In early 20th century Czechoslovakia, a gravely ill chemist recalls his discovery of a powerful explosive and how it landed in the hands of anarchists.
Cinematography
Shadow-drenched Prague streets that breathe unease.
Acting
Karel Höger's unraveling sanity in every sweaty close-up.
Direction
Vávra's dream-logic pacing before Lynch made it cool.
Director
Otakar Vávra
Karel Höger
Prokop
Florence Marly
Princess Wilhelmina Hagen
Jiří Plachý
D'Hemon
Nataša Tanská
Anna Tomes
František Smolík
Dr. Tomeš
Miroslav Homola
Jiří Tomeš
Eduard Linkers
Carson
Vlasta Fabianová
The Woman with the Veil
Jaroslav Průcha
Bedřich Vrbský
Baron Rohn
Karel Dostal
Professor in Dream
Bohuš Hradil
Holz
František Vnouček
Agitational Orator
Vítězslav Boček
Jiřina Petrovická
The Nurse
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Based on Karel Čapek's 1924 novel, written between world wars—its atomic-adjacent explosive eerily predicted nuclear anxiety.
Released months before Communist takeover; Vávra's Expressionist style was later denounced as 'bourgeois decadence.'
XC
