Crossbond

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1990

Production year

1990

Premiere

1 November 1990

Runtime

97 min

Category

film

Genre

psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Křížová vazba

Czech title

Křížová vazba

English title

Crossbond

Working title

Magor

Summary

A drama about a young tiler suffered a fate similar to that of many films made in the run-up to the 1989 Velvet Revolution but only released in the ensuing era of “free distribution”. Not even a hasty update ended up saving this heartfelt film from director Antonín Kopřiva and screenwriter Rudolf Ráž from viewer apathy, given the far more attractive offerings suddenly available to viewers in 1990. Luděk, the protagonist of Křížová vazba (Crossbond), marries into the family of a powerful party apparatchik – the state company manager Velimský. Alienated somewhat from his wife Magda, his conflict with his father-in-law escalates to the point that Luděk ends up serving a jail term for murdering his loathed relative. Vladimír Dlouhý takes the role of Luděk, who relates the story in retrospective style. On-screen sparring partner Radoslav Brzobohatý portrays the father-in-law, while Magda is played by Ľubica Mruškovičová.

Synopsis

The young tiler Luděk Krejza is very skilful, despite of the jeers of his colleages from the construction site, he studies at the evening technical college. The introverted young man does not hesitate to raise his voice even against the company director Velimský, who walks in ruthlessly on the pavement in elaboration. Shortly afterwards Luděk is sent by his bosses to work on the reconstruction of the cottage belonging to the director. The untalkative young man attracts the attention of Magda, the director's daughter and a university student. Luděk creates in the kitchen a demanding pattern of double cross weave. In the evening he falls asleep at the lesson of the teacher Voronská. In the end the pretty Magda seduces Luděk, but the relationship of totally different personalities is troublesome. Also Velimský can not cope well with his daughter's momentary aberration. Luděk is meeting a young teacher Voronská, but she is reticent. After many quarrels and break ups and come backs Magda finds out that she is pregnant. Despite of her father's protest she pushes through a wedding with Luděk. He introduces his newlywed to his parents. His father likes Magda a lot. The fence between Luděk and his father in law seemingly falls down, when they celebrate with a drink the new born boy. However, the unsuccessful marriage does not get better when they are parents and Luděk gets involved with the teacher. Out of love he tiles her bathroom in her flat, but he finishes the work quickly and leaves offended when he finds out that the teacher had a meeting with Velimský. At a party the drunken Luděk finds out that his father-in-law has a close relation with the teacher. Out of jealousy he breaks with a bottle a large glass wall and, unfortunately, of the shards wound Velimský deadly. – After several years Luděk leaves the prison. He is awaited only by his father. The old man became a widower in the mean time and he has taken care the whole time his grandchild.

Cast

Vladimír Dlouhý

obkladač Luděk Krejza

Radoslav Brzobohatý

ředitel stavebního podniku Velimský

Ľubica Mruškovičová

Voice by Ilona Svobodová
Magda, Luďkova žena, dcera Velimského

Petr Čepek

sochař Grulich, Magdin milenec

Zuzana Jezerská

profesorka Voronská

Vlastimil Fišar

Voice by Dalimil Klapka
Krejza, Luďkův otec

Valentina Thielová

Krejzová, Luďkova matka

Eugen Jegorov

zedník Brožek

Ondřej Brzobohatý

Jozífek, syn Luďka a Magdy

Miloslav Štibich

mistr Pecháček

Ladislav Gerendáš

stavbyvedoucí Mařatka

Hana Gregorová

sekretářka Boženka

Zdeněk Srstka

počuraný vězeň

Jiří Adamec

číšník ve vinárně

Vladimír Just

muž v divadle

Jiří Just

muž v divadle

Igor Smržík

muž v divadle

Taťana Puttová

vrátná na koleji

Miroslav Grác

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Milan Špinka

Assistant Director

Petr Strejček

Screenstory

Rudolf Ráž

Director of Photography

Kristian Hynek

Second Unit Photography

Oldřich Kovář

Camera Operator

Jiří Zavřel

Production Designer

Boris Halmi

Assistent Production Designer

Zdeněk Maur

Set Designer

Ivan Ernyei, Dana Smržová, Jaroslav Vích, Jiří Zahrádka

Film Editor

Jan Svoboda

Assistant Film Editor

Anna Mejtská

Sound Designer

Vladimír Skall

Production Manager

Petr Prejda

Unit Production Manager

Aleš Týbl, Jitka Hoferková

Unit Production Manager

Jiří Jelínek (4), Jana Jeřábková, Jaroslav Čipera, Milan Sedláček

Consultant

Josef Poslední

Cooperation

Jana Hrušková (klapka), Jaroslav Trousil (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Milan Svoboda

Music Performed by

Kvartet Milana Svobody (Music Conducted by Milan Svoboda)

Songs

Kámoši, ty se maj

Song Composer Miroslav Linhart
Writer of Lyrics Jan Fischer (2)
Singer Yo Yo Band

Kdybych já byla věděla

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer Zuzana JezerskáVladimír Dlouhý

Production info

Original Title

Křížová vazba

Czech Title

Křížová vazba

English Title

Crossbond

Working Title

Magor

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1990

Production Year

1990

Premiere

premiere 1 November 1990 /unsuitable for youths/

Creative Group

6. tvůrčí skupina, Jan Vild (vedoucí 6. tvůrčí skupiny), Milana Melcerová (vedoucí produkce 6. tvůrčí skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

97 min

Distribution carrier

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