Directed by:
Oldřich LipskýCinematography:
Vladimír NovotnýComposer:
Vlastimil HálaCast:
Vladimír Menšík, Jaroslava Obermaierová, Josef Abrhám, Bohuš Záhorský, Stella Zázvorková, Jiří Steimar, Martin Růžek, Bedřich Prokoš, Josef Hlinomaz (more)Plots(1)
The edge of the guillotine separates the condemned man's head from his trunk, but the head immediately jumps back and unites with the body and the butcher Bedřich Frydrych comes back to life. With a good deal of temperament, he begins to tell his story "backwards" and returns to the events preceding his execution - as far back as to his dramatic first meeting with his future wife Julie. - At the court, Bedřich is sentenced to death for the murder of his wife. He was caught by a constable, while he was carrying her quartered body in a suitcase. The following sequence describes - through running the camera backwards - the "assembly" of his wife's body into its original state and the story continues to the beginning of Bedřich's life. He lives comfortably with Julie but a wild jealous scene reveals that Julie is unfaithful to him. Bedřich searches out his wife's lover, a Mr Ptáček whom he had heroically saved from drowning during their honeymoon by the sea. Bedřich's marriage with Julie is preceded by his split with his lover. Although Julie's mother agrees with the wedding, the girl attempts to commit suicide. The story goes back to the beginning, to the first acquaintance of Bedřich with Julie, who saves Julie from a fire. In the film, however, it looks as if Bedřich threw Julie into the fire; then he descends the ladder and, by kissing the hand of his former lover, attains a happy end. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Cast
Vladimír Menšík
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Ikaros' Fall (1977) (TV movie)
Jako kníže Rohan (1983) (TV movie)
Tažní ptáci (1983) (TV movie)
Jaroslava Obermaierová
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Marecek, Pass Me the Pen! (1976)
Witchhammer (1969)
Lucerna (1967) (TV movie)
Josef Abrhám
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Best movies:
Marecek, Pass Me the Pen! (1976)
Revizor (1971) (theatrical recording)
Hráči (1983) (theatrical recording)
Bohuš Záhorský
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
Higher Principle (1960)
The Emperor's Baker - The Baker's Emperor (1951)
Lucerna (1967) (TV movie)
Stella Zázvorková
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Cosy Dens (1999)
Těžká Barbora (1960) (theatrical recording)
Kolya (1996)
Jiří Steimar
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
Lemonade Joe (1964)
Happy End (1967)
Who Wants to Kill Jessie? (1966)
Martin Růžek
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
Tři na lavičce (1978) (TV movie)
Witchhammer (1969)
All My Compatriots (1968) - narrator
Bedřich Prokoš
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
Naši furianti (1983) (theatrical recording)
Higher Principle (1960)
Waiter, Scarper! (1980)
Josef Hlinomaz
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
The Emperor's Baker - The Baker's Emperor (1951)
Lemonade Joe (1964)
The Good Soldier Schweik (1956)
Jaroslav Štercl
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Men About Town (1969)
Lemonade Joe (1964)
Happy End (1967)
Helena Růžičková
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Revizor (1971) (theatrical recording)
Men About Town (1969)
Three Wishes for Cinderella (1973)
Mirko Musil
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Give the Devil His Due (1984)
Jako kníže Rohan (1983) (TV movie)
Sňatky z rozumu (1968) (series)
Lubomír Bryg
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Těžká Barbora (1960) (theatrical recording)
Lemonade Joe (1964)
Happy End (1967)
Lena Birková
Soviet Union
Best movies:
Jára Cimrman Lying, Sleeping (1983)
Kolya (1996)
Adela Has Not Had Her Supper Yet (1978)
Alena Bradáčová
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Best movies:
Happy End (1967)
Marketa Lazarova (1967)
Svatba jako řemen (1967)
Vladimír Čech st.
Russian Empire
Best movies:
Happy End (1967)
You Are a Widow, Sir (1970)
Waterloo (1967) (TV movie)
Valtr Levý
Best movies:
Happy End (1967)
Petr Sedlák
Best movies:
Happy End (1967)
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
Marketa Lazarova (1967)
Lubomír Kostelka
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Těžká Barbora (1960) (theatrical recording)
Balada z hadrů (1960) (theatrical recording)
All My Compatriots (1968)
Stanislav Litera
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Lemonade Joe (1964)
Happy End (1967)
The Girl on the Broomstick (1971)