Otakar Vávra (28 February 1911 – 15 September 2011) was a
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus'
Places
* Czech, ...
film director,
screenwriter and
pedagogue
Pedagogy (), most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political and psychological development of learners. Pedagogy, taken a ...
.
He was born in
Hradec Králové
Hradec Králové (; german: Königgrätz) is a city of the Czech Republic. It has about 91,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Hradec Králové Region. The historic centre of Hradec Králové is well preserved and is protected by law as an ...
,
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, now part of the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
.
Biography and career
Vávra attended universities in
Brno and
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...
, where he studied
architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
. During 1929–30, while still a student, he participated in the making of a handful of documentaries and wrote movie scripts. In 1931, he produced the experimental film ''Světlo proniká tmou''. The
first movie he directed was 1937's ''
Panenství''.
His 1938 film ''
The Merry Wives'' was praised in
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
for "first-rate direction, a salty yarn and elaborate production effort", even though it had undergone certain cuts because it was considered too "ribald" by
American censors.
Vávra was a member of the
Communist Party
A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of ''The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. ...
from 1945 to 1989. After the Communists
seized power in 1948, Vávra adapted quickly to the new political climate and produced films praising the current regime and supporting the new, official interpretation of the past.
In the 1950s he filmed the "
Hussite Trilogy
The ''Hussite Trilogy'' (, ) is a historical fantasy series of novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. It consists of three books: ''The Tower of Fools'', '' Warriors of God'' and '' Light Perpetual''. It is set in the Lands of the Bohemian Cr ...
", one of his most famous works, consisting of ''
Jan Hus
Jan Hus (; ; 1370 – 6 July 1415), sometimes anglicized as John Hus or John Huss, and referred to in historical texts as ''Iohannes Hus'' or ''Johannes Huss'', was a Czech theologian and philosopher who became a Church reformer and the insp ...
'' (1954), ''
Jan Žižka
Jan Žižka z Trocnova a Kalicha ( en, John Zizka of Trocnov and the Chalice; 1360 – 11 October 1424) was a Czech general – a contemporary and follower of Jan Hus and a Radical Hussite who led the Taborites. Žižka was a successful milit ...
'' (1955) and ''
Against All
''Against All'' ( cs, Proti všem) is a 1956 Czechoslovak historical drama film directed by Otakar Vávra. It is based on the novel '' Proti všem'' by Alois Jirásek. The film's budget was 25 million KČs which made it the most expensive Czech ...
'' (1957).
In the 1960s, Vávra made his most celebrated films ''
Zlatá reneta'' (1965), ''
Romance for Bugle'' (1966) and ''
Witchhammer
''Witchhammer'' ( cs, Kladivo na čarodějnice) is a 1970 Czechoslovak drama film directed by Otakar Vávra and starring Elo Romančík. Based on the novel '' Kladivo na čarodějnice'' by Václav Kaplický, ''Witchhammer'' relates the story of th ...
'' (1969). ''
Romance for Bugle'' was entered into the
5th Moscow International Film Festival
The 5th Moscow International Film Festival was held from 5 to 20 July 1967. The Grand Prix was shared between the Soviet film '' The Journalist'', directed by Sergei Gerasimov and the Hungarian film ''Father'', directed by István Szabó. The fe ...
where it won the Special Silver Prize.
In the 1970s Vávra produced his "War Trilogy" consisting of semi-documentary movies ''Dny zrady'', ''
Sokolovo'' and ''Osvobození Prahy'', all being heavily influenced by communist propaganda. The film ''Dny zrady'' (''
Days of Betrayal
''Days of Betrayal'' ( cs, Dny zrady) is a 1973 Czechoslovakian drama film directed by Otakar Vávra. The film was entered into the 8th Moscow International Film Festival where it won a Diploma. It was also selected as the Czechoslovakian entry ...
'', 1973) was entered into the
8th Moscow International Film Festival
The 8th Moscow International Film Festival was held from 10 to 23 July 1973. The Golden Prizes were awarded to the Soviet film '' That Sweet Word: Liberty!'' directed by Vytautas Žalakevičius and the Bulgarian film ''Affection'' directed by Lud ...
where it won a Diploma.
In 1979 he was a member of the jury at the
11th Moscow International Film Festival
The 11th Moscow International Film Festival was held from 14 to 28 August 1979. The Golden Prizes were awarded to the Italian-French film ''Christ Stopped at Eboli'' directed by Francesco Rosi, the Spanish film '' Siete días de enero'' directed ...
.
Since the 1950s Vávra taught film direction at
. Among his students were several directors of the "
Czech New Wave".
Awards
In 2001, he was awarded the ''Czech Lion'' for his lifelong contribution to the Czech cinema. In 2004, he received the presidential ''Medal of Merit'' (''Medaile za zásluhy'').
Criticism
Vávra's critics point to his willingness to accommodate the Communist regime.
In a 2003 article ("Playing the Villain", ''The Globe and Mail'', May 15, 2003) about his documentary film, ''Hitler and I'' that he shot in Prague, David Cherniack described the following encounter with his former FAMU Head Professor:
Filmography
*1931 ''
Světlo proniká tmou''
*1934 ''
Žijeme v Praze''
*1935 ''
Listopad''
*1936 ''
Three Men in the Snow''
*1936 ''
Velbloud uchem jehly''
*1937 ''
Panenství''
*1937 ''
Filosofská historie''
*1938 ''
Na 100%''
*1938 ''
Cech panen kutnohorských''
*1939 ''
Humoreska''
*1939 ''
Kouzelný dům''
*1939 ''
Dívka v modrém
''Dívka v modrém '' is a 1939 Czech comedy film directed by Otakar Vávra.
Cast
* Lída Baarová
Lída Baarová (born Ludmila Babková; 7 September 1914 – 27 October 2000) was a Czech actress who for two years was the mistress of the ...
''
*1940 ''
Pohádka máje''
*1940 ''
Podvod s Rubensem''
*1940 ''
Pacientka Dr. Hegla
''Pacientka Dr. Hegla'' is a 1940 Czechoslovak drama film directed by Otakar Vávra.
Cast
* Adina Mandlová as Karla Janotová
* Otomar Korbelář as Dr. Jindrich Hegl
* Svetla Svozilová as Dr. Hegl's wife
* Zorka Janů as Dr. Hegl's daughte ...
''
*1940 ''
Maskovaná milenka''
*1941 ''
Turbina''
*1942 ''
Přijdu hned''
*1942 ''
Okouzlená
''Okouzlená'' (English: ''Enchanted'') is a 1942 Czechoslovak drama film directed by Otakar Vávra.
Cast
* Nataša Gollová as Lenka Bártová
* Václav Vydra as Rupert Hojtaš
* Leopolda Dostalová as Hojtašová
* Adina Mandlová as Model ...
''
*1943 ''
Šťastnou cestu''
*1945 ''
Vlast vítá''
*1945 ''
Rozina sebranec''
*1946 ''
Nezbedný bakalář''
*1946 ''
Cesta k barikádám''
*1947 ''
Předtucha''
*1948 ''
Krakatit
''Krakatit'' is a 1948 Czechoslovak science fiction mystery film directed by Otakar Vávra, starring Karel Höger as a chemist who suffers from delirium and regret after inventing a powerful explosive. The film is based on Karel Čapek's novel wi ...
''
*1949 ''
Němá barikáda''
*1949 ''
Láska''
*1953 ''
Nástup''
*1954 ''
Jan Hus
Jan Hus (; ; 1370 – 6 July 1415), sometimes anglicized as John Hus or John Huss, and referred to in historical texts as ''Iohannes Hus'' or ''Johannes Huss'', was a Czech theologian and philosopher who became a Church reformer and the insp ...
''
*1955 ''
Jan Žižka
Jan Žižka z Trocnova a Kalicha ( en, John Zizka of Trocnov and the Chalice; 1360 – 11 October 1424) was a Czech general – a contemporary and follower of Jan Hus and a Radical Hussite who led the Taborites. Žižka was a successful milit ...
''
*1957 ''
Proti všem''
*1958 ''
Občan Brych''
*1959 ''
První parta''
*1960 ''
Srpnová neděle''
*1960 ''
Policejní hodina''
*1961 ''
Noční host''
*1962 ''
Horoucí srdce''
*1965 ''
Zlatá reneta''
*1967 ''
Romance pro křídlovku
''Romance pro křídlovku'' (in English: ''Romance for Bugle'' or ''Romance for Flugelhorn''; in German: ''Romanze für ein Flügelhorn'') is a lyrical epic poem written in 1961 by the Czech poet František Hrubín. It tells the story of a you ...
''
*1968 ''
Třináctá komnata''
*1969 ''
Kladivo na čarodějnice
''Kladivo na čarodějnice'' (The Witches' Hammer) is a Czech history novel by Václav Kaplický. It was first published in 1963.
The story is set in 17th century, in a region surrounding Velké Losiny and Šumperk. It is based on a historical ev ...
''
*1973 ''
Dny zrady''
*1974 ''
Sokolovo''
*1976 ''
Osvobození Prahy''
*1977 ''
Příběh lásky a cti''
*1980 ''
Temné slunce''
*1983 ''
Putování Jana Ámose''
*1984 ''
Komediant''
*1985 ''
Veronika''
*1985 ''
Oldřich a Božena''
*1989 ''
Evropa tančila valčík''
*2003 ''
Moje Praha''
References
External links
*
Short biography
DVD Cover of the Malleus MaleficarumFilm clips from the Malleus MaleficarumFilm clips from the Romance for CornetComplete filmography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vavra, Otakar
1911 births
2011 deaths
People from Hradec Králové
People from the Kingdom of Bohemia
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia politicians
Czech film directors
Czech screenwriters
Male screenwriters
Film educators
Czech centenarians
Men centenarians
Recipients of Medal of Merit (Czech Republic)