Summary
After 1945, Vojtěch Trapl served in various management positions within the nationalised film industry and, after the advent of “normalisation” in 1969, he even began to direct feature films. As a late debutant, Trapl created Tobě hrana zvonit nebude (The Bell Will Not Toll for You, 1975), a propaganda film centred on 1968’s “counter-revolution”, and the drama Vítězný lid (The Victorious People, 1977), a re-enactment of the communist takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1948. There is also his drama Velké přání (The Big Wish, 1981), the schematic story of a teacher. Vítězný lid narrates the events of 13-25 February 1948 which were led by Klement Gottwald and resulted in the communists’ ascent to power. Gottwald is portrayed by Slovak actor Július Pántik, while Michal Dočolomanský plays the part of Gustav Husák – it was under his presidency that the film was made. Trapal’s motion picture is a good example of a contemporary propaganda piece, but its effect is diminished by the lack of professional skill afflicting its director.
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