The comedy premiered more than fifty years ago Saints directed by Zdenek Podskalský. The story is about three front workers from the countryside who have a common dream, which is to experience at least one unforgettable night in the big city. They start to implement their plan and in order for no one to recognize their “unworldly” profession and also that they are from the village, they have to pay a lot of money and put a lot of effort to make their “worldly” demeanor and behavior look polite.
Great Czech actors Jiří Sovák, Vlastimil Brodský and Jan Libíček played the trio of socialites. The teaching of their social behavior was undertaken by Oldřich Nový, a gentleman through and through. Light women were played by Jiřina Jirásková, Jiřina Bohdalová and Iva Janžurová.
The large choice of actors undoubtedly plays a major role in the fact that the film is still popular with viewers. This is confirmed not only by the fact that it still attracts viewers to the screens, but also by the fact that it has been transformed into a theatrical form.
The film had to be directed Zdeněk Podskalsky first to defend himself before the playwrights of Barrandov. They didn’t really like sharp satire, and especially the actor Oldrich Novy. The entire project was almost banned due to his post-February 1948 innuendo.
After reading the script for the first time Oldrich Novy he hesitated and wanted to turn down the role. The actor, who was already 70 at the time, considered all offers very carefully. Eventually he accepted the role of the professor after the script was revised.
They had to reshoot the scene he was in several times Jiřina Bohdalová alias Božka scantily dressed. When “STOP” rang for the umpteenth time, she protested that something was wrong again. Director Podskalský is said to have kindly replied that she could easily continue as long as she didn’t mind that her breasts were exposed.
Filming began shortly after the August occupation of 1968. However, this affected the overall atmosphere of the set. The director somehow tried to motivate the actors and improve their mood, so he gave them room for improvisation. All their ideas did not pass because time did not allow them. Not everyone was satisfied with the original wording of the script, so the director together with Jiří Sovák changed it. who plays Tonda Skopce in the film, edited to everyone’s satisfaction in just one day. For her co-authorship, Sovák received an additional 9,000 CZK from the production.
You can see the improvisation, for example, in an unforgettable verbal exchange between the women: “Sit down.” “I’m sitting.” “She is sitting.” “You’re sitting?” “I’m sitting.” “Well, we’re sitting.” It was created only when Ivy Janžurová sat on the chair, while Jiřina Bohdalová and Jiřina Jirásková sat on the sofa. Naturally, the master improviser himself demonstrated his art of improvisation Vladimir Menshik, and this, for example, when he climbs out the window onto the scaffolding and says Jiřina Bohdalová: “Look, God, there’s a museum over there!”. It is said that Bohdalová also had a lot to do at that time not to burst out laughing.
He wrote the screenplay for the film Vratislav Blazek. However, he did not participate in the filming and subsequently did not participate in the premiere either. She emigrated to Germany after August 1968.
You can watch the film Světáci on ČT3 on December 19 at 14:50.
Sources: ceskatelevize, fdb.cz, csfd.cz
