.gif)
Jánošík (1921 film)
Encyclopedia
Jánošík is a Slovak
black-and-white silent film from 1921
. It relates the popular legend of the highwayman Juraj Jánošík
. It shows the filmmakers' experience with early American movies
in camera work, in the use of parallel narratives, and in sequences inspired by Westerns
. Jánošík placed Slovak filmmaking as the 10th national cinema in the world to produce a full-length feature
movie.
were obligated to work in a nobleman’s fields for two days a week. The location is the Kingdom of Hungary’s north-western Carpathians
with a Slovak majority population. Juraj Jánošík
(Theodor Pištěk
), a young, imposing seminary student, returns to his home village to find that his ailing mother has just died. Count Šándor (Vladimír Šrámek), however, would not release Jánošík’s father (Karel Schleichert) from his weekly obligations for her funeral and has the father caned, which proves fatal for the old man. Jánošík assaults the Count and escapes from the village.
While on the run, Jánošík finds himself fighting on the side of a band of highwaymen in a skirmish with the Count’s cohort commanded by Pišta (Jozef Chylo), discards the frock, joins the band, and takes over the band's leadership. Jánošík’s band parties in the mountains, robs traveling noblemen, and uses disguise to rob the guests at the noblemen's County Ball only to redistribute the booty among the farmers.
Jánošík rekindles a love affair with his childhood sweetheart Anička (Mária Fábryová), who is sexually harassed by the Count. The local priest (František Horlivý) helps Jánošík with the cover-up during his visits to the village. However, his frequent calls and yet another scuffle with the Count prove to be his undoing. With the help of a betrayer, the Count's men learn about Jánošík's whereabouts and overpower him and his band during a drinking party in a tavern. Jánošík is hanged.
The central narrative is framed in a story set around the time of the film’s release, in which a hiker (Theodor Pištěk) and friends (Mária Fábryová, Jozef Chylo) pause at a mountain sheepfold where the head shepherd comments on the hiker’s stature similar to the legendary Jánošík’s and narrates for them the film’s storyline.
, Turiec County
in central Slovakia
and baptized Ludvik Jaroslav Siakeľ, he immigrated to the United States in 1912 at the age of 16 and used Ludwig Jerry as his given names in English. He used the names Jaroslav and Jerry in personal contacts.
at 1543 W. Chicago Ave., and incorporated in Illinois
with a capital stock of $50,000 (as printed on its shares; sources mention lower amounts). The company's chief founder was its Secretary Samuel Fábry, a Chicago businessman. Its Board of Directors also included President Samuel Tvarožek, Vice-President Richard Blaha, and Business Manager Ján Šimo. Among the founders of Tatra Film were the brothers and future filmmakers Jaroslav Siakeľ and Daniel Siakeľ (1886–1964; immigrated in 1905) from Blatnica
, Turiec County
in central Slovakia
. Both had experience with film equipment and processing, and limited experience with filmmaking from working for the Selig Polyscope Company
in Chicago (some sources misidentify them as its owners or founders).
The producer of Jánošík was Ján Závodný (1890–1980) from Brezová pod Bradlom
in western Slovakia
, a co-founder of Tatra Film, who owned the 500-seat Casimir Theater (later Jeff Theater) in Chicago. It was filmed on location in the vicinity of the Siakeľ brothers' birthplace
in Slovakia, on two sets constructed at the site, and finished on the sound stage
at the A-B Studio in Prague.
, western Slovakia
, who based it on a two-volume novel by the Slovak-American journalist Gustáv Maršall-Petrovský (1862–1916). The novel was the filmmakers' original inspiration for making the movie. The screenplay had features of a shooting script
. It was typed in Slovak, on a US typewriter without diacritics, with English camera directions. However, Žák-Marušiak delivered barely a third of the screenplay before the team's departure for Slovakia, some of it arrived by mail during the shoot, and the rest did not reach them before the film was finished. The filmmakers improvised and used the play Jánošík by Jiří Mahen
translated to Slovak
by Martin Rázus in 1920.
Most of the leading and supporting roles were given to professional or amateur actors. Theodor Pištěk in the dual role of Jánošík and of a hiker in the framing story was one of the most popular actors of the period who starred in nine other films in the same year. Pištěk believed that he got the role thanks to Jánošík's art director and actor (priest) František Horlivý, who was an amateur actor in Chicago, but used to work in the theater troupe organized by Pištěk's father Jan in Prague. Mária Fábryová in the leading role of Jánošík's lover Anička was an amateur actress from the town of Martin
in Turiec County
(and related by marriage to one of the best known Slovak poets Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav
). She got the part after her uncle Samuel Fábry, the chief founder and Secretary of Tatra Film, showed her photograph to the filmmakers and advanced her for the role. The extras were local, and soldiers from the 18th Infantry Brigade at Žilina
.
, Turiec County
, Slovakia, before its theatrical release, which is sometimes misquoted as its release date. It had premieres in Prague, in Chicago (Cicero, IL
) at the now demolished 1150-seat Atlantic, and in Žilina
at the Grand Bio Universum (later Dom umenia Fatra).
The film was thought lost until 1970. It was restored by Ján Rumanovský with a music soundtrack by Jozef Malovec in 1975.
The restored version of the silent Jánošík was released on DVD in the PAL format, 4:3 aspect ratio, region-free ("Region 0"), with English, French, German, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Slovak, and Spanish intertitles by Dikrama/Slovenský filmový ústav in 2003 as part of a 2-DVD box set with the like-named movies Jánošík I and Jánošík II, both from 1963, and bonus material.
Sources sometimes mention its presumed listing by UNESCO
as world cultural heritage, but Jánošík is not included on the lists of Tangible Heritage, Intangible Heritage, or World Heritage maintained by UNESCO.
during its theatrical run is estimated at close to 19 million Czecho-Slovak crowns.
Cinema of Slovakia
The cinema of Slovakia encompasses a range of themes and styles typical of European cinema. Yet there are a certain number of recurring themes that are visible in the majority of the important works. These include rural settings, folk traditions, and carnival...
black-and-white silent film from 1921
1921 in film
-Top grossing films :-Films released in 1921:U.S.A. unless stated*$10,000 Under a Pillow, silent film directed by Frank Moser*The Ace of Hearts, silent film directed by Wallace Worsley*Across the Divide, silent film directed by John Holloway...
. It relates the popular legend of the highwayman Juraj Jánošík
Juraj Jánošík
Juraj Jánošík was a famous Slovak Carpathian Highwayman....
. It shows the filmmakers' experience with early American movies
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
in camera work, in the use of parallel narratives, and in sequences inspired by Westerns
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
. Jánošík placed Slovak filmmaking as the 10th national cinema in the world to produce a full-length feature
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
movie.
Plot summary
The story is set in the early 18th century when many farmers in the Habsburg monarchyHabsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
were obligated to work in a nobleman’s fields for two days a week. The location is the Kingdom of Hungary’s north-western Carpathians
Divisions of the Carpathians
Divisions of the Carpathians is categorization of the Carpathian mountains system.Below is a detailed overview of the major subdivisions and ranges of the Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of a bigger Alps-Himalaya System that stretches from the western Europe all the way to...
with a Slovak majority population. Juraj Jánošík
Juraj Jánošík
Juraj Jánošík was a famous Slovak Carpathian Highwayman....
(Theodor Pištěk
Theodor Pištek (actor)
Theodor Pištěk was a Czech actor and film director. He appeared in 234 films between 1921 and 1959. He is the father of the costume designer Theodor Pištěk.-Selected filmography:* Kříž u potoka...
), a young, imposing seminary student, returns to his home village to find that his ailing mother has just died. Count Šándor (Vladimír Šrámek), however, would not release Jánošík’s father (Karel Schleichert) from his weekly obligations for her funeral and has the father caned, which proves fatal for the old man. Jánošík assaults the Count and escapes from the village.
While on the run, Jánošík finds himself fighting on the side of a band of highwaymen in a skirmish with the Count’s cohort commanded by Pišta (Jozef Chylo), discards the frock, joins the band, and takes over the band's leadership. Jánošík’s band parties in the mountains, robs traveling noblemen, and uses disguise to rob the guests at the noblemen's County Ball only to redistribute the booty among the farmers.
Jánošík rekindles a love affair with his childhood sweetheart Anička (Mária Fábryová), who is sexually harassed by the Count. The local priest (František Horlivý) helps Jánošík with the cover-up during his visits to the village. However, his frequent calls and yet another scuffle with the Count prove to be his undoing. With the help of a betrayer, the Count's men learn about Jánošík's whereabouts and overpower him and his band during a drinking party in a tavern. Jánošík is hanged.
The central narrative is framed in a story set around the time of the film’s release, in which a hiker (Theodor Pištěk) and friends (Mária Fábryová, Jozef Chylo) pause at a mountain sheepfold where the head shepherd comments on the hiker’s stature similar to the legendary Jánošík’s and narrates for them the film’s storyline.
Director
The film was directed by Slovak-American Jaroslav Siakeľ (1896–1997). Born in BlatnicaBlatnica, Slovakia
Blatnica is a village and municipality in the Turiec region of Slovakia. Administratively it is a part of the Martin District in the Žilina Region. The village is situated under the Greater Fatra Range, at the opening of the spectacular karst Gader and Blatnica valleys...
, Turiec County
Turiec
Turóc , , /comitatus Thurociensis) is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary...
in central Slovakia
Regions of Slovakia
Since 1949 , Slovakia has been divided into a number of kraje . Their number, borders and functions have been changed several times. There are currently eight regions of Slovakia and they correspond to the EU's NUTS 3 level of local administrative units. Each kraj consists of okresy...
and baptized Ludvik Jaroslav Siakeľ, he immigrated to the United States in 1912 at the age of 16 and used Ludwig Jerry as his given names in English. He used the names Jaroslav and Jerry in personal contacts.
Company
The film Jánošík was made and financed by the Tatra Film Corporation founded by Slovak-Americans in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
at 1543 W. Chicago Ave., and incorporated in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
with a capital stock of $50,000 (as printed on its shares; sources mention lower amounts). The company's chief founder was its Secretary Samuel Fábry, a Chicago businessman. Its Board of Directors also included President Samuel Tvarožek, Vice-President Richard Blaha, and Business Manager Ján Šimo. Among the founders of Tatra Film were the brothers and future filmmakers Jaroslav Siakeľ and Daniel Siakeľ (1886–1964; immigrated in 1905) from Blatnica
Blatnica, Slovakia
Blatnica is a village and municipality in the Turiec region of Slovakia. Administratively it is a part of the Martin District in the Žilina Region. The village is situated under the Greater Fatra Range, at the opening of the spectacular karst Gader and Blatnica valleys...
, Turiec County
Turiec
Turóc , , /comitatus Thurociensis) is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary...
in central Slovakia
Regions of Slovakia
Since 1949 , Slovakia has been divided into a number of kraje . Their number, borders and functions have been changed several times. There are currently eight regions of Slovakia and they correspond to the EU's NUTS 3 level of local administrative units. Each kraj consists of okresy...
. Both had experience with film equipment and processing, and limited experience with filmmaking from working for the Selig Polyscope Company
Selig Polyscope Company
The Selig Polyscope Company was an American motion picture company founded in 1896 by William Selig in Chicago, Illinois. Selig Polyscope is noted for establishing Southern California's first permanent movie studio, in the historic Edendale district of Los Angeles...
in Chicago (some sources misidentify them as its owners or founders).
The producer of Jánošík was Ján Závodný (1890–1980) from Brezová pod Bradlom
Brezová pod Bradlom
Brezová pod Bradlom is a town in the Myjava District, Trenčín Region, western Slovakia, at the western foothills of the Little Carpathians, in the Záhorie region.-History:...
in western Slovakia
Regions of Slovakia
Since 1949 , Slovakia has been divided into a number of kraje . Their number, borders and functions have been changed several times. There are currently eight regions of Slovakia and they correspond to the EU's NUTS 3 level of local administrative units. Each kraj consists of okresy...
, a co-founder of Tatra Film, who owned the 500-seat Casimir Theater (later Jeff Theater) in Chicago. It was filmed on location in the vicinity of the Siakeľ brothers' birthplace
Turiec
Turóc , , /comitatus Thurociensis) is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary...
in Slovakia, on two sets constructed at the site, and finished on the sound stage
Sound stage
In common usage, a sound stage is a soundproof, hangar-like structure, building, or room, used for the production of theatrical filmmaking and television production, usually located on a secure movie studio property.-Overview:...
at the A-B Studio in Prague.
Screenplay
Tatra Film commissioned the screenplay from the Slovak-American Jozef Žák-Marušiak (1885–1979; immigrated in 1911) from Lakšárska Nová VesLakšárska Nová Ves
Lakšárska Nová Ves is a village and municipality in Senica District in the Trnava Region of western Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 229 metres and covers an area of 36.939km². It has a population of about 1025 people....
, western Slovakia
Regions of Slovakia
Since 1949 , Slovakia has been divided into a number of kraje . Their number, borders and functions have been changed several times. There are currently eight regions of Slovakia and they correspond to the EU's NUTS 3 level of local administrative units. Each kraj consists of okresy...
, who based it on a two-volume novel by the Slovak-American journalist Gustáv Maršall-Petrovský (1862–1916). The novel was the filmmakers' original inspiration for making the movie. The screenplay had features of a shooting script
Shooting script
A shooting script is the version of a screenplay used during the production of a motion picture. Shooting scripts are distinct from spec scripts in that they make use of scene numbers , and they follow a well defined set of procedures specifying how script revisions should be implemented and...
. It was typed in Slovak, on a US typewriter without diacritics, with English camera directions. However, Žák-Marušiak delivered barely a third of the screenplay before the team's departure for Slovakia, some of it arrived by mail during the shoot, and the rest did not reach them before the film was finished. The filmmakers improvised and used the play Jánošík by Jiří Mahen
Jirí Mahen
Jiří Mahen was a Czech novelist, playwright and essayist.- Life :He was born Antonín Vančura, in Čáslav, to an old noble family of the Moravian Brethren faith. In his grammar-school years he became an anarchist. He later studied linguistics of the Czech and German languages at Prague University...
translated to Slovak
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
by Martin Rázus in 1920.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Theodor Pištěk Theodor Pištek (actor) Theodor Pištěk was a Czech actor and film director. He appeared in 234 films between 1921 and 1959. He is the father of the costume designer Theodor Pištěk.-Selected filmography:* Kříž u potoka... (1895–1960) |
Juraj Jánošík Juraj Jánošík Juraj Jánošík was a famous Slovak Carpathian Highwayman.... and Hiker (dual role) |
| Mária Fábryová (1900–1973) | Anička, Jánošík's lover and Hiker (dual role) |
| Vladimír Šrámek | Count Šándor |
| Jozef Chylo (?-1956) | Count's Deputy Pišta and Hiker (dual role) |
| František Horlivý | Priest, the protector |
| L. Hušek | Highwayman Ilčík |
| P. Kutný | Highwayman Hrajnoha |
| Michal Staník | Highwayman Michalčík |
| Karel Schleichert (?-1940) | Jánošík's Father |
| Miloslav Schmidt Miloslav Schmidt Miloslav Schmidt was born in the family of an innkeeper and baker. After finishing school in Kremnica and completing training at his father's bakery Schmidt became the leading figure of the family business. He also used his skills in the area of culture and national revival... (1881–1934) |
Baron Révay Révay The Révay Family was a Hungarian noble family, who owned estates in Turóc county, the Kingdom of Hungary until the early 20th century. Their property included i.a... |
| Olga Augustová (1895–1970) | Baroness Révay Révay The Révay Family was a Hungarian noble family, who owned estates in Turóc county, the Kingdom of Hungary until the early 20th century. Their property included i.a... |
| Bronislava Livia (1901-?) | The Révay Révay The Révay Family was a Hungarian noble family, who owned estates in Turóc county, the Kingdom of Hungary until the early 20th century. Their property included i.a... s' Daughter |
| Jan W. Speerger (1896–1950) | Military Commander |
| Saša Dobrovodská | Gypsy Woman |
| Ferdinand Fiala (1888–1953) | County Chief of Liptov |
| Rudolf Myzet (1888–1964) | Nobleman |
| Karel Fiala (1871–1931) | Chief Judge |
| Jaroslav Vojta (1888–1970) | |
| Samuel Šťastný | |
| Vlado Ivaška |
Most of the leading and supporting roles were given to professional or amateur actors. Theodor Pištěk in the dual role of Jánošík and of a hiker in the framing story was one of the most popular actors of the period who starred in nine other films in the same year. Pištěk believed that he got the role thanks to Jánošík's art director and actor (priest) František Horlivý, who was an amateur actor in Chicago, but used to work in the theater troupe organized by Pištěk's father Jan in Prague. Mária Fábryová in the leading role of Jánošík's lover Anička was an amateur actress from the town of Martin
Martin, Slovakia
Martin is a city in northern Slovakia, situated on the Turiec river, between the Malá Fatra and Veľká Fatra mountains, near the city of Žilina. The population numbers approximately 58,000, which makes it the eighth largest city in Slovakia...
in Turiec County
Turiec
Turóc , , /comitatus Thurociensis) is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary...
(and related by marriage to one of the best known Slovak poets Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav
Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav
Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav (* February 2, 1849 in Vyšný Kubín (Felsőkubin), Austrian Empire, Kingdom of Hungary, † November 8, 1921 in Dolný Kubín, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia), was a Slovak poet, dramatist, translator and for a short time member...
). She got the part after her uncle Samuel Fábry, the chief founder and Secretary of Tatra Film, showed her photograph to the filmmakers and advanced her for the role. The extras were local, and soldiers from the 18th Infantry Brigade at Žilina
Žilina
Žilina is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of Slovakia with a population of approximately 85,000, an important industrial center, the largest city on the Váh river, and the seat of a...
.
Release dates
Jánošík was shown informally to the film crew and friends in VrútkyVrútky
Vrútky ; ) is a town in northern Slovakia, close to the city of Martin. It lies in the historic Turiec region.-Geography:The town lies at the confluence of the Váh and the Turiec, in the Turčianska kotlina, near the Malá Fatra mountain range. It is located north of the city of Martin, with which...
, Turiec County
Turiec
Turóc , , /comitatus Thurociensis) is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary...
, Slovakia, before its theatrical release, which is sometimes misquoted as its release date. It had premieres in Prague, in Chicago (Cicero, IL
Cicero, Illinois
Cicero is an incorporated town in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 83,891 at the 2010 census. Cicero is named for the town of Cicero, New York, which in turn was named for Marcus Tullius Cicero, the Roman statesman and orator....
) at the now demolished 1150-seat Atlantic, and in Žilina
Žilina
Žilina is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of Slovakia with a population of approximately 85,000, an important industrial center, the largest city on the Váh river, and the seat of a...
at the Grand Bio Universum (later Dom umenia Fatra).
The film was thought lost until 1970. It was restored by Ján Rumanovský with a music soundtrack by Jozef Malovec in 1975.
The restored version of the silent Jánošík was released on DVD in the PAL format, 4:3 aspect ratio, region-free ("Region 0"), with English, French, German, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Slovak, and Spanish intertitles by Dikrama/Slovenský filmový ústav in 2003 as part of a 2-DVD box set with the like-named movies Jánošík I and Jánošík II, both from 1963, and bonus material.
Sources sometimes mention its presumed listing by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as world cultural heritage, but Jánošík is not included on the lists of Tangible Heritage, Intangible Heritage, or World Heritage maintained by UNESCO.
Business
Jánošík's estimated budget was $14,500 and its total gross in Czecho-SlovakiaCzechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
during its theatrical run is estimated at close to 19 million Czecho-Slovak crowns.
External links
- Jaroslav Siakeľ (dir., 1921) Jánošík. (Clip)