The Sinful Folks of Prague (Portal of Prague)

It was in the heady atmosphere of the spring of 1968 when the series The Sinful Folks of Prague was created. It was produced by Czechoslovakian television with its film production unit in Barrandov Studios using Prague exteriors. “Now we are shooting the first five stories of the thirteen-part series. Financial and organisational difficulties would not allow us to begin to work on other stories, but we hope that we manage to break down these obstacles and get them all up and running. Each of the stories will take approximately forty minutes and a lot of new actors will appear in every one of them....,” wrote the series’ director Jiří Sequens in magazine KINO 11/1968.

Detectives from the “Prague four” investigating a crime “The shooting itself took us somewhat by surprise. It is strange, completely different from the concentrated, cohesive line of a full-length film. Every day, we shoot scenes for three, sometimes even for four stories for example. It is a very challenging method for all the members of the production crew; for architects, prop men, costumers, make-up men, director’s assistants, in the overall effect and also for the director and cameraman..... Night follows day, in one set there is only one scene for example, whereas in another it repeats many times, every time with a different cast and for a different story.... Despite this unusual and demanding work I have the feeling that everybody likes it. It may be also for the fact that we are not interested as much in perfect detective plots as in the human scent of the people around crime and in the special atmosphere, which modern criminology has lost. The almost scientific methods of police practices as we know them from new detective literature: cooperation with psychologists and international crime central offices etc. that all is amazing.... nevertheless, what use is it? Sometimes we miss in the detective stories black bowler hats, moustaches, police badges hidden behind the lapel of a black coat, the Tango and Charleston in at the Venom Hut pub. Jaroslav Marvan with his master detectives will lead us there. If you want, come with us.” Thus Jiri Sequens, at that time already an experienced director, invited the audience for his successful series. He had already made a number of films including the most acclaimed Assassination from 1964, which was shown in many countries and won the Golden Medal at the International Film Festival in Moscow.

The third part called Lady Macbeth from Vinohrady won the main award in the category of adventurous programmes at Golden Prague 1969 festival. The success of the series finally enabled Sequens to shoot four more full-length colour films: The Matches of a Beautiful Dragoon, The Death of Black King, A Murder in Hotel Excelsior, and Penicka and Paraplicko.