav Krajník
sluha Giovanni
Martin Wolf
střelmistr
Václav Mareš
správce
René Kořenář
štolba
František Michálek
vozka
Josef Adelt
písař
Miroslav Jírů
mladý podkoní
Bohuslav Ličman
veterán
Michal Hengal
mladý dělník
Ota Kovařík
dělník
Jaroslav Kratochvíl
dělník
Ladislav Lahoda
dělník
Libor Kaňka
hudebník
František Pok
hudebník
Václav Petráš
hudebník
Vratislav Richter
hudebník
Jaroslav Štěpnička
hudebník
Jiří Šťastný (2)
hudebník
Stanislav Vích
hudebník
Pavel Zedník
hudebník
František Zelenka
hudebník
M. Šťastná
hudebník
Dubbing
Sylva Sequensová
hlas Renáty
Václav Kaňkovský
hlas Bartodějský
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Petr Slabý, Helena Kadlecová
Based on
Alois Jirásek (Poklad – novela)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Script Editor
Camera
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Set Designer
Karel Karas, Karel Kočí, Petr Matouš, Petr Průša, Richard Staněk
Costume Designer
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Rudolf Mos, Vladimír Tišer
Unit Production Manager
Přemysl Čermák, Rudolf Mráz
Consultant
dr. Pavel Trpák
Cooperation
Renata Čihulková, Helena Lehovcová, Zdeněk Maur, Petr Chmelík, Alena Červená, Zdeněk Vávra
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Music Conducted by
Mario Klemens (FISYO), Miroslav Košler (Pěvecký sbor Čs. rozhlasu)
Songs
Plaisir d'Amour
Songwriter
Jean Paul Egide Martini (Plaisir d'Amour)
Writer of Lyrics
Jean Pierre Claris de Florian (Plaisir d'Amour)
Singer
Blanka Bohdanová (Plaisir d'Amour)
Production info
Original Title
Poklad hraběte Chamaré
English Title
The Treasure of Count Chamaré
Working Title
Poklad
Copyright
1984
Production Year
1984
Premiere
01.10.1985
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
Technical info
Format
35mm , Betacam, DVD
Versions
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 20. filmový festival mladých Trutnov
1986
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslav Brabec