directed by roman vávra a classic fairy–tale for the whole

zlom anglContact : Verbascum, producer R ichard Nmec, erná 6, 110 00 Praha 1 , Czech Republ ic
te l . : 00420 2 24930077, fax : 00420 2 24930384, verbascum@emai l .cz
d i r e c t e d b y R o m a n V á v r a
a c l a s s i c f a i r y – t a l e f o r t h e w h o l e f a m i l y
In the land of King Dobromil honest labour, decency, honesty and res-
pect among people has become a thing of the past. Instead the
country is gradually succumbing to Hell’s force and, thus, those who
have some remnants of decency prefer to flee. When things in the
land go from bad to worse the King in his helplessness sells his soul
to the Devil, and his base Minister takes over the reigns of power. At
this very time in the Kingdom appears an inconspicuous merry drea-
mer called Philip. When muddle-headed herbalist and sorceress Apol-
lonia sees him coming with an ass she is convinced he is the saviour
from her dreams. Noone realises he is a Prince from a neighbouring
Kingdom. And, lo-and-behold, Philip really manages to save the land
from Hell not, though, through any magic but because of his courage,
humour, his sincere love for Princess Annie and, maybe, his well-
aimed cheek to counter the omnipotent Lucifer.
All this, and much more, we will see portrayed using kind-hearted
poeticism, nerve-tingling drama and, above all, distinctive humour in
a classic fairy-tale film created by noted scripwriters Miloš Macourek
and Ondrej Šulaj, and directed by Roman Vávra. With such seasoned
authors and the director’s unusual vivid imagination, a spectacle for
everyone is ensured. It is a film for those who want to relax, amuse
themselves, or just pause a while, but, mainly, it is a film for people
both big and small who believe that evil will not triumph as long as
we do not tremble in fear when facing it.
a c l a s s i c f a i r y - t a l e f o r t h e w h o l e f a m i l y 1
CONTENT:
deadlines and locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
biography of the director Roman Vávra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
biography of the scriptwriter Miloš Macourek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
biography of the scriptwriter Ondej Šulaj . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
biography of the producer Richard Nmec and information about the company Verbascum . . . 9
story outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
working sketches of costumes
Translated by Pavel Theiner
The project has been supported by EURIMAGES, a grant from PRO SLOVAKIA
and The Czech State Fund for the Support and Development of Czech Cinematography.
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roman Vávra
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miloš Macourek
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roman Vávra
35mm. widened format 1: 1.85
Dolby Digital Surround EX sound system.
Producers: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Verbascum (Czech Rep.)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Slovak TV
All exterior locations with the exception of the river (Dunajec in the Slovak Republic) and castle (Perštejn in Moravia) are to be
found in various places in central Bohemia. Emphasis when choosing locations was placed on authenticity and, also, the romantic
aspect of the environment.
PROJECT AND DISTRIBUTION DEADLINES:
September – December 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pre-production
February – June 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Production, a total of 51 filming days
July – December 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Post-production
Autumn 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TV premieres
Castle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pernštejn – interiors and exteriors
River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dunajec – ervený Kláštorec (Slovak Rep.)
River and ferry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .River Berounka near Beroun
Woodcoal merchant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kokoín valley
Woodcoal store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kokoín valley
Volcano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mine heaps in northern Bohemia
Czech TV studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Several interiors from Hell and Castle, well
ROMAN VÁVRA – DIRECTOR
Feature films:
2000 Bitva o ivot/Battle for Life (Verbascum, Czech TV, 88 mins., Directed with M:Janek and V.Janeek, feature documentary
distributed in cinemas)
1998 Co chytneš v it/In The Rye (1998, Verbascum, Czech TV, 100 mins., first feature)
Short films and documentaries:
2001 Skí/Wardrobe (Czech TV, 25 mins., micro-comedy)
2001 Jak jsem se zbláznil – Ota Pavel/How I became mad – Ota Pavel (53 mins., Czech TV, documentary)
1999 Zblízka Rádio Limonádový Joe/A Close-up – Radio Lemonade Joe (Czech TV, 58 mins., documentary)
1997 Jak se ije pevozníkm//Ferrymen (FEBIO, 14 mins., documentary)
1996 Bojovníci/The Fighters (Czech TV, 39 mins., documentary)
1996 Co chytneš v it (Osina)/In The Rye (The Awn) (Verbascum, FAMU, 26 mins., acted film)
1996 Genus Jana Nedvda/A Portrait of Jan Nedvd (FEBIO, 14 mins., documentary)
1995 Na cest/On the Road (Czech TV, 40 mins., documentary)
1994 Bylo, nebylo/Once upon a Time (Czech TV, 21 mins., documentary)
1993 V páté ad na Mertovi/In the Fifth Row at Merta (Czech TV, 38 mins., documentary)
1993 Brati a sestry/Brothers and Sisters (FAMU, 29 mins., documentary)
1992 Hnutí mysli/A Move of Mind (FAMU, 11 mins., documentary)
Roman Vávra (b.1965) graduated Prague’s School of Economics as well as in documentary film-making at Prague’s Film Academy
(FAMU). Even while at school he gained recognition with his humorous portrait of a grave-digger (Bylo, nebylo/Once Upon A Time),
a film which, at the same time, contemplates life’s fateful crossroads. He also made, among others, a noteworthy documentary
(Bojovníci/The Fighters) dedicated to a group of down-to-earth gardeners trying to eradicate giant hogweed.
Roman Vávra dedicates himself to dramatic films as well as documentaries – he involves himself in his projects also as a scripwriter.
Furthermore, he works as a theater director. Since 1992 he has regularly worked together with Czech TV where, for example, he
directed and was partly responsible for the script in the TV serial Kíem kráem na cest/Criss Cross On The Road. Roman Vávra has
won several times the Prize of the Czech Literary Foundation, the Pavel Juráek Prize, two Maxims for the best student film, the
Jurors Prize from the Hungarian Festival Media Wave ‘96 etc..
His feature debut Co chytneš v it/In The Rye was shown at many foreign and domestic Festivals and received prizes, (e.g. The Gol-
den Grape, Poland, 1999 and Golden Debut, Summer Film in Trlice, 1999). In 1988, the film was nominated for 5 Czech Lions (the
Czech annual film awards), among them direction, script and best film. Actress Iva Janurová won one for Best Actress for the main
role as the brave bride Jindiška. Film was warmly received by the public as well as in the media.
In 2000 he co-directed a documentary film Bitva o ivot/Battle for Life. This film brought the documentary genre back into Czech cine-
mas. The film was awarded the annual prize by the professional film association FITES. It also received a special prize at a review of
Czech films where it stood in competition with dramatic films. Further, it will represent the Czech Republic in the official documentary
section of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival 2001 (MFF), and has been chosen for the competition section at several other festivals abroad.
MILOŠ MACOUREK – SCREENWRITER
2000 Kytice/Wild Flowers
1981 Zralé víno/Ripe wine
1979 Hon na koku/Cat hunt
1977 Jak utopit doktora Mráka/How to drown Dr. Mracek
1977 Co takhle dát si špenát/Do you fancy some Spinach?
1972 Dívka na koštti/Girl on a broom
1970 tyi vrady staí, drahoušku/Darling, four murders will do
1970 Pane, vy jste vdova!/Mister, you’re a widow!
1969 Zabil jsem Einsteina, pánové/Sirs, I’ve killed Einstein
1966 Kdo chce zabít Jessii?/Who wants to kill Jessie?
Miloš Macourek (b.1926) is the most experienced scriptwriter in Czech comedy and fairy-tale film industry. He entered the literary
scene with a collection of poems lovk by nevil svým oím/One wouldn’t believe one’s eyes (1958). In the 1960s he wrote plays
for the theater Na zábradlí and, at the same time, wrote scripts for the Barrandov Film Studios and Krátký Film Prague. He is respon-
sible for 29 feature films (mainly comedies and fairy-tales), 7 dramatic TV serials (Arabella, Létající estmír/Flying estmír, Keek v
noní košili/Hamster in a nightshirt – many of whch were co-productions with foreign partners, particularly from Germany) and 5 ani-
mated serials (Mach a Šebestová/Max and Sally, ofka). He is also the author of dozens of animated films which have received festi-
val awards world-wide. Further, he has written 10 books which have been translated into fourteen languages (ivoichopis/Animalbo-
ok, Mach a Šebestová/Max and Sally).
ONEJ ŠULAJ – SCREENWRITER
2000 Sokoliar Tomáš/Falconer Thomas (director V:Vorlíek – fairy-tale feature)
1998 Obrázky z výletu/Pictures from a trip (co-scripted by M.Lešák and M.Šulík)
story from the film Praha oima.../Prague stories...
1997 Orbis Pictus (co-scripted by M.Lešák, directed by M.Šulík)
1995 Záhrada/Garden (directed by M.Šulík)
1995 Vášnivý bozk/Passionate Kiss (directed by M.Šindelka)
1992 Všetko, o mám rád/All that I’m fond of (directed by M.Šulík)
1991 Neha/Tenderness (directed by M.Šindelka)
1988 Správca skanzenu/Caretaker of an outdoor museum (directed by Š.Uher)
1987 Štek/Rage (directed by M.Luther)
1985 Tichá rados/Silent joy (directed by D.Hanák)
1982 Pavilón šeliem/Big mammals pavilion (directed by D.Traník)
1981 Pomocník/Helper (directed by Z.Záhon)
Implemented sctripts for TV films:
1996-7 Silvánovci/Silvanovecs (directed by K. Spišák) TV serial – 44 parts
1994 Na bukvovom dvore/In Bukva Courtyard (script and direction by O.Šulaj)
1992 O psíkovi a maike/Doggie and Cattie (script and direction by O.Šulaj)
1985 Poznám takú bylinku/I recognise a little herb (directed by J.Banyák)
1980 Pomocník/Helper (directed by L. Vajdika)
1979 Chlapec z Majera/Boy from Majer (directed by S.Párnický)
1977 apákovci/Tapakovecs (directed by L. Vajdika)
1973 Lupii v Hammerponde/Thief from Hammerponde (directed by M.Pietor)
Professor Ondrej Šulaj (b.1949) works as a scriptwriter and director for film and television. He also writes outside these mediums
and lectures. He graduated from the university VŠMU in Bratislava, receiving degrees in film and theater direction. In 1979 he began
teaching at this school. From 1993-1999 he served as Dean of the Film and TV Faculty. Apart from this, he has been the Director of
Drama at the SNP Theater in Martin and the Nová scéna in Bratislava. At present, he is the President of the Slovak Film and TV Aca-
demy. Ondej Šulaj has written over ten scripts for the theater and directed plays in Slovakia as well as abroad. He is also the author
of many TV and film scripts which have been awarded prizes at foreign festivals (Karlovy Vary, Trieste, San Remo, Strasbourg, Angers,
Mannheim, Prix Italia Bologna and many others).
RICHARD NMC – PRODUCER AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
FILMOGRAFIE:
Feature films – producer and executive producer:
2000 Bitva o ivot/Battle for Life (directed by Roman Vávra, Miroslav Janek, Vít Janeek, 88 mins.,
Czech TV co-production)
1998 Co chytneš v it/In The Rye (directed by Roman Vávra, 100 mins., Czech TV co-production)
Executive Producer:
1999 Zblízka Rádio Limonádový Joe/A Close-up – Radio Lemonade Joe (directed by R.Vávra, Czech TV)
1996-7 Šedesátka/Sixty (various, musical weekly, Czech TV)
1994 Pijel k nám cirkus/The circus has arrived (directed by K.Vondrová, Czech TV)
1993 V páté ad na Mertovi/In the fifth row at Merta (directed by R.Vávra, Czech TV)
Richard Nmec (b.1971), after leaving grammar school, completed his apprenticeship in the production department of Krátký Film
Prague, working on a number of work-for-hire films for foreign partners. In 1998, he graduated from the Production department of
FAMU (Prague Film School). Between 1994-2000 he was the producer at Archa Theater in Prague where he was involved mainly in
production of foreign and multi-media projects (e.g.Residents Freakshow live) and also as the Programer of the Film Club. In 1995 he
founded a production company Verbascum which was transformed in 2000 into a limited company. Verbascum works closely with
several production groups within Czech TV in the co-production area as well as executive production.
Contact: Verbascum, producer – Richard Nmec, erná 6, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic tel.: 00420 2 24930077, fax: 00420 2 24930384, [email protected]
STORY OUTLINE (LONG VERSION) THE DEVIL KNOWS WHY
If a devil appears in Hell and asks the poor souls in cauldrons whether the water isn’t too hot, or if he should add a drop of cold water to cool things down, it means that there’s something strange going on in Hell. And Lucifer stumbles across such an absurd ano- maly on his isnpection tour-- and it makes him mad.
The cause of these alarming deformities is herbal sorceress Apollonia’s garden where flowers grow whose aroma disseminates goodwill and love. Appolonia’s cottage stands in a forest near Hell’s entrance, making it easy for devils pop in on the odd occasion – and that always causes trouble. All this Lucifer tells Appolonia, thundering terrifyingly in order to convince her to do away with the garden. Appolonia, though, is no wilting flower and sends the hellish ruler to the devil.
In Apollonia’s kingdom terrible things are happening and Apollonia is deeply unhappy. People are sinning more and more and Hell is having a feast. It’s not just a question of poverty which torments the wretches but, mainly, it’s about the moral decay where one lot destroys another, where rogues are victors and where being good and honest means being no more than an object of ridicule or the victim of evil. Apollonia sows her miraculous seeds wherever she can, but the populace destroys the flowers in order not to become infected by goodness. Although the land is free-falling towards ruin Apollonia doesn’t lose heart. Apollonia’s foster-mother, who was a kind witch and founded the garden, pronounced a death-bed prophecy that one day a man would appear who would save the kingdom. He would be young and arrive with an ass.
Our story begins by a river on which a raft with two youngsters appears.The older one, Quido, is merry and thoughtless, a man-of- the world kind of chap. The younger one, Philip, is more soulful, more serious, with a kind of behaviour suggesting some strange tra- gic experience. In a minor incident, they come across a charming strawberry blonde. Neither Philip nor the girl can put that moment out of their minds. Both feel that they have fallen in love at first sight.
The two young men, who have been travelling for several days, deliver their raft up for wood, take their reward and are free. They have no inkling that their wood will be used to heat Hell and that they are dealing with devils. At the woodcoalmans’ place in the forest where the wood is processed they come across an old disobedient ass. The angry coalman wants to get rid of the animal, so he presents it to Philip. Together with Quido and the ass, Phillip travels to a village to find a bed for the night.Apollonia sees the young man coming with the ass and immediately remembers the prophecy foretold by her foster-mother.
As they arrive in town, Phillip and Quido experience a shocking event on the village green: a poor wretch who has smelt the flower of goodness, is giving away everything that his family had left. Relatives are beating him like there is no tomorrrow, but most revol- ting of all-- a priggish aristocrat passing through the village, the Chief Minster, is humiliating the poor man. Philip gives the family a little money and, against Quido’s protests, gives the Minister a hiding. The villagers consider Philip to be another victim of the flowers but Apollonia’s confidence grows that Philip is really the pre-ordained saviour of the ruined kingdom. Because Philip was hurt in the fight Apollonia offers to treat him and invites both of them home.
At home Apollonia’s hunch deepens further when she judges Philip’s behaviour to be that of an aristocrat rather than a village yokel. When she learns that the young men are looking for work she directs them to the castle. Further, she learns that Philip was charmed (and vice versa) by Princess Annie, that very strawberry blonde which the tow young men met briefly on their arrival. Apollo- nia feels she has a duty to help „the saviour" in order that he prevent the country's ruin and finally sits at Annie’s side as King.
Apollonia is unaware that the kingdom cannot be saved, that disaster is inevitable. The widowed King, to whom Apollonia is tied by a youthful love-affair, is now just a puppet in his brother-in-laws’ hands – the Chief Minister and super scoundrel with whom Lucifer himself signed a pact. Their agreement is simple: the Minister will ensure the Kingdom’s downfall and, thus, force the King to sign up to Hell in order to save the land. When the king is then dragged to Hell, the brother-in-law will take over the throne as Lucifer’s ally.
The Minister is fulfilling his end of the agreement by embezzling the country’s finances and, using an infernal machine, sending the moneyto the devils as if to a bank.
Philip and Quido arrive at the castle just when the King’s personal tragedy is culminating and when this sincere but weak man, whose only solace is his daughter and bee-keeping, is coming to terms with the idea that Hell’s help is the kingdom’s only way out.
Philip, equipped with Apollonia’s magical spices capable of turning a potato pancake into a sought-after delicacy, arrives at the castle as a chef. The ever-joking Quido accompanies him as a fool. Both again meet the strawberry blonde, Annie, and are surprised that she is a princess. Annie also happens to be surprised. Her interest in Philip turns to a deep fateful love even moreso when she notices, like Apollonia, that Philip is no ordinary village lad.
a c l a s s i c f a i r y - t a l e f o r t h e w h o l e f a m i l y 1 0
Noticing the budding romance between Phillip and Annie, Quido’s thoughts turn towards envy. Driven by this passion, he becomes an ally of the Chief Minister, the King’s brother-in-law. The graceful Quido, fawned on by women, unfortunately also attracts the eye of the Minister’s wife who pursues him at every step and, so, the poor fool has great difficulties in balancing between her and her mighty husband.
The situation at the castle, and particularly Annie’s personal troubles, are further complicated by the fact that Philip has cause to hide his true identity, living at the castle as a chef and unable to bring his relationship with the Princess into the open.
At the time of Philip’s arrival the King makes a last desperate move to avoid Hell and announces that he will give his daughter away to a rich suitor who will save the Kingdom. There is panic in Hell that Lucifer will not get the King to sing the promissory note. and the traitorous Minister is terrified that he won’t fulfill his side of the bargain to Lucifer and will end up in Hell instead of on the throne. But, unawares, Quido saves the Minister. In order to suck up to the powerful man he betrays the secret affair between the Annie and Philip. In that moment Hell has won. Lucifer sends „a rich suitor" to the castle and he „accidentally" uncovers the scandalous contacts between the Annie, a princess, and Phillip, a lowly chef. He takes offence and threatens to compromise Annie in all Royal Courts. Although the seething King throws Philip out, the situation can no longer be contained. The hope of a marriage for the Prin- cess has disappeared and the King is definitely at the end of his tether. He collapses when „the suitor" surprisingly offers a way out – puts in front of him the devil’s promissory note. The King realises he has been the victim of a dastardly conspiracy but, as he has no option, signs.
As soon as Annie finds out that Philip has been thrown out she reproaches her father that he drove out not just a person to whom her heart belongs but, possibly, a nobleman who could have married her. Upset and angry, she leaves the castle.The unhappy King realises that he has lost the person closest to him, and that for the one last year of life left to him-- owing to his pact with Hell-- he will remain all alone.
Annie nor the King nor anyone else knows what has really happened to Philip. He has not just disappeared. When he was packing his things in the kitchen, he overheard through the dumb waiter a conversation between „the suitor" and the King while they were signing that fateful parchment, and immediately understood the situation. Taking advantage of praise he received from this this "suitor" for the meal he prepared, Phillip waits for the departure of this devilish assistant, and successfully offers his services in the pas- sageway. He has time to write a message to Annie and give it to Quido. Then, unseen by anyone, he disappears with the devil straight from the castle walkway and finds himself in Hell. Quido, with other aims to pursue, does not pass the letter to Annie and, so, she is unaware what Philip is up to. Likewise, Philip doesn’t know that Annie, having left the castle, has ended up with Apollonia at her cottage, where it feels like in an oasis of love and goodness.
When a clearly satisfied Lucifer flies in from Hell’s HQ to pick up the King’s promissory note, he is invited for dinner. He finds it extremely tasty and becomes interested in this magical cook. So, he looks at his vetting file and sees that Philip has a good charac- ter and in every way is an ethically pure Crown Prince who has escaped from his kingdom, the ruin of which was Hell’s responsibility. Such an odd customer is of interest to Lucifer so, under a ruse that he is borrowing a superb chef, he takes Philip off to Hell’s HQ.
Lucifer, though, has no idea that he has brought to his central fiefdom a person who has decided to search out and confront the monstrous power which destroyed his father and rest of his family, and forced him to flee his own kingdom as if from a burning house. Lucifer has no inkling that to his nest he has brought a courageous man who has decided to save the father of his beloved princess, a man who is too shy to admit to Annie his royal birth until he is able to offer her something more than the fate of a refu- gee.
On the other hand, Philip has no idea as to why Lucifer has brought him here and with what motives. Meanwhile, back in the Kingdom, the pact promissary note between Lucifer and the King signed, the castle is suddenly awash with
money. No-one knows where it has come from which gives the King's brother-in-law the opportunity to claim that this new prosperity is his doing. Everywhere good feelings reign, although the King’s grief deepens. Of course, the gold sovereigns for which he signed himself away to Hell do not bring the sought-after benefits. They dissapear into the pockets of the Minister and his lackeys and dee- pen the society’s moral degeneration, but do not eliminate the poverty of ordinary people.
The Minister knows that the Kings’ days are numbered and with his wife is slowly preparing for his accession. He knows, though, that in his path stands the vanished Annie, the rightful claimant to the throne. And it is clear that this problem will not be solved for him by Lucifer.
He decides to get rid of Annie and asks Quido to search for her and eliminate her. The cunning Quido, though, has his own plans at this time. He looks for Annie and, as he expects, finds her with Apollonia. But to
the Minister not a peep. He is trying to keep Annie for himself. Philip is not around and Quido knows that if the Princess belonged to him, they would sit on the throne and the Minister could take a hike. He leaks to Annie that the Minister is trying to kill her and expects Annie’s gratitude. Annie is in a precarious position. She feels that it is too dangerous to refuse Quido out of hand and, so, she plays for time firmly believing that beloved Philip will soon appear.
Good Apollonia supports Annie’s faith even though, poor thing, she still has constant problems with her garden. At Lucifer’s bidding, the Minister sends a party of the worst thugs into the forest. Annie, hiding in the loft at Appolonia's, watches with horror as they try to destroy the garden. Fortunately the garden manages to defend itself. The Minister raves and rants when the scoundrels return as rabid missionaries of love and peace.
Time flies and Philip plays his role as Lucifer’s cook. Finding his bearings, he visits Lucifer’s study where portraits hang of defeated kings including those ofhis own father and that of Annie’s. He also notices the fateful parchments of the still-living monarchs, which lie in special boxes attached to the frames of the paintings. He even sees a map of all the kingdoms where Lucifer has marked the lands under his control, Philip’s own kingdom among them. Philip understands that Lucifer’s base passion is to hunt kings, press them into traps and take over their lands with the aim of transforming the whole world into an unending kingdom of evil.
Philip takes a chance and throws the parchments of the living kings into the open fire in order to save them. With horror he sees that they do not burn. Lucifer catches Philip in the act and gives his explanation: nobody can destroy anything in this Hell, only he alone. Lucifer is not even angry with Philip, and only laughs in his face.
Lucifer’s calm and proud self-confidence truly knows no bounds. After this incident, he takes Philip to the top of a volcano in whose innards lies Hell’s HQ, and shows him a barren desert under snow-- a picture of the world-to-be for which he strives-- in order to show Philip the futility and hopelessness of resistance to evil and Hell’s power.
Philip is surprised by Lucifer’s pleasant behaviour until he realises that the infernal beast sees him as a potential King and that he is trying to break him. He is trying to prove to Philip that even he is capable of succumbing to temptation, capable of baseness and surrender to Hell. And that he, Lucifer, is only waiting for his chance to do him in.
That chance occurs the day Philip’s time in the kitchen is to come to an end. Lucifer invites him to his study and shocks him with an evidently forged contract whereby Philip is meant to serve another nine years. Lucifer carelessly places the contract into a poc- ket of his elegant coat, throws the coat over a chair, and moves away dressed only in his shirt and braces, as if he's forgotten about the coat. He is convinced Philip will take his chance and steal the contract, a base and sinful act. When the Lord of Evil returns, the contract truly is missing from the coat. Lucifer laughs triumphantly. He has won over Philip. He then changes tack, as if it is all a joke, and asks that Philip gives the forged contract back since, in any case, it is no longer valid and he can destroy it. Philip agrees and Lucifer throws the parchment into the fire where it immediately starts burning. Lucifer is unaware that he just destroyed Annie’s father's agreement and that the forged „chef’s" document has found itself in the frame of the King’s portrait.
Philip’s service comes to an end, and a satisfied Lucifer, who is under the impression that he is victorious, prepares to take the cook back to the Hell from whence he borrowed him, and thence to pay a visit to the King in order to take him away.
That day Quido is putting the pressure on Annie. He divulges what he knows from the Minister, that the King has signed up for Hell and the time is coming when Lucifer will come for him, which is also when the Minister will try to get rid of Annie. Broken, Annie con- fides to Apollonia who is aghast and endeavours to undertake a desperate attempt to save a loved one. She uses an agreed signal to call Lucifer, who has just arrived at the nearby Hell with Philip, and offers him the garden of goodness and love in return for the King. Contemptuously, Lucifer declines. Hell will soon triumph in this kingdom. Lucifer disappears in order to prepare to personally lead away the King.
Before that happens, a murderous attack is aimed at Annie. She flees from the murderers as far as the woodcoalman’s place and hides among the coal stacked on a truck. Along with the black stuff, she is tipped into the storage area of Hell where, fortunately, two deformed but kind devils are working. They try to smuggle Annie out of Hell but are unsuccessful, Annie is discovered amd flees. She hides among the sinners and, in all amazement, meets up with a
similarly open-mouthed Philip who saves her and runs with her straight to the castle, using the infernal machine by which the Minis- ter had been sending stolen monies to Hell.
Lucifer, having come for the King, is totally flummoxed when it is shown he has no right to the King, that he doesn’t have the promissory note but, instead, Philip’s out-of.date contract. Lucifer realises that Philip’s act was the opposite of baseness and that it was a risky move by a courageous person prepared to sacrifice himself for the benefit of others. He is forced to admit defeat, and flies away, taking with him the Minister to whom Hell has a right following the failure of the whole project.
And, thus, the story ends. The King will rule again, with kind and wise Apollonia at his side who will, no doubt, bring about new and better rules in the kingdom whereby the country can begin to recover. We have no doubt that her garden of goodness and love will help to bring that about. Philip will take home with him the seeds of those magical flowers, and thus be able, with Annie's support, to struggle for the return of his kingdom from the power of evil.
And what about the traitorous Quido? His shame does not allow him farewells and he flees. But one more strange surprise: during a village dance, an unknown man with an ass appears at the castle gates. The young man
looks around not understanding, surprised that he sees happy people. Apollonia gently suggests that there is nothing to save people from any more, so, he can journey with his ass to some other place. The good woman looks lingeringly and thoughtfully after the man as he disappears. Maybe she made a mistake? Is it possible it was all somehow to be different?
k o s t ý m y / c o s t u m e s / k o s t ü m e
o b r a z o v á p í l o h a / p i c t o r i a l a d d e n d u m / b i l d t e i l
A n i k a / A n n i e / A n i t s c h k a K v i d o / Q u i d o A p o l e n a / A p o l l o n i a
K r á l / K i n g / K ö n i g M i n i s t r / M i n i s t e r M a t y l d a / M a t h i l d e / M a t h i l d a
Š a š e k / J e s t e r / H o f n a r r L u c i f e r / L u z i f e r U r u g a l
f o t o g r a f i e z n a t á e n í / s t i l l s / f o t o s v o n d e n d r e h a r b e i t e n
An i ka , Apo l ena / Ann i e and Apo l l on i a / An i t s chka und Apo l l on i a Ta t i ana Pauho fová , I v a J anu rová
F i l i p / P h i l i p / P h i l i p p Š t p á n K u b i š t a
L u c i f e r / L u z i f e r C s o n g o r K a s s a i
e r t A z a r a c h / D e v i l A z a r a c h / Te u f e l A z a r a c h Z d e n k S u c h ý
K v i d o / Q u i d o I v a n S h v e d o f f
Hostina u Apoleny / Lunch at Apollonia’s house / Festmahl bei Apollonia
n á v r h y d e k o r a c i / s e t d e s i g n / d e k o r a t i o n s e n t w ü r f e
D m A p o l e n y / A p o l l o n i a ‘ s h o u s e / A p o l l o n i a s H a u s
H o s t i n e c u p í v o z u / I n n b y t h e f e r r y / G a s t h a u s a n d e r F ä h r e

directed by roman vávra a classic fairy–tale for the whole

Documents