Black Jack (1952-1954)

From The Spaghetti Western Database
Revision as of 06:45, 2 June 2023 by Jans (talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search

Black Jack (Czechoslovakia, 1952-1954 / Directors: Miroslav Čvančara, František Čvančara)

EU-Fahne.jpg This is a Eurowestern
  • Runtime: 10 min.
  • Release Date: 1952-1954

Also known as

The Black Jack (English unofficial title).

Cast and Crew

  • Cast: Miroslav Čvančara, František Čvančara, Ferdinand Čvančara, Jindřich Lovčí and several volunteers, enthusiasts and friends of amateur filmmakers.
  • Story: Miroslav Čvančara, František Čvančara
  • Screenplay: Miroslav Čvančara, František Čvančara
  • Cinematography: Miroslav Čvančara, František Čvančara (Black and White – kamera-kinamo Zeiss-Ikon – 35mm)
  • Music: archive film music from old American western movies
  • Editors: Miroslav Čvančara, František Čvančara
  • Sound: sound effects from old American western movies
  • Filmstrip technician: Miroslav Ondříček
  • Purchaser of film material: Viktor Pejsar

Historical background of the film

The black-and-white short amateur western “Black Jack” was made gradually between 1952 and 1954 around Prague, but the majority of the film was made in 1953. While in 1952, only the prologue was made, in which the gunman Black Jack shoots three gold diggers and then the sheriff. The film tells the story of Black Jack, who with his accomplices raids a post office with a telegraph. The mortally wounded telegraph operator still manages to send a message to a neighboring town, and pursuers are sent against the bandits. The criminals want to cross the Rio Grande River and escape to Mexico, but are shot before they can reach the river. Black Jack is finally shot on the other side of the river in Mexico. The film was filmed by the brothers Miroslav Čvančara and František Čvančara and their cousin Ferdinand Čvančara and their friends, who were mostly tramps. Among the filming locations were the forest near Dobřichovice, in the cottage settlement near Černošice, in the forest on the rock near Jevany, directly on the rocks in Divoká Šárka and by the river Sázava. Some of the shots were taken directly at Berounka, where many years later the western”Die Goldsucher von Arkansas” (1964) by Paul Martin and Alberto Carodne was shot, in co-production of West Germany, Italy and France. Western “Black Jack” was born from the enthusiasm of a group of friends who admired the exoticism of the Wild West, watched western movies and read novels about gunslingers. The film was shot on a German manual Zeiss-Ikon camera from 1931 with a Tessar lens on 35mm film material, part of which was obtained to friends Viktor Pejsar. The laboratory processing of the film was created by the future famous cinematographer Miroslav Ondříček (at that time the employee of Barrandov film laboratories), who was a classmate of Miroslav Čvančara from school. Unfortunately, the film did not survive because its copy burned down. The informations in this text are based on the personal memories of one of the creators of the film, Miroslav Čvančara.

By Jan Švábenický

Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.