Adelheid (film)
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''Adelheid '' is a 1970 Czechoslovak drama film directed by František Vláčil, based on a 1967 novel of the same name by Czech writer Vladimír Körner. The story is about the complicated relationship between Czech man Viktor and German woman Adelheid, and about relationships between Czechs and Germans in postwar Czechoslovakia in general.


Plot

Discharged Czechoslovak lieutenant Viktor Chotovický ( Petr Čepek) returns to his homeland after spending much of the war in
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employed at a
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desk job. He has been appointed the
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of an empty manor formerly occupied by the German family of a notorious Nazi war-criminal imprisoned by the Czechoslovak authorities. Viktor meets the Nazi's beautiful daughter Adelheid Heidenmann ( Emma Černá), who is forced to work as a cleaning lady at her own mansion. Her brother is an SS officer who allegedly disappeared in the Eastern Front. Viktor makes Adelheid his captive maid, and soon falls in love with her. His heart is torn between feelings of desire and his national identity and sympathies. Adelheid also slowly becomes sympathetic towards Viktor, but at the same time silently hopes for the return of her brother Hansgeorg. When he does Viktor narrowly escapes death. Viktor refuses to testify against Adelheid because he is alone and has nobody else. However, Adelheid commits suicide in her cell, Viktor walks off into the snow-covered countryside and is last seen wandering towards a mine field.


Cast

* Petr Čepek as Viktor Chotovický * Emma Černá as Adelheid Heidenmannová * Jan Vostrčil as Officer Hejna * Jana Krupičková as Czech Girl *
Pavel Landovský Pavel Landovský (11 September 1936 – 10 October 2014), nicknamed Lanďák, was a Czech actor, playwright, and director. He was a prominent dissident under the communist regime of former Czechoslovakia. Biography Landovský was born in Havl ...
as Militiaman Jindra * Lubomír Tlalka as Militiaman Karel * Miloš Willig as Staff captain * Karel Hábl as Lieutenant * Zdeněk Mátl as Hansgeorg Heidenmann * Alžběta Frejková as Old German woman * Josef Němeček as Slovak * Karel Bělohradský as Militiaman * Vlasta Petříková as Woman


Production

As in other novels by Körner, the story is set in Sudetenland in Northern Moravia. The movie was shot in Lužec castle located close the town of Vroutek (German: ''Rudig'') in western Bohemia and in the villages close to Liberec in Northern Bohemia. The soundtrack, adapted by Zdeněk Liška is based on existing music by
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and
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, which complements the atmosphere of the film. The film was produced by Film Studio Barrandov Czechoslovakia in 1969.


Reception

The film has received very positive reviews after its release in 1969. Many critics called it Vláčil's second best film (after '' Marketa Lazarová''). The film wasn't taken pleasantly by authorities and it received limited release and propagation which resulted in a small attendance in cinemas.


Accolades


References


External links

* {{František Vláčil 1970 films 1970s war drama films 1970s Czech-language films Czechoslovak drama films Films directed by František Vláčil Films set in country houses Czech war drama films Golden Kingfisher winners 1970 drama films Czech psychological drama films