The Sensation Hunter

Country

Czechoslovakia, Federal Republic of Germany

Copyright

1988

Production year

1985, 1987—1988

Premiere

1 February 1989

Runtime

76 min

Category

film

Genre

historical, biography

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Lovec senzací

Czech title

Lovec senzací

English title

The Sensation Hunter

Co-production title

Marktplatz der Sensationen

Working title

Tržiště senzací

Summary

The journalist Egon Erwin Kisch (1885–1948) was the subject of two films of the late 1980s directed by Martin Hollý. Zuřivý reportér (The Zealous Reporter, 1987) and Lovec senzací (The Sensation Hunter, 1988) were both created by cutting a made-to-order coproduction television series. The celebrated journalist was played in both by the actor and singer Josef Laufer. The film highlights Kisch’s professionalism and his desire to be always “at the scene” while retelling some of his stories. A thief named Litera kills a pub keeper and the journalist deftly overturns his apparently unassailable alibi. Later he becomes involved in the romance of the poor lawyer Mändl, who wants to marry the daughter of the head of the stock exchange Samek (Leoš Suchařípa). In order to secure the happiness of his pregnant daughter, the proud father ends up begging all day in the Old Town Square... The stylish narrative, full of Jewish humour, evokes the Old Prague atmosphere of the First Republic.

Synopsis

The journalist, Egon Erwin Kisch, learns from his lover Soňa that her brother ran away tothe foreign legion to escape his friend - the robber, Litera, who was preparing a "wet thing", which means a murder. Litera plays cards in the pub, At Harbour, then he disappears and in the restaurant, At the King Otokar, he kills the innkeeper and steals his receipts. Kisch mentions Litera's name in front of the inspector Binder. But it seems that Litera has a confirmed alibi - he played cards the whole night in At Harbour. But Kisch proves that Litera could have done the murder within ten minutes, which he allegedly spent at the toilets. Moreover he also discovers the hidden money. Litera pleads guilty and Kisch can leave in peace to Soňa. But she already found another man. At his father's, Kisch meets a shnorrer (professional beggar), Mändl. He goes to ask the rich stock exchange manager, Samek, for the hand of his daughter, Ellen, for his son, Alfons, who just graduated from law studies. Samek throws him out. The situation changes immediately, when Samek learns that Ellen expects a baby with Alfons. But Mändl has a condition. Samek has to beg the whole day in his area of the Old Town. Samek undergoes this degradation and experiences the various injustices of a beggar, in order that his daughter be happy. During that day, he loses his high-handed superiority and then organizes a beautiful wedding for Ellen. Towards morning, Kisch comes back with his uncle Eduard, who is, shortly after they part, murdered in his exchange office. The murderers were never caught. The new beggar is lamenting most at the funeral. He feels sorry that he is not the heir. He gets calm only when Kisch tells him that the worldly Eduard managed to spend all his fortune.

Note

The films Sensation Hunter and The Zealous Reporter (1987) were edited version of the five parts series of short stories based on E. E. Kisch. Martin Hollý made the film in the year 1985 under name The Marketplace of the Scoops (Marktplatz der Sensationen) in coproduction with a West German TV channels.

Cast

Josef Laufer

novinář Egon Erwin Kisch

Jozef Kroner

šnorer Mendel Mändl

Leoš Suchařípa

burzovní rada Samek

Wolfried Lier

Voice by Rudolf Hrušínský
policejní inspektor Binder

Alf Marholm

Voice by Jan Teplý
šéfredaktor listu Bohemia

Ute Christensen

Voice by Naďa Konvalinková
Soňa, Kischova milenka

Eduard Linkers

Voice by Mirko Musil
obchodník Hermann Kisch, novinářův otec

Ilja Racek

Pacovský, majitel domu

Jan Schmid

pokladník u Samka

Magda Reifová

Ellen, dcera burzovního rady Samka

Hana Hegerová

Samková, matka Ellen

Zdeněk Srstka

lupič Litera

Robert Vrchota

hospodský

Jiří Holý

směnárník Eduard, Kischův strýc

Jan Skopeček

krejčí Leon

Věra Tichánková

Leonova manželka

Hugo Kaminský

bankéř Gustav Meyer

Jan Přeučil

komisař Olič

Akram Staněk

JUDr. Alfons Mändl, šnorerův syn

Emil Hakl

Franz Kafka

Vladimír Hlavatý

starý redaktor

Vítězslav Jandák

lupič Rudolf Hauser

Karel Smrž

harmonikář

Bohumil Koška

kriminalista

Magdalena Šebestová

žena na ulici

Ladislav Brothánek

hostinský v přístavním hostinci

Vladimír Kotrlík

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Eva Kadaňková, Miroslav Voštiar

Based on

Egon Erwin Kisch (povídky)

Shooting Script

Martin Hollý

Director of Photography

Jiří Macháně

Second Unit Photography

Petr Hojda

Production Designer

Karel Vacek

Assistent Production Designer

Štěpán Exner, Miloš Preclík

Costume Designer

Jarmila Konečná

Make-Up Artist

Josef Lojík

Sound Designer

Miloslav Hůrka

Production Manager

Tomáš Gabriss, Jan Kadlec st.

Cooperation

Ivan Minář (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Jiří F. Svoboda

Selected Music

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Smyčcový kvartet G dur)

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens)

Music Supervisor

Jiří Zobač

Songs

Schlof sche schlof /Židovská ukolébavka/

Singer Hana Hegerová

Malý hošík černovlasý

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer Karel Smržsbor

Pryč a pryč je všecko

Singer Karel Smrž

Tichá putyka

Song Composer Jiří Eliáš
Writer of Lyrics T. R. Field
Singer Karel Smrž

Akáty bílé, žaluji vám

Song Composer František Blahník
Writer of Lyrics František Blahník
Singer Karel Smržsbor

U studánky seděla

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer sbor

Production info

Original Title

Lovec senzací

Czech Title

Lovec senzací

English Title

The Sensation Hunter

Co-production Title

Marktplatz der Sensationen

Working Title

Tržiště senzací

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

historical, biography

Origin country

Czechoslovakia, Federal Republic of Germany

Copyright

1988

Production Year

1985, 1987—1988

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 27 November 1987 (sestřih do podoby filmu)
start of filming 4 December 1987 (sestřih do podoby filmu)
end of filming 1 June 1988 (sestřih do podoby filmu)
projection approval 2 June 1988 (sestřih do podoby filmu)
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1991

Premiere

premiere 1 February 1989 /unsuitable for youths/ (Filmové kluby)

Creative Group

5. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Miloslav Vydra (vedoucí 5. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

76 min

Original length in metres

2 187 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