The Emperor and the Golem
The Emperor and the Golem ( - "Emperor's baker and baker's emperor" literally) is a two-part Czechoslovakian historical fantasy comedy film produced in 1951. The film shares parts of the plot with the 1936 French film, Le Golem, directed by Julien Duvivier, filmed in Prague and co-written by Jan Werich (this film's star and co-author) and Jiří Voskovec. It was originally directed by Jiří Krejčík, but after disputes with the leading actor Jan Werich, Krejčík was replaced by Martin Frič. In addition to the two-part version, a 112-minute-long one-part international version was prepared, with most propaganda flavoured scenes cut out (e.g., songs). The film was filmed in color (not common for Czechoslovak films in that period) because of the international release.
Plot
The film first follows the aging and eccentric Rudolf II, who is obsessed with finding the Golem, refuses to hear out ambassadors and falls into destructive fits. The conflict between him and his brother Matthias is also touched upon.
Cast
- Alois Dvorský
- Anna Pitašová
- Bohumil Bezouška
- Bohuš Hradil
- Bohuš Záhorský
- Eva Jiroušková
- Fanda Mrázek
- Felix le Breux
- František Černý
- František Filipovský
- Jan Stanislav Kolár
- Jan Werich
- Jana Werichová
- Jiří Plachý
- Josef Hlinomaz
- Josef Kemr
- Ladislav Rychman
- Lubomír Lipský
- Marie Nademlejnská
- Marie Vášová
- Miloš Kopecký
- Miloš Nedbal
- Nataša Gollová
- Theodor Pištěk
- Václav Trégl
- Věra Chytilová
- Vladimír Leraus
- Vladimír Řepa
- Vladimír Svitáček
- Zdeněk Štěpánek
More details
| author | Jan Werich Jiří Brdečka Martin Frič |
|---|---|
| contentLocation | Prague |
| director | Jiří Krejčík Martin Frič |
| events | Golem Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor |
| genre | comedy fantasy historical |
| keywords | act alcoholic drink begin brandy build clean con man country girl edward kelley end fight hide homunculus horrify kill koperník magic ritual magnifying glass misunderstand nicolaus copernicus obsess poison rejuvenation search second part slivovice slivovitz tycho brahe upside down wait wake up want |
| musicBy | Julius Kalaš |
| theme | fantasy-comedy |