The Masked Lover / Maskovana milenka DVD

The Masked Lover / Maskovana milenka DVD
Synopsis
A romantic story of a noble lady who wanted to live free from marital ties but found herself longing for a child. Disguised, she sought the embrace of a young nobleman. Only years later did she believe in his love and reveal her true identity. In 1940, director Otakar Vávra premiered four films: "The Girl in Blue" in January, "Patient of Dr. Hegel" in August, "May Fairy Tale" in October, and "The Masked Lover" also in October. All of these films were above average for their time. "The Masked Lover," based on a novella by Honoré de Balzac, was an attempt at a Czech cosmopolitan-style epic. It tells the story of a noble lady who, desiring a child, discreetly enters the arms of a young nobleman. Only after many years does she reveal her true identity to him. The grand spectacle, aimed to dazzle audiences, was enhanced by cinematographer Ferdinand Pečenka and the demanding sets designed and built by architect Jan Zázvorka, both of whom won the National Prize in 1941. The main roles were played by Lída Baarová and Gustav Nezval, with performances by Ladislav Pešek, Jiřina Šejbalová, and Jiří Steimar. While the film did not fully capture the vitality of the literary source, it demonstrated that Czech cinema, even under Protectorate conditions, was capable of creating works of international competition caliber, which was no small feat at the time.

Product Details DVD
Length 91 min.
Production Year 1940
Audio Czech
Subtitles Czech
Format DVD (PAL)
Region ALL

Director Otakar Vavra
Cast Lida Baarova, Gustav Nezval, Ladislav Pesek, Jiri Steimar, Jirina Sejbalova, Rudolf Deyl ml., Karel Cerny, Alon Kassuk, Jana Konupkova, Karel Hradilak, Karel Dostal, Milada Horutova, Josef Belsky, Eman Fiala, Jirina Steimarova, Anna Steimarova, Bozena Sustrova, Jirina Hladikova, Milos Subrt, Darja Hajska, Jan Cerny

Also Known As: 

(original title) - Maskovana milenka
Czechoslovakia (Czech title) - Maskovaná milenka
Denmark - Den maskerede Elskerinde
Finland - Lempi naamion alla
Germany - Die maskierte Geliebte
Greece (transliterated title) - Nyhta erotos
Italy - L'amante mascherata
Slovenia - Ljubica z masko
USA - The Masked Lover